Another Curious Question for the Group

[Shiver]

So I'm watching TV last night.

They are showing a scale model of a high rise building that was being
tested for it's ability to withstand wind.

Then they show an engine from a Lancaster being fired up to produce the
wind.

On a stand, complete with Lanc nacelle, and contra rotating props.

So my kinda curious question.

How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
for oddball type jobs.

For example anyone know the history of some of the jet engines used to
dry off the NASCAR type racetracks when they are a little wet.

Or perhaps the jets used in those semis that roar down the runways at
airshows.

This sort of thing.

[D. St-Sanvain]

Hello,

shiver a écrit :
> For example anyone know the history of some of the jet engines used to
> dry off the NASCAR type racetracks when they are a little wet.
Some jet engines are used to sweep the snow out of runways.

Bye

--
D520
Roundels of the World : http://cocardes.monde.online.fr

[Netko]

On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 22:19:34 +0100, shiver wrote
(in message >):

> Then they show an engine from a Lancaster being fired up to produce the
> wind.
>
> On a stand, complete with Lanc nacelle, and contra rotating props.

With contra-rotating props, isn't it more likely to have been a
Shackelton engine?

--

[Andrew B]

"shiver" > wrote in message
...
> So I'm watching TV last night.
>
> They are showing a scale model of a high rise building that was being
> tested for it's ability to withstand wind.
>
> Then they show an engine from a Lancaster being fired up to produce the
> wind.
>
> On a stand, complete with Lanc nacelle, and contra rotating props.
>
> So my kinda curious question.
>
> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
> for oddball type jobs.
>
> For example anyone know the history of some of the jet engines used to
> dry off the NASCAR type racetracks when they are a little wet.
>
> Or perhaps the jets used in those semis that roar down the runways at
> airshows.
>
> This sort of thing.


I remember sometime ago, probably the early 80's, preparing an auction where
there were a number of engines taken from the forward fuselages of I think
either Fairy Firefly or Boulton Paul Balliol aircraft and were loaded onto
transporters. We were told that they were being sent to Canada for use in
some form of power boats.
--
Andrew

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
(Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.)

[Shiver]

> Netko > wrote:


> With contra-rotating props, isn't it more likely to have been a
> Shackelton engine?

Well I'm sure no expert but even I thought it a little odd that they
mentioned a Lancaster and then showed what definitely looked like
a Lanc pod with the contra rotating props. 8 blades - no waiting.

I thought maybe the engine came off a Lanc from the fifties or sixties.

When I looked at the unit I wondered who would have had
the forethough to actually save a get up like that for future use.

And of course I kinda wondered what happened to the rest of the plane.

Anybody have any direct info on this set up.

I couldn't even tell you what country this test took place in.

[[email protected]]

To the best of my knowledge merlins never drove contra-props, except
maybe for tests at RR. The engine was more likely to be a Griffon from
a Shackleton.

When I was a nipper I went on a visit to Boscombe Down. We watched an
ejection seat test for the nav's seat on a Canberra P.R. 9. The wind
was supplied by the Blower Tunnel. A long tube with four merlins
equipped with fans. The noise was awesome.
The seat test was awesome too. Apparently the original installation
tended to take the nav's legs off at the knee.

Baldrick
"I have a cunning plan"

--
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[Mike Henley]

"shiver" > wrote in message
...
> So I'm watching TV last night.
>
> They are showing a scale model of a high rise building that was being
> tested for it's ability to withstand wind.
>
> Then they show an engine from a Lancaster being fired up to produce the
> wind.
>
> On a stand, complete with Lanc nacelle, and contra rotating props.
>
> So my kinda curious question.
>
> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
> for oddball type jobs.
>
> For example anyone know the history of some of the jet engines used to
> dry off the NASCAR type racetracks when they are a little wet.
>
> Or perhaps the jets used in those semis that roar down the runways at
> airshows.
>
> This sort of thing.

The jet dryers are small gas turbines with all parts not required for the
job removed. GE and Pratt & Whitney are well known because of the aircraft
they power, but there are several other companies that make gas turbines for
things like dryers, electrical power, ships, etc.

Trucks like Shockwave, and some smaller class racing boats used the
Westinghouse J-34 (now called the Pratt & Whitney J-34). There were a lot of
surplus engines at one time. They were used in Navy P2V's, T2J's, and even
powered the Douglas X-3.

[[email protected]]

Yes I know they're yEnc.
But they're worth it.
"I have a cunning plan"

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[Hans Holbein]

shiver schrieb:
> So I'm watching TV last night.
>
> They are showing a scale model of a high rise building that was being
> tested for it's ability to withstand wind.
>
> Then they show an engine from a Lancaster being fired up to produce the
> wind.
>
> On a stand, complete with Lanc nacelle, and contra rotating props.
>
> So my kinda curious question.
>
> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
> for oddball type jobs.
>
> For example anyone know the history of some of the jet engines used to
> dry off the NASCAR type racetracks when they are a little wet.
>
> Or perhaps the jets used in those semis that roar down the runways at
> airshows.
>
> This sort of thing.

