Oilspill on aircraftcarriers

[Max Richter]

The Navy used to have plenty of radial-pistonengined aircraft on
carriers.
Now my question: in radial-engines oil is collecting in the lower
cylinders when its stopped. Thats is one reason to handturn the engine
before it is started.Then the oil is queezed out in the exhaustsystem
and eventually on the ground.
Now i thought how dangerous, filthy and slippery the deck must have been
when an deckload of Hellcats, Avengers and so on started there engines
nearly simultaniusly.
How was this avoided or was it just ignored.
Greetings
Max

[Greasy Rider]

On Mon, 06 Dec 2004 20:59:33 +0100, Max Richter
> postulated :
>The Navy used to have plenty of radial-pistonengined aircraft on
>carriers.
>Now my question: in radial-engines oil is collecting in the lower
>cylinders when its stopped. Thats is one reason to handturn the engine
>before it is started.Then the oil is queezed out in the exhaustsystem
>and eventually on the ground.
>Now i thought how dangerous, filthy and slippery the deck must have been
>when an deckload of Hellcats, Avengers and so on started there engines
>nearly simultaniusly.
>How was this avoided or was it just ignored.
>Greetings
>Max
>
During the 50's there were weighted drip pans available for the worst
offenders and the wooden deck soaked up the rest. A periodic blast
from a fire hose did the clean up. During my day the only recips still
flying on the CVAs were Skyraiders (AD-5 and -6) and Stoofs (S2F and
TF).

[Yofuri]

Max Richter wrote:
> The Navy used to have plenty of radial-pistonengined aircraft on
> carriers.
> Now my question: in radial-engines oil is collecting in the lower
> cylinders when its stopped. Thats is one reason to handturn the engine
> before it is started.Then the oil is queezed out in the exhaustsystem
> and eventually on the ground.
> Now i thought how dangerous, filthy and slippery the deck must have been
> when an deckload of Hellcats, Avengers and so on started there engines
> nearly simultaniusly.
> How was this avoided or was it just ignored.
> Greetings
> Max
>
>


Drip pans (typically 4X5 feet in size), Speedy-Dry (cat litter) and
cotton mops. It was normal to let sixteen blades pass before turning
the mag switch on. The liquid oil in the exhaust collector rings burned
off immediately.

Rick

[Max Richter]

Thank You very much for these answers and i wish every one on this group
a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Max

Max Richter schrieb:

> The Navy used to have plenty of radial-pistonengined aircraft on
> carriers.
> Now my question: in radial-engines oil is collecting in the lower
> cylinders when its stopped. Thats is one reason to handturn the engine
> before it is started.Then the oil is queezed out in the exhaustsystem
> and eventually on the ground.
> Now i thought how dangerous, filthy and slippery the deck must have been
> when an deckload of Hellcats, Avengers and so on started there engines
> nearly simultaniusly.
> How was this avoided or was it just ignored.
> Greetings
> Max

[Gord Beaman]

Max Richter > wrote:

>The Navy used to have plenty of radial-pistonengined aircraft on
>carriers.
>Now my question: in radial-engines oil is collecting in the lower
>cylinders when its stopped. Thats is one reason to handturn the engine
>before it is started.Then the oil is queezed out in the exhaustsystem
>and eventually on the ground.
>Now i thought how dangerous, filthy and slippery the deck must have been
>when an deckload of Hellcats, Avengers and so on started there engines
>nearly simultaniusly.
>How was this avoided or was it just ignored.
>Greetings
>Max
>
Well yes, they are somewhat messy but it's not as you describe
them. they use pretty high capacity scavenge pumps to keep the
engine internal spaces relatively free of oil after it's done
it's thing in the bearings etc. The business of turning the
engine over before starting is just to check for hydraulic lock
which would be disastrous for the engine, not to 'squeegee' the
oil out.
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)