Crazy question about the S*k*rsky H-34 & its Wright R-1820 Cyclone

IIRC there was a fan attached to the output shaft that drew in air inorder to keep the engine cool.

Sounds reasonable - likewise, my hypothetical aircraft would also used forced induction. Well, if it actually worked in this instance. ;-) Probably just another flaky idea that can be tossed into the pile of "Ideas never pursued because superior performing technology (turbojets) made it moot."

It might be fun to play the alternate history game by considering what history would have looked like without certain inventions rather than with them (Luft '46). Food for thought of all the piston prop designs that would have been developed if the turbojet timeline came into play 5-10 years later than it did. Huge corncob radials, contra-props, v/stol, Mojave type monster helos...

WmB

Supermarine Spitefuls with Korean war kill markings...!

Curtiss tried that with the XP-37. It didn't work as well as expected. Probably the increased wieght of the cowling, cooling fan, longer propeller shaft and support structures cancelled the gain from the decreased drag. If you look at the FW-190 and Hawker Fury line, you'll see that the best layout for a radial is the close cowl/cooling fan arrangement they used.

There was an intriguing-sounding alternative_history/sci_fi novel(s) written years ago, that had a neat theme. I wish I could remember the title and/or author. It was based on the idea that "The Plague" in middle-age Europe was much more widespread and potent than in actuality. Therefore, far more of Europe's population was decimated; and so the "exploration and discovery" of the West, never happens. So...the Central American civilizations thrived and prospered. And (according to the book; I can't remember if this is actually true...); people such as the Aztecs never made use of "the wheel" as a tool. So, the novel presents a tale of 20th Century America.... *without* the wheel.

I'd like to read that. I can't even get my mind around how you'd tackle that one. You'd think the first time a primitive rolled a log that the wheel would suggest itself.

WmB

I recall the XP-37 being a liquid cooled adaptation of the Model 75? But if you're right, I wouldn't feel that an early attempt like that would be the final say in the matter. And I wouldn't necessarily put my chip on Curtiss to be the one to figure it out.

I don't know too much about the Fury but definitely agree on the Fw 190 being the pinnacle for tightwrapping a radial - barring any lesser known X-job or something. As much trouble as it gave 'em, the Germans deserve the award for working thru it.

I bet they could have solved out the transonic propeller puzzle. ;-)

WmB

"The Years of Rice and Salt" by Kim Stanley Robinson.

and didn't the multi rows work by staggering so the jugs hit the air?

it does seem odd they didn't have it. they were aware, look at art and calendars. maybe it's like hy machines never progressed with the romans. they had slaves and no need for efficency, perhap the soam's had solutions that did the same. really interesting question-the wheel seems like an oxymoron.

Thanks!!

:o)

"D'Oh!"

This is copyrighted 2002. The book I was referring to, was something I had read about TWENTY YEARS AGO!....lol.

It seems that the mystery still stands...

i'm really surprised i don't know it. i eat sf constantly.

Fw 190s had fans in front, IIRC.

What? No MB.5s? Then there was the Commonwealth CA-15 for the downunder crowd. The USN would have had F8Bs, F2Gs and F8Fs.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

It was a liquid-cooled inline engine in there.

But if

Check out Seversky. They experimented on both the AP-1 and AP-4 with very close cowlings.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Kim Stanley Robinson is great if you want a didactic voice, but Iusually don't. FWIW, Aztec toys sometimes used wheels, but it didn't translate into 'adult' tech for some reason. They didn't have beasts of burden (other than slaves) so perhaps they didn't perceive any great advantage to wheeled vehicles. Frankly, thinking that wheellessness would survive beyond the start of an iron age (they were somewhere between stone and bronze) is sort of like wishing all those cool Luft '46 designs would have taken wing--it probably is not logially supportable.

Mark Schynert

You're right, my bad. I was thinking about the XP-42.

The Australian Aboriginie and the Native American didn't manage to dicsover the wheel. Neither did a lot of the Pacific Islanders and the Inuit - maybe it's just something to do with not owning a lot of 'stuff' and your way of life. Not being racsist, just observing the facts (I think).

RobG

Did someone say Sea Fury???? I've never seen a Fw-190, but I CAN tell you that there ain't much space between cowling and Centaurus... it's not quite shrink wrapped, but it certainly is tight!

RobG