They took hungarian Mig21 engines mounted on armored vehicles to blow
out the fires Saddam set on oil wells during retreats of the Kuwait
occupation.

[[email protected]]

Back in the Fifties the Royal Navy towed a vampire, mounted on a dolly
to raise the nose, around the runways and taxiways to clear snow.
The RAF developed this further my mounting two Derwents on a trolley
which was pushed around by a Bowser, called MRD, Motorised Runway De-
Icer. This worked well unless the melted snow/ice refroze before the
bowser had passed over it. When that happened the bowser quickly
became jet propelled, in reverse. Care also had to be taken with
asphalt surfaces, for obvious reasons.

Santa Pod raaceway also used a Derwent or Ghost, can't remember which,
mounted on a Lorry to heat up the burn-off/start area.
"I have a cunning plan"

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[[email protected]]

Wrong header should have been interesting aircraft
"I have a cunning plan"

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--------------------------------- --- -- -
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[Jim Morris[_2_]]

"Baldrick" > wrote in message
...
> Yes I know they're yEnc.
> But they're worth it.
> "I have a cunning plan"
nope they aren't.

jm

[Jim Morris[_2_]]

> Trucks like Shockwave, and some smaller class racing boats used the
> Westinghouse J-34 (now called the Pratt & Whitney J-34). There were a lot
> of surplus engines at one time. They were used in Navy P2V's, T2J's, and
> even powered the Douglas X-3.
>
Link to Shockwave truck: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question647.htm

vr,

jm

[Glenn[_2_]]

"shiver" > wrote in message
...
> So I'm watching TV last night.
>
> They are showing a scale model of a high rise building that was being
> tested for it's ability to withstand wind.
>
> Then they show an engine from a Lancaster being fired up to produce the
> wind.
>
> On a stand, complete with Lanc nacelle, and contra rotating props.
>
> So my kinda curious question.
>
> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
> for oddball type jobs.
>
> For example anyone know the history of some of the jet engines used to
> dry off the NASCAR type racetracks when they are a little wet.
>
> Or perhaps the jets used in those semis that roar down the runways at
> airshows.
>
> This sort of thing.

many years ago. About 1983 or 1984. I was at Kogarah Oval in sydney
The game was bwteen St George and some other team that I can't remember.
The field was so wet that before the game, they called in two helicopters to
hover over the field to dry it off.
Kicking myself for not having a camera but that was pre my photo burst
days(although i did do a bit of photography)

All i can remember was one was a PINK Jetranger owned by a famous Dr.
Geoffry Edelstein. Rember his Pink Detamaso for his girlfriend.



A guy who bought the Sydney swans and put my brother in hospital over Xmas
for not cleaning a wound out before stitching him up.
when paralysis set in, they admitted him immediately. but that's a
different story.

to answer your question, I've seen an aircraft used as a dryer :-)

[John B]

"shiver" > wrote in message
...
>> Netko > wrote:
>
>> With contra-rotating props, isn't it more likely to have been a
>> Shackelton engine?
>
> Well I'm sure no expert but even I thought it a little odd that they
> mentioned a Lancaster and then showed what definitely looked like
> a Lanc pod with the contra rotating props. 8 blades - no waiting.

Lancs - no contra rotating.

Shackletons - contra rotating - three bladed X 2.

John B

[John Szalay]

shiver > wrote in news:110720071519220287%
:

> So I'm watching TV last night.
>
> They are showing a scale model of a high rise building that was being
> tested for it's ability to withstand wind.
>
> So my kinda curious question.
>
> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
> for oddball type jobs.
>
>


Several years ago, there was company that used the front end of a F-4U
Corsair to do the same thing, test the windows design on buildings in
Hong Kong.


Helicopter turbine engine drives the wheels in the Team Dempsy Vesco
"Turbinator" Streamliner at Bonneville holding the record at 427.832 MPH
(Fastest wheel driven vehicle landspeed record)

the jet driven record is by Team ThrustSSC is 763 mph with two jet
Rolls-Royce Spey 202 engines

the North American Eagle is going for 800 MPH soon with a LM1500/J-79
jet engine while not a true aircraft engine, its mounted in a heavly
modified wingless F-104 frame rescued from the scrap heap.


Spirt of America jet LSR car with a J-79



Course most frigates these days are using jet turbine engines to power
them.

as are power companies for power generation backup units for peak
demand periods.

our water company has a couple of jet turbine genset modules for
emergency use in the event of power failure. to supply electricty to
power the pumps.

[John Szalay]

>> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
>> for oddball type jobs.
>>


Ok forgot about the NYC M-497

[John Szalay]

J
>>
>> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
>> for oddball type jobs.
>>
>>


and from down under Rod Hadfield's Merlin v-12 powered 55 Chevy

[[email protected]]

On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:19:34 GMT, shiver >
wrote:

>So I'm watching TV last night.
>
>They are showing a scale model of a high rise building that was being
>tested for it's ability to withstand wind.
>
>Then they show an engine from a Lancaster being fired up to produce the
>wind.
>
>On a stand, complete with Lanc nacelle, and contra rotating props.
>
>So my kinda curious question.
>
>How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
>for oddball type jobs.

