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Did the Engines Rotate in Opposite Directions?
Ambrose
Member Posts: 3,158 ✭✭✭✭
In reading a story about salvaging automotive engines from larger boats, I learned that twin engines rotate in opposite directions. I would think that would be even more important on aircraft. Does anyone know if the engines on high performance WWII planes like the P38 were set up this way? What about 2 and 4 engine bombers?
Comments
The de Havilland Mosquito received handed engines only late in the war.
Both these aircraft had a much greater HP to weight ratio that the B-25, etc, and also had inline engines.
I am unaware of any of the big radials that were used in WWII being handed.
Brad Steele
Most boats do on twin engines,otherwise it pulls.
Do the engines rotate in opposite directions, or just the screws?
Brad Steele
Also the MV-22 Osprey.
quote:Originally posted by dennisnielsen
Most boats do on twin engines,otherwise it pulls.
Do the engines rotate in opposite directions, or just the screws?
On my boat and others that I observed the motors ran conventionally and the transmissions had an extra gear to rotate the prop opposite it's twin.
On some very big boats the motors had to be stopped and started in the opposite direction to get reverse.
Margaret Thatcher
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
Mark Twain
quote:Originally posted by Don McManus
quote:Originally posted by dennisnielsen
Most boats do on twin engines,otherwise it pulls.
Do the engines rotate in opposite directions, or just the screws?
On my boat and others that I observed the motors ran conventionally and the transmissions had an extra gear to rotate the prop opposite it's twin.
On some very big boats the motors had to be stopped and started in the opposite direction to get reverse.
I was on a very big boat that had to do that for a couple of years.
Of course with steam turbines, it was actually using a separate set of blades on the same turbine shaft.[:)]
Brad Steele
Less of a consideration on a plane.
But Paul Tibbets made his decision on which way to turn based on prop rotation. I guess if it's something you're trying to get away from, you'll take your advantage wherever you can.
351w Ford.
My Correct Craft has one engine. It turns counter clock.
351w Ford.
That is a very long time to lurk.
Welcome aboard!
When I worked at Chris Craft in the very late '50's the big Connies used Chev small blocks that ran in opposite directions.
The engines that were timed to run in the opposite direction lasted the least amount of hrs....
quote:Originally posted by cbxjeff
When I worked at Chris Craft in the very late '50's the big Connies used Chev small blocks that ran in opposite directions.
The engines that were timed to run in the opposite direction lasted the least amount of hrs....
What would cause that?
Little visual aid.
Black = Transmission input.
Red = Left bank (engine).
Gray = Right bank (engine).
Some of the trucks we used had either twin 6 or 8 cylinder Cummins engines. Making the truck an actual 12 or 16 cylinder.
Twin engine boats like some Hitachi Euclid haul trucks ran twin engines into a single transmission. In order to get the transmissions input shaft to rotate in the right direction through the gear box/coupler/bell housing. The engines had to rotate in different directions.
Little visual aid.
Black = Transmission input.
Red = Left bank (engine).
Gray = Right bank (engine).
Some of the trucks we used had either twin 6 or 8 cylinder Cummins engines. Making the truck an actual 12 or 16 cylinder.
Your grey, and red gears are rotating in the same direction
quote:Originally posted by LesWVa
Twin engine boats like some Hitachi Euclid haul trucks ran twin engines into a single transmission. In order to get the transmissions input shaft to rotate in the right direction through the gear box/coupler/bell housing. The engines had to rotate in different directions.
Little visual aid.
Black = Transmission input.
Red = Left bank (engine).
Gray = Right bank (engine).
Some of the trucks we used had either twin 6 or 8 cylinder Cummins engines. Making the truck an actual 12 or 16 cylinder.
Your grey, and red gears are rotating in the same direction
And the boat is listing to port.
Brad Steele
quote:Originally posted by pwillie
quote:Originally posted by cbxjeff
When I worked at Chris Craft in the very late '50's the big Connies used Chev small blocks that ran in opposite directions.
The engines that were timed to run in the opposite direction lasted the least amount of hrs....
What would cause that?
True.
Thrust forces designed into the original motor are now "backwards".
Piston shirts, bearing loading, firing orders, are now "wrong" when rotation is changed.
Small block chevy's had a piston wall oil sprayer built into the connecting rod and bearing, now it's spraying oil on the wrong side of the cylinder.