skywords
Donation Time
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Enjoy.
Also, a rotating cylinder bank was not unique then, did not other radials also have the gyro advantage in one direction? Finally, what is the range of the Gnome with the total loss oil system?
Yes, the internal combustion engine was still relatively new, and in-line engines with its water cooling, radiator and so on, all added to the weight. The rotary at that time had the highest HP to weight ratio, it was adequately cooled, was its own flywheel, and didn't have all the reciprocating component balance problems that the inline engine had. But as Nick pointed out, it had to have loss lubrication. The crankpin is lubed under pressure and since the air & fuel is mixed in the crankcase (the crankshaft was hollowed out for air & fuel entry), the oil is burned with the air/fuel mixture. Now at that time, castor oil was the best lubricant and wouldn't burn at very high temps, so that's what was strictly used....You wonder why the rotary was used for this application, the spinning unit has great weight so there is a built in technology dead end.
I take it this airplane replaced the Se5. That must have been like going from an MG to a Lotus Elan!