The New York Central Railroad mounted a twin pod off (I believe) a
B-36 on the top of a (once again, I believe) a Budd rail car to test
high speed rail capability. I used to have the pic of it, but I can't
find it right now.
------------------------------------------
NO, use John Mee3 at comcast dot net (remove the spaces and do the
obvious with the "dot" and the "at"

[Art Woodbury[_2_]]

In article >,
says...
snip...
> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
> for oddball type jobs.
snip...

Here's one:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,844199,00.html

[[email protected]]

Here is the picture and a story about the NYC M-497 train.

More information can be found at:
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/01/jet-powered-other-futuristic-trains.html
http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/1999/2/1999_2_63.shtml

(Google is your friend)...
------------------------------------------
NO, use John Mee3 at comcast dot net (remove the spaces and do the
obvious with the "dot" and the "at"

[Don Pyeatt]

"John Szalay" > wrote in message
m...
> J
>>>
>>> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
>>> for oddball type jobs.
>>>
>>>
>
>
> and from down under Rod Hadfield's Merlin v-12 powered 55 Chevy
>

WOW !! Can you tell us anything about this "car"?

[Don Pyeatt]

"shiver" > wrote in message
...
> So I'm watching TV last night.
>
>
> So my kinda curious question.
>
> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
> for oddball type jobs.
>

During the late 1970s there was a man searching for a surplus R-4360 engine.
He planned to use it in a tractor to enter in a tractor pull contest.

[John Szalay]

"Don Pyeatt" > wrote in :

>
>>
>> and from down under Rod Hadfield's Merlin v-12 powered 55 Chevy
>>
>
> WOW !! Can you tell us anything about this "car"?
>
>
>

http://www.rodshop.com.au/project55.htm

Multiple pages with many pictures follow the links on the each page

We heard about it when Keith Turk took his 266 mph Camero down under
with Dave Freiburger (Hot Rog magazine) to run in the DRLA trails.
Rod Hadfield was kind enough to act as host for the attempt at
Lake Gairner (aborted due to water on the salt)

[Reed Park]

>>
>> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
>> for oddball type jobs.
>>
>> For example anyone know the history of some of the jet engines used to
>> dry off the NASCAR type racetracks when they are a little wet.
>>
The Canadian National Railway (CNR) used jet engines to blow snow and
melt ice from around yard switches in the humpyard at Moncton NB. Trouble
was, it also blew the ballast around and was rather hard on windows in
buildings
and vehicles.

Also saw them in use to melt snow (or rather try to melt snow) as it was
blown
into a huge drum like a cement mixer. The idea was to plow street snow and
blow
it into the container where the jet engine would melt it. Then it would be
dumped
down the drains in the streets. It was supposed to be cheaper than ploughing
and
hauling it away to be dumped.

Regards
Reed

retired CNR technician.

[John Szalay]

"Reed Park" > wrote in
:

>>>
>>> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being
>>> used for oddball type jobs.
>>>
>>> For example anyone know the history of some of the jet engines used
>>> to dry off the NASCAR type racetracks when they are a little wet.
>>


OK Some New NEWS..

Steve Fossett is planning on some highspeed testing in LATE Aug
on the Bonneville Saltflats between Speedweek and the World of Speed
events. Using the revamped Spirt of America jet car..

possible speeds to 600mph on this engine. then they re-engine for
the 800 attempt if all goes well..


www.stevefossett.com


And the August issue of Hot Rod magazine has a photo of one jet engined
FOD blower found in Iraq.

[John Szalay]

J
>>>>
>>>> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being
>>>> used for oddball type jobs.
>>>>
>>>> For example anyone know the history of some of the jet engines used
>>>> to dry off the NASCAR type racetracks when they are a little wet.
>>>
>

[Rusty Knuckle]

A real man's snow blower!

[John Szalay]

(Rusty Knuckle) wrote in news:NmRli.26046$2v1.21080
@newssvr14.news.prodigy.net:

> A real man's snow blower!
>



Tim Taylor would be proud ... MORE POWER !

[unstable]

shiver > wrote in news:110720071519220287%
:

>
> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
> for oddball type jobs.

[J.F.]

I read an article on this bike and supposedly only two of the cylinders on
this engine actually fire. I kinda wonder abour a gyro effect.

J. Fields

[John Szalay]

unstable > wrote in news:Xns996FAC580D9D4asdffdsagov@
216.168.3.50:
>> How many of you know of aviation engines out there that are being used
>> for oddball type jobs.
>
>
>
>

[unstable]

another way of mounting it...

"J.F." > wrote in
. net:

> I read an article on this bike and supposedly only two of the
> cylinders on this engine actually fire. I kinda wonder abour a gyro
> effect.
>
> J. Fields
>
>

[unstable]

unstable > wrote in news:Xns9970C3A1E77B2asdffdsagov@
216.168.3.50:

> another way of mounting it...
>

here is the site for the cylce shop.. and this one all the cylinders fire

http://www.jrlcycles.com