Found this engine on the quay at the Lauersoog port today. Does anybody have a clue what kind of engine this is? I'm guessing it came from the bottom of the Waddenzee or the North sea.
Aircraft engine
- Thread starter Marcel
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- #2
Could it be a Bristol Pegasus?
Michael Hope
Airman 1st Class
- 228
- Jun 28, 2016
From what I can see is appears to be a 9 cylinder radial engine with a direct drive for a three bladed propeller, that could have had a front spinner shell. The propeller appears to be a right hand rotation tractor type propeller. For reference on rotation, the RR Merlin engine for the Spitfire was a right hand rotation propeller.
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The Merlin, was RH tractor (apart from the 130 series) so would be considered CW or right hand rotation.
It looks similar, though what appears to be single push rod tubes for each cylinder aren't directly in front of the cylinders like they are on a Pegasus...
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Snautzer01
Honourably banned
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- Mar 26, 2007
Perhaps?
Michael Hope
Airman 1st Class
- 228
- Jun 28, 2016
Propeller rotation is as viewed from the rear/pilot location. So the RR Merlin in a Spitfire is a Right Hand Rotation. The RR Griffon on the Spitfire was a Left Hand rotation.The Merlin, was RH tractor (apart from the 130 series) so would be considered CW or right hand rotation.
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- Thread starter
- #8
I definitely know this is no Merlin as this is a radial and not a V-engine.
I think the missing tubes in the front (and the lack of the space for them) seems to rule out the Bristol Mercury or Pegasus engines.
Is there a German engine that looks like this? A 9-cylinder radial?
Snautzer01
Could be, but the Whirlwind doesn't seem to have cooling fins close to the crackshaft, while this one seem to have them.
I think the missing tubes in the front (and the lack of the space for them) seems to rule out the Bristol Mercury or Pegasus engines.
Is there a German engine that looks like this? A 9-cylinder radial?
Snautzer01
Could be, but the Whirlwind doesn't seem to have cooling fins close to the crackshaft, while this one seem to have them.You sure about that?
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- Thread starter
- #10
Hey guys, this is not a thread about the RR Merlin!
Marcel,
apologies for answering the erroneous statement.
Can you get any more photos of this engine with a bit more detail?
I've had a search for 9 cylinder radials and haven't had much luck so far. It seems to be a fairly early type afaik as it has the counterweights for pitch change. Or maybe they were fitted on some of the less well known types.......
It's not a Bristol type, neither is it P&W or Wright. Going to have to dig a bit deeper when I have time.
YakMan
Airman
I'm afraid I've no idea what radial this is as I only know about Russian engines but the thing I think is odd, all the cylinder heads are missing?? On a trad radial these are screwed on NEVER to come off again, a fixable problem with a normal cylinder head usually writes the whole pot off because to try and separate them usually trashes both bits. It is my opinion that there is no way the heads could conceivably all come off in use so im guessing it was a scrap engine dumped overboard not wreckage or a fallen off engine. It is making me scratch my head as to why all the heads are off?? Its not a sleeve valve engine is it? They might have more detachable cylinder heads seeing as though they dont do much!
Good luck I can't wait for the definitive answer from the assembled genius on tap!
Good luck I can't wait for the definitive answer from the assembled genius on tap!
Michael Hope
Airman 1st Class
- 228
- Jun 28, 2016
Marcel,
Apologies, I had made a mistake in the Rotation of the Propeller for the Spitfire, and was being corrected by the other poster.
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- #14
Sorry, no, this is all I have. The place is 300 km from my house, so I won't be visiting it very soon. I agree, it was my impression that it was an early engine, too. I was thinking of Bristol engines as they where used a lot over the Waddenzee, first bij the Dutch airforce and later by the Wellingtons and Hampdens that used this route to the Ruhr. Googeling it, I found I guy who was also wondering what it was on his blog and he thought it was a german engine somehow (link). I have no idea how he came to that conclusion. In the mean time, I've also sought out a Dutch aviation forum in the hope that there would be someone who know anything about this engine.Marcel,
apologies for answering the erroneous statement.
Can you get any more photos of this engine with a bit more detail?
I've had a search for 9 cylinder radials and haven't had much luck so far. It seems to be a fairly early type afaik as it has the counterweights for pitch change. Or maybe they were fitted on some of the less well known types.......
It's not a Bristol type, neither is it P&W or Wright. Going to have to dig a bit deeper when I have time.
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That looks very British and Bristol to me; Dh Bracket prop, you can see the three counterweights, nine cylinders and no sign of any push rods so I'm thinking Bristol Perseus...
... Oh also forgot to mention that it isn't direct drive, you can see the reduction gear planetary gears
... Oh also forgot to mention that it isn't direct drive, you can see the reduction gear planetary gears
Looking through the types list for the Perseus which would likely have been fitted with a spinner, the remains of which you can see in the photos, I'm guessing at a MKII Lysander, a number were lost in that area during the Blitzkrieg in 1940 and likely after that too.
- Thread starter
- #17
Yes, agree.
Apart from the cylinders not having the twin exhaust ports and no sign of any sleeves inside the cylinders (?)
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Could it be a Wright Cyclone? A number of Dutch aircraft were fitted with the Cyclone and the 'Bracket/Counterweight' type propeller was a Hamilton Standard design that a number of European companies built under licence.Looking at US types of the period the Dauntless was fitted with a Cyclone and a counterweight prop for reference; Modeling Hamilton Standard Counterweight Propeller
