Kids in need of help

[Micdrow]

Today I have received an email asking for help from a forum member. Unfortunately I know of any available online but maybe some one on the forum is willing to help. I know at least the aerospace education part deals with the teaching of kids in aviation.

If your not willing to post a digital manual online then maybe we can arange for a copy of a cd to be mailed to them.

I am the Deputy Squadron Commander for the Lake City (FL) Civil Air Patrol Squadron. CAP is a non profit org that does a lot of cool things for the nation, one of which is aerospace education. Here is our problem. Someone (And I can not at this point tell you who because I did not ask or I forgot!) has donated an old Wright 1830 engine to the Suwannee Valley CAP squadron. It's in pieces. Another company has donated the ability to clean and put it together. However, we are in need of the book for assembly. As a volunteer org, any unit's funding is all by donations and fund raising. So going out and buying this manual for one time use does not seem like a great idea. But the aerospace education benefits for the cadets would be great.

SO...got any idea where I might find a copy or an electronic copy of how this engine goes back together?

Any and all assistance would be greatly appreciated on this and I will continue to look for one also.


Thanks again for any assistance on this.
Paul (aka Micdrow)

 

[Crumpp]

old Wright 1830 engine

I will see what I can do for you. No promises.

What is the SN of the engine?

 

[Micdrow]

I will see what I can do for you. No promises.

What is the SN of the engine?

Off hand I have no idea, all the info I have right now is above except for the contact name that I left out.

 

[Crumpp]

Try contacting these folks. They come highly recommended for Wright engines:

Radial Engines | America's Leading Radial Engine Headquarters

I will make some calls tommorrow to some folks too.

 

[wilbur1]

I will try to find some info from my buddy im sure hes worked on them. The guys older than dirt, let you know tommorrow night mc!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

As a former CAP member when I was a teenager I really hope we can help them. I doubt I can find anything here in Germany but I will see what I can do.

 

[Micdrow]

Hi all, this is an update.

Ive had several people saying they maybe able to help but this question comes from our engine experts because they may have access to one or the other sources. The question is.

Is it a WRIGHT R-1820 or a Pratt Whitney R-1830 because they are so different?

R-1820 is a Wright product (nine cylider single row radial)
R-1830 is a Pratt&Whitney product (fourteen cylinder double row radial.

I sent a email yesterday asking and I am waiting for a response.

Once I get an answer I will update this thread and email those that have emailed me privately.

Hopfully today or tommorrow I will get an answer.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Soren]

Its great to see people actually wanting to take their time to help people out on this forum. Kudos guys!

 

[Crumpp]

The Wright R-1820 was used in the T-6 and the A-27 specifically.

The PW R-1830 was used on the such aircraft as the DC-3, the F4F, and the P36 series.

The difference in value is an order of magnitude.

 

[wilbur1]

thats what my buddy asked me, i just got back to this thread let us know

 

[Micdrow]

Update, Just got this email below.

I have seen the engine in question in pieces, and it APPEARS to be a single row radial engine. The other thing that was told to me was that it was an engine from a B-17. How they know this information is not known to me. Some more background is that a widow of the local EAA chapter there tried to donate it to the EAA chapter, but was turned down for a number of reasons (lots of parts I suspect! and putting this monster back together will be interesting.) So the CAP squadron was asked if they would like to have it and they accepted. It has been sitting around for over a year and a half waiting for something to happen. Like most things, if you do not have a person ram-rodding the project, it just sits on a list. I am grateful and humbled by the responses from the group and hope we can get this to a great conclusion.

From the sound of it above I think that its a Wright R-1820 engine. It did fit in the B-17 which would explain the history behind the engine. Im going to see if they can post some pictures of this engine.

Questions and comments welcome.

 

[Micdrow]

Newest update, Ok here are the pictures I received for the engine that needs identified and manual we are looking for.

 

[wilbur1]

Dang it does look like it, the problem with it is its a cutaway eng. wheres the rest of the stuff for it?

 

[evangilder]

Can we get a closeup of the data plate in the first picture? If you look closely, you can make out a "RIGHT" from under the green paint. That should list all the info that is needed to ID the engine.

 

[Micdrow]

I will send another email and see what more info I can get. I did receive an email from one of the other forum members that he thinks this might be a demonstration engine.

 

[wilbur1]

It definitly is a demonstration eng, if you look at the pics of the cyl and heads one is cut in half, so is the crank case soory micdraw but i dont think shes gonna run again with some major parts. maybe if we could find out just what was cut up and what wasnt we can peice one together.

 

[Micdrow]

Yeah she will never fly but at least it would be a good training aid for kids if they can get it back together. Ive attached a couple of more pictures that I recieved today. Unfortunetly the plate in middle is not a identification plate.

From what I understand from other members that emailed me privately that this indeed a Wright R-1820 engine.

Also from what I understand that since this is a demenstration engine the sub model of R-1820 really doesnt matter. Most if not all the parts are the same for rebuilding the engine. Is this correct?

If so if any one has any type of assembly manual for a R-1820 thats willing to mail a copy to them then email me privately and I will put you incontact with them. Otherwise if you could post it here for them to download.

Thanks again in advance.

 

[ccheese]

One thing for sure, Paul.... it's clean ! Good luck in getting it together.

Charles

 

[Micdrow]

Thanks Charles but it wont be me putting it back together although I wouldnt have mind helping. Its in the wrong state for me to help.

Im just trying to find them a manual, closest thing I will get to helping