Montblack wrote:
On the stern of some paddle-wheelers are the paddles. One I've been on had
its paddle-wheels run by pumps. Pump line ran out of the engine room and
terminated in a smallish box next to/attached to the wheel's axle.

My guess is that this offers certain advantages such as preventing
the paddles from back-driving the drive train when the engine is
throttled down and also making it possible to use valves to reverse
the paddles direction.

Such a system will also be more efficient for low speeds than for
high speeds.


Would that idea work for aircraft. Pump driven prop?

One advantage would be aerodynamic streamlining of the cowl. The nose of the
plane could be almost bullet shaped ...engine might be mid plane - anywhere
really. Engine's prop shaft no longer an issue.


A drive shaft is a far more efficient means to transfer mechanical
energy from the engine to the prop.

Consider the P-39 Airacobra. Engine was behind the pilot, the
prop out in front.

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FF