Question about Wright turbocharger(s) (1 Viewer)

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tomo pauk

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Apr 3, 2008
Browsing a bit about the Wright engines, looks like they've produced almost a thousand of WT-9-2 turbochargers, and sole user of those was the Curtiss SC-1 naval plane/floatplane. Wikipedia gives critical altitude of the aircraft at 28600 ft, so that implies that indeed turbo was there. Turbo weighted 108 lbs, critical alt same as aircraft's (no surprise here).
My question - does anyone have more info about the installation of the turbo aboard the SC-1?
 
Don't have any information but something seems a bit odd. Most photos of the Curtiss SC-1 show dual exhaust pipes at the bottom of the cowl.
Curtiss_SC-1_Seahawk_NACA_1945.jpg

SC-1_Seahawk_main.jpg

Which don't seem to be compatible with a turbo installation. Since it it not a GE turbo it may mean nothing. The -62/A engine in the Seahawk was a single speed engine (7.0:1 ratio) which points to a turbo being used to give altitude performance.
 
IICR Wright was trying to develop the turbines with air cooled blades, that will allow for closely coupled turbo. Two exhausts might be from exhaust from turbine, or exit from waste gates?
Unfortunately, there seems no SC-1s survived to this day.
 

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