Blackburn Shark quote

Shortround6 · Sep 21, 2020

From Blackburn AIrcraft since 1909 page 372.

"The way the Sharks stood up to the heavy wear and tear in those arduous days was a testimony to the strength and solidity of their construction and to the design of the magnificent Tiger engine which kept running even when losing oil or shedding spark plugs."

I don't know about most of you but I would prefer a less magnificent engine that kept it's oil inside and it's spark plugs attached in flight.

BiffF15 · Sep 21, 2020

Shortround6 said:
From Blackburn AIrcraft since 1909 page 372.

"The way the Sharks stood up to the heavy wear and tear in those arduous days was a testimony to the strength and solidity of their construction and to the design of the magnificent Tiger engine which kept running even when losing oil or shedding spark plugs."

I don't know about most of you but I would prefer a less magnificent engine that kept it's oil inside and it's spark plugs attached in flight.

I'm with you on this. However, I will say in my experience the Brits have a fantastic sense of humor! Hence my favorite, "The parts falling off this car are of the highest British manufacture"! I saw the last one at a Carlisle, PA Import & Kit Car show.

Cheers,
Biff

GrauGeist · Sep 21, 2020

I've never been the proud owner of a British engine, so I haven't had the joy of spark plugs flinging everywhere but it's my experience that spark plugs behaving and remaing with the engine tend to make things run smoother...

Tkdog · Sep 21, 2020

Wartime is a bit different, engines were run to their limits and then beyond.

GrauGeist · Sep 22, 2020

Tkdog said:
Wartime is a bit different, engines were run to their limits and then beyond.

Pretty sure the Lycoming O-320 in our PA-28 was far more advanced in technology than any aircraft (civil or military) in 1909.

That being said, combat aircraft technology advanced well enough in the interwar years that the "interesting" situation experienced by the Blackburn rarely occurred post 1920's.
Except for radials, they slung oil everywhere...that seems to be a given.

Tkdog · Sep 22, 2020

Ha! Misread it- had the wrong plane. Yeah, different times.

Graeme · Sep 22, 2020

Shortround6 said:
From Blackburn AIrcraft since 1909 page 372.

According to Bill Gunston, the funniest thing in Jackson's book is the engine starting procedure for the Blackburn T.B. See pages 95 and 97.

pbehn · Sep 22, 2020

GrauGeist said:
I've never been the proud owner of a British engine, so I haven't had the joy of spark plugs flinging everywhere but it's my experience that spark plugs behaving and remaing with the engine tend to make things run smoother...

I had a friend in the 1970s went to France on a BSA 650 twin, almost made it back when the engine stated to make a horrible banging sound. He stopped, put his head near the engine just as the whole cylinder block sheared above the base flange and the heads and barrels shot up into the petrol tank. His next bike was a Triumph lol

vikingBerserker · Sep 22, 2020

Well I've owned several early British cars and I thought that was normal

GrauGeist · Sep 22, 2020

GrauGeist · Sep 22, 2020

Graeme said:
According to Bill Gunston, the funniest thing in Jackson's book is the engine starting procedure for the Blackburn T.B. See pages 95 and 97.

I haven't had the chace to read the book, but I can only imagine that the procedure involved priming the engine, the call "switch on!", several muttered Hail Marys, the brave lad pulling the prop (who was volunteered for the job) and everyone running for their life when the engine sputters to life.

soulezoo · Sep 22, 2020

Drawing on my ownership of a few Range Rovers, I am of the opinion that the British have still not found a way to make proper oil/hydraulic seals.

Even when new you'd see leaks in the darnedest places.

Shortround6 · Sep 22, 2020

GrauGeist said:
I haven't had the chace to read the book, but I can only imagine that the procedure involved priming the engine, the call "switch on!", several muttered Hail Marys, the brave lad pulling the prop (who was volunteered for the job) and everyone running for their life when the engine sputters to life.

It also required the use of one or more fire extinguishers every time the engines were started. Two rotary engines located right above the set of floats meant gasoline puddled up on top the float as each engine was primed and the puddle caught fire as the engine started needing rapid extinguishment.

The Basket · Sep 22, 2020

It was a maintenance feature.

Fresh oil is needed so by constantly leaking oil then oil never got burnt or old. Always fresh as a daisy. Nice.

It's one annoying feature that British cars or motorcycle were always compared to the Japanese and kinda not good. But compared to Italian or French designs they were great.

Graeme · Sep 23, 2020

GrauGeist said:
I haven't had the chace to read the book, but I can only imagine that the procedure involved priming the engine, the call "switch on!", several muttered Hail Marys, the brave lad pulling the prop (who was volunteered for the job) and everyone running for their life when the engine sputters to life.

The full wording...

The Basket · Sep 23, 2020

Oh my goodness!!!

The Blackburn Shark was considered obsolete and then replaced by the Swordfish!

How awful do you have to be when the Swordfish replaces you.

It must have been made from cardboard

Shortround6 · Sep 23, 2020

It may have been too sturdy.

One story is that one float version flipped over and was towed 20 miles upside down to Gosport (?) with a torpedo still attached.
Main spars were stainless steel.

rochie · Sep 23, 2020

soulezoo said:
Drawing on my ownership of a few Range Rovers, I am of the opinion that the British have still not found a way to make proper oil/hydraulic seals.

Even when new you'd see leaks in the darnedest places.

With older land rovers you only worried if you couldn't see any oil leaks, no oil drips and you knew you were in trouble

pbehn · Sep 23, 2020

To be fair, Japanese bikes were made with tyres and brakes that didn't work in the wet, they put a helpful warning on the front fork leg, always good for confidence in England that is. Then we have BMW 6 cylinder, cylinder heads, were they supposed to be warped?

yulzari · Sep 23, 2020

pbehn said:
To be fair, Japanese bikes were made with tyres and brakes that didn't work in the wet, they put a helpful warning on the front fork leg, always good for confidence in England that is. Then we have BMW 6 cylinder, cylinder heads, were they supposed to be warped?

I can recall early Japanese bikes with frames you could feel flexing under you. Not to mention US bikes apparently made of cast iron by the weight and a remarkable aversion to going around corners. Russian motorcycle tyres were so, um, 'durable' that Czech ones were a vast improvement. Or the MZ motorcycles with superb engineering but shifting cores in the aluminium brake drums that either gave you 'retarding devices' instead of brakes or 'on/off' switch brakes. Excellent when fettled and with Avon tyres.
However, we digress.

Blackburn Shark quote

Major General

Tech Sergeant

Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung

Airman 1st Class

Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung

Airman 1st Class

1st Sergeant

Colonel

Lieutenant General

Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung

Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung

Senior Airman

Major General

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1st Sergeant

Senior Master Sergeant

Major General

Moderator

Colonel

Tech Sergeant

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