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Gliderman8

Gliderman8

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Just heard the roar of radial engines that sound real low. I knew before I got out the door that I would be treated to something special.
When I looked up I saw a B-25 Bomber flying low. Man those engines are awesome!
 
Nothing like a radial. How 'bout six of 'em ...


Six turning and four burning. From "Strategic Air Command"
 
Yesterday afternoon, the lovely bride and I were sitting in our front room talking. I was saying something, and stopped. She looked at me, saw my face...asked what was up.
I said "Radials.....more than one....more than two....B-17!" and out the front door we went as he went directly over the house.
I spent so many years listening for the supply plane to our installation in Colombia....DC-3....and learned early on the difference between one and two engines.....you can hear them out of sync. Then more than 2, you can hear them al coming in and out of sync. Had a B-24 here 3, 4 years ago with the B-17, and I can hear the difference between the two. Can't explain it....
 
Terc' told me durring the war that's how they would tell the difference b/w the Germans and our planes. He said the Germans were out of sync and ours were in. He might have had it backwards as I can't see the Germans being out of sync on anything.
 
Here is NJ we have the State Forest Fire Aviation Service down the street.

They fly this Ag-Cat over our summer house all the time.

Nice big Pratt. Glorious noise when climbing out fully loaded.

aerial_water_drop1.jpg
 
German planes during WW2 were out of sync. My parents both went through the war in the UK and they said that was the easiest way to tell if an aircraft were British or German when you couldn't see it.
 
Steve said:
German planes during WW2 were out of sync. My parents both went through the war in the UK and they said that was the easiest way to tell if an aircraft were British or German when you couldn't see it.
Click to expand...

Thank you sir! :thumbsup:
 
The only way ours were is if the light engineer set them up. Wasn't automatic. Not like there was a tach follower that did it. Any time you tried to correct a drift by racking the throttles, they were NOT in sync.
To make the geese happy, the flight engineers on prop liners had Bendix units to bring them in to sync.
I've been in a 17. Flight engineers were not a separate station like on 29's...they were top turret, leaned in for tweaking.
Matter of pride, I would imagine, that isn't in the manual today.
DC3's aren't either. You ride in the back of one of those on a long flight, it will drive you nuts if they aren't close. Don't take much.
 
Great video of a wonderful machine. Thanks much. Got inside a 29 at an airshow last year. Amazing how much bigger the 36 is!
 
We had a couple of radial engine bombers fly over last weekend. They come to our local airport a couple of times a year.
 
You can hear th' hum. Radials are amazing. Th' PW ones when in synch are operatic.
 
Before I even got out of the door I knew it would be something special to see and I wasn't disappointed!
 
Here's a couple that bring fond memories. Flew the 25 a couple times a month, Noisy, very noisy! Flew the Stearman every time I got the chance. Wonderful gentle aircraft. PJ

 
Very cool photo Paul!
 
My father used to travel a fair amount. He would often fly out of the local airport. When I was young (40+ years ago) the local airline, Southern Airways, used Martin 404's. They were twin radial engine passenger planes. I would be glad to see my father come home, but we weren't leaving until the plane took off again. It would taxi down the runway, disappear behind some hangers, turn around, then start it's rollout. When it came out from behind the hanger those twin radials were at full throttle and screaming. God I LOVED that moment. It felt like it was sucking the air out of my lungs. I would give just about anything to experience that just 1 more time.
 
mailbox said:
My father used to travel a fair amount. He would often fly out of the local airport. When I was young (40+ years ago) the local airline, Southern Airways, used Martin 404's. ... I would give just about anything to experience that just 1 more time.
Click to expand...

You're in luck. The Save a Connie organization in Kansas City will be flying its Martin 404 soon. Take a look:

https://www.airlinehistorymuseum.com/martin.htm

And until then ...


Tom
 
Wow - didn't know about that museum. And a Lancaster - what a great aircraft. Like four Spitfires under one wing.

You may see an old Mercedes chugging your way ...

Tom
 
NutmegCT said:
Wow - didn't know about that museum. And a Lancaster - what a great aircraft. Like four Spitfires under one wing.

You may see an old Mercedes chugging your way ...

Tom
Click to expand...

It's quite a place, and you're always welcome - Oh, and while not planes, this is close too https://www.hcry.org/
 
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