Eclipse engine starter Type 447

Anon,

Thanks for that. A Wasp Junior certainly seems a possibility. I’ll look into this and see what the starter motor would be.

Twin Wasp was started via a starter motor which was direct drive and engaged a dog-tooth release gear fitted, via a short extension shaft, directly to the rear of the crankshaft.

The torque was such that it is unlikely to have been via a gear box, such as the one you have shown. However, I can’t rule it out as there are often many permutations of different types of accessories. I would have thought it unlikely though as the Twin Wasp installation in the Sunderland was pretty much standard.

Gear boxes add weight and one capable of taking the torque to start a Twin Wasp would have been both heavy and bulky in an area where space was at a premium. They were fitted on smaller engines so it is likely that it could be from an engine like those already mentioned. Hand cranking was an option on the smaller-engined, landplane types.

Anon.

Thanks for all the posts, guys. It looks possible that this might be the engine starter for a Twin Wasp from a Sunderland V, or at least the gearbox from one. It would be really nice to confirm this. Does anyone have a Twin Wasp manual or other such information which would specify what the starter motor was?

Sunderland V – P and W Twin Wasps?

Excellent! Do you by any chance have any photos or documentation?

Sunderland V – P and W Twin Wasps?

Ian

Bearing in mind this was over 50 years ago so could be sketchy. I think they may have operated the Sunderland out of Plymouth for a while even after the war . British engine with American APU. Possible I suppose. The one Dad used was a rope start it was a pig to start and had a kick back like a mule. Although we had 30 years use out of it. The small housing to the bottom left in the second photo if my memory is correct was the ignition cam and points for the magneto.

Like I say I cannot be sure of its origin. Would be great to find out. Perhaps a new thread requesting APU info for Sunderland. I Too would be interested so will be staying tuned. :eagerness:

Regards Mike.

It looks to me to be just the gear box of an Eclipse Starter usually fitted to a radial engine of some kind. Perhaps a P/W 985 or 1340. The electric motor part is missing and fits over those vacant studs. The hand crank used in emergency when battery flat.

VW

Hi Ian,

I have one of those as well but Type 436, Very similar in shape etc. It was attached to the accessory gearbox of an early Bristol Pegasus engine and does not appear to have an electric motor but only a manual crank handle drive. Could be ex Sunderland or Vincent or even Baffin.
Do you have any more pictures of the Manual Drive as mine is missing this piece.

Mike,

Thanks very much for this interesting suggestion. You may well be right, but it seems odd that a British aircraft with British engines would have an American-built engine as its APU. I’d love to know if anyone has any information about what the APU in a Sunderland was. I must admit I’m surprised that no-one has come forward already with a positive identification for this object. I can’t say if you’re right or not Mike, although your argument is rather compelling, but would love some hard evidence one way or the other.

Ian

Just a bit more info. Just spoken to my brother on this, there was talk that this generator was fitted in a leading edge compartment of an aeroplane as the auxiliary power unit. The only possibility I could think would be a Short Sunderland. There is a compartment for the APU in the wing leading edge. And Sunderlands were based in Plymouth and may well have been scrapped there. There where also numerous military scrap yards and surplus stores in the 1960’s.

Regards Mike.

Bombgone,

Thanks for that – this is the wonderful thing about objects and how evocative they can be. I’m glad it brought back what I assume are happy memories.

Does anyone know what aircraft/engine type this would have been used with?

WOW! This takes me back to the 1960’s. Dad used one of these as a battery charger on his boat. Powered by a 2 stroke engine. Looks like the generator just out of view to the right in the photo. I remember the bendix and eclipse aviation plate. I think he may have bought it from a local scrap yard in Plymouth. Though no idea of its origin.