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| Historic Aircraft: Sopwith Camel & Spitfire |
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| Raggle:
See how far the Spitfire's manufacturers had come in just 11 years from the Camel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_S.5 I've got a year of magazines somewhere from 1927 with an article on that Schneider Trophy Race, I'll have a search. Ray |
| Fergus OMore:
So we are getting near to my bit. I was at RAF Hendon in 1949 when there were two squadrons of Spitfires belonging to 601 and 604 Squadrons, plus three 'adopted' Spitfires. One was TB-713, a LFIX , another was a 14 PM-959 and used by Air Vice Marshal Boothman of Schneider Trophy fame and the other was the famous SL-721 whose driver was 'Jimmy Robb' Boss of Fighter Command. JM-R is still airworthy and in Canada now. 601's 'boss was Hon Max Aitken who was another air ace and son of Lord Beaverbrook, who was Minister of Aircraft Production during the War. Squadron leader Arthur Fane De Salis( later Wing Commander and then Group Captain was boss man of RAF 31 Squadron- which still exists today -flying Tornados out of Marham. I've just posted off my greetings cards to the last two survivors of my days with 31. But we have to move on. The story is of progress in aviation and in 1949, I went to Farnborough to see the Brabazon fly over- ex Filton, the Comet 1 flown by 'cats eyes ' Cunningham of the Pathfinders, the Shackleton still in use today, and the 'fighter'or so the Yanks thought - Canberra 1 bomber. It was all rather fun because we had pretty little Percival Proctors- from Jean Batten days flying solo to Oz and New Zealand in a Vega Gull and that sweetheart, the Avro Anson. It was all rather boring. I was in a jet and coming home with my missus in October and suddenly thought, this thing was going far faster than a Spitfire-in a dive. Probably the next thing is 1915 when our little squadron will be 100 years old. I wonder whether I will be there to see it. |
| AdeV:
--- Quote from: mattinker on December 23, 2012, 11:04:24 AM --- --- Quote from: AdeV on December 23, 2012, 05:52:21 AM ---That particular Camel sounds a bit unhealthy; --- End quote --- The first on sounds unhealthy I would think for a few reasons. It was a cold engine running at ground level. As the engine is radial with the block turning the carburation was a real problem as this had to be done through the centre. The engine speed being controlled partly using ignition cut out explains why it sounds lumpy when cold and not flat out. --- End quote --- I would agree with all that; the other issue of course was when stationary, the oil tended to train into the lowest cylinders, so fouling the plugs... However, even well into the flight with the Spit, the Camel engine is clearly revving, missing, revving, missing, and is producing a lot of smoke (oil or fuel, I can't really tell). Yes, I did note it was a total loss lube system & therefore smoke would generally be expected, but not in "puffs" I suspect. |
| Fergus OMore:
I think the problem was the use of castor oil in what was a total loss system in these old aircraft engines. Enough to give pilots a doze of the -----------------------------------------and it did. For those who perhaps missed their organic chemistry lesson that day, the esterification of fatty acids does create varnish- and worse. And a Merry Xmas to All our Readers. |
| mattinker:
[/quote] I would agree with all that; the other issue of course was when stationary, the oil tended to train into the lowest cylinders, so fouling the plugs.... [/quote] AdeV, There is no lower cylinder on a Sopwith Camel the cylinders turn and the crankshaft is fixed. I would guess at accumulation of oil in a cylinder through a fouled plug, clearing and firing. From what I could gather, the oil mixed with the air/fuel mixture in the crank-case, (hence the reason for caster oil that was not diluted) so the only place for it to go once it had gone through the oil ways was through the cylinder heads and out of the exhaust! http://www.canadianflight.org/content/the-sopwith-camel the explanation of the lubrication system and the induction set up is not very complete! For those that read "Biggles" when young, "the Sopwith Camel ticking over like a well oiled sewing machine" is pure fiction! Regards, Matthew |
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