Another Curious Question for the Group

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.

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

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?

--

"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.)

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.

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"

--
--------------------------------- --- -- -
Posted with NewsLeecher v3.8 Final
Web @ http://www.newsleecher.com/?usenet
------------------- ----- ---- -- -

"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.

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

--
--------------------------------- --- -- -
Posted with NewsLeecher v3.8 Final
Web @ http://www.newsleecher.com/?usenet
------------------- ----- ---- -- -

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.

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"

--
--------------------------------- --- -- -
Posted with NewsLeecher v3.8 Final
Web @ http://www.newsleecher.com/?usenet
------------------- ----- ---- -- -