A aviation & planes forum. AviationBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » AviationBanter forum » rec.aviation newsgroups » Restoration
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

FA: WWII Target Drone Motor (O-15-3 McCulloch)



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old May 31st 04, 06:02 PM
i-robot
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default FA: WWII Target Drone Motor (O-15-3 McCulloch)

He

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2480711435

??? to
  #3  
Old June 1st 04, 08:36 PM
i-robot
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

(Dan Thomas) wrote in message . com...
(i-robot) wrote in message . com...
He

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2480711435

??? to



McCulloch also built a four-cylinder version of this engine,
designed to produce 72 hp at around 6000 RPM. I had one in a small
homebuilt airplane I bought for restoration; got rid of it because of
its fearsome vibation and fuel consumption. It had been modified to a
lower compression and swung a longer prop, and produced around 50 hp.
The firing order was the origin of the vibration: the front two
cylinders fired at the same time, and then the back two. It sounded
like King Kong's chainsaw.
Many of them were used on Bensen gyrocopters. These engines were
designed for a 15-minute service life, intended only for target drones
to be shot down by anti-aircraft gunners. Their magnetos were famous
for failing without warning, and they had only the single ignition.
Vibration would wear out the carb throttle shaft bearings quickly.
In spite of all the drawbacks, many of them flew for years as
long as they were looked after and a different carb was used. Magnetos
needed good cooling.

Dan



The version I have uses a Bing downdraft rather than a Tillotson
updraft which was typical for the O-15-3 motors I can find online.
Also, the O-15-3 pictures show them with counter-rotating gear boxes
that were bolted to an intergral flange cast into the front of the
engine case. Mine only has the provision for the prop hub off the
crankshaft. It is clearly marked O-15-3 however.

It is an amazingly neat & compact motor weighing no more than ~15 lbs.
maybe less. I was able to find info on it and it said it produced 12HP
and was used on a 95 lb. WWII USN target drone. I guess it must have
been built under license by McCulloch. Unfortunately accurate info on
a 60-year-old motor is not easy to come by.

mech_robot
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
FA: WWII Target Drone Motor (O-15-3 McCulloch) i-robot Aviation Marketplace 2 June 1st 04 08:36 PM
FA: WWII Target Drone Motor (O-15-3 McCulloch) i-robot Military Aviation 2 June 1st 04 08:36 PM
FA: McCulloch O-15-3 WWII Target Drone Motor ( not Righter ) i-robot Aviation Marketplace 0 June 1st 04 05:18 PM
"Target for Today" & "Thunderbolt" WWII Double Feature at Zeno'sDrive-In Zeno Aerobatics 0 August 2nd 03 07:31 PM
"Target for Today" & "Thunderbolt": An Awesome WWII DoubleFeature at Zeno's Drive-In zeno Piloting 0 July 14th 03 07:31 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:43 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AviationBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.