Hawker Hurricane or Brewster Buffalo

Admiral Beez said:

The R2800 has to be one of the best, if not the best radial aircraft engine designed before the war.

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Clayton Magnet said:

Drifting off topic here, but, was it ACTUALLY the best? or just the most prolific and developed?

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Clayton Magnet said:

that's kinda my point. I am sure the R2800 is/was a fine engine, but it continues in service today because American manufacturers tended to prefer air cooled engines, and American aircraft were the norm in the postwar era.

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Admiral Beez said:

For transports, I think everyone else did too. Hercules and Centaurus sleeve valve engines continued well into the 1960s. But they burned oil like hell.

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GregP said:

What do you think of this?

We are all familiar with the Polikarpov Rata (I-16). To get the CG where the designer wanted it, the radial engine was set somewhat back right against the leading edge of the wing. Suppose they had moved the engine back about a foot to a foot and a half (30 - 46 cm), and then mated the Pratt & Whitney R-1820. It might have been right against the wing leading edge. To counter the added weight, perhaps they could have a wing root leading edge kink, sort of like the kink in the P-51 wing that accommodated the undercarriage. In this case though, it would have been to add a bit of wing area.

Any takers? Do any of you think the P&W would have helped the Buffalo, had it been tried?
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Brewster had originally proposed using the P&W the same as Grumman but the Navy said no and to use the Wright engine while Grumman was allowed to use the P&W.

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PFVA63 said:

Hi,

Those look really nice. I like the way you make use of the different wood tone/types.

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