Pobjoy R : Availability

Phillip read your pm’s re-pobjoy availability 🙂

The ST.25 Monospar OY-DAZ preserved in Denmark still has its two Pobjoys attached to it…

I seem to recollect that due to their light weight they were used as auxilliary power units. In Sunderlands and mine-popping Wellingtons perhaps?

About 670 engines in total were made but perhaps only a proportion fitted to airframes so a Niagara may be more readily available.

To what use were the Pobjoy engines put that were not fitted to airframes?

I believe there is a Pobjoy on display at MOTAT in Auckland NZ.

Scion probably has the highest concentration of pobjoys in Australia, and those have largely remained together with their respective aircraft projects, there are not a lot of others floating around and I am aware of a vintage aircraft rebuilder in South Africa who has been seeking an engine for a number of years.

There is a Pobjoy on display in the engine collection of the Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin, this is associated with the BA Swallow under long term airworthy restoration in the collection, although it is unlikely to fly with the Pobjoy given that engine’s rarity and lack of spares.

I am only aware of one other museum preserved pobjoy in Australia, and am not aware of any others that are not part of flying projects, although Scion may know of others stored or available?

However I dont think acquisition of a pobjoy, and the required operational spares, is a project I would like to embark on, and I certainly wouldnt choose a replica project to be powered by one.

I personally would still choose the Rotec, with the additional power being some compensation for its additional weight, but taking advantage of the newly available engine and its resultant spares etc, as against the uncertain ability and cost to acquire a Pobjoy and make it airworthy and support it in operational spares.

(btw – no , the Moorabbin Pobjoy is not for sale – smiles)

regards

Mark Pilkington

Pobjoy

The Pobjoy engine is remarkable when considering when it was produced and the fact that it’s performance has still not yet been really equaled.
The “r” is an early engine of the series and but few would be available although some months ago a core was being offered for sale from Argintina.
About 670 engines in total were made but perhaps only a proportion fitted to airframes so a Niagara may be more readily available.
The rotec radial is a good replacement but does weigh in at 220 lbs whilst the Niagara is at 156lbs. The Rotac is rated at a “target power” of 100/110 hp whilst the niagara 3 is rated at 95hp at 3650 rpm.
Where I reside, in Australia, we are “Bower Birds” to an extent so we have kept a fair bit of redundant stuff which may be remanufactured and repiared so I have the cores of a few Niagaras. However I need it all to produce 3 engines plus spares for my projects.
Give me a call privately if you need any other information.

How true it is I have no idea but I once heard it said that they didn’t use a feeler guage to set the tapet gaps on a Pobjoy. Apparently they used the end of a screwdriver – and adjusted them whilst the engine was running. Sounds crazy to me but there you go.

Pobjoy – rare as hen’s teeth and equally difficult to keep running!

A rather more robust alternative is the Rotec R-2800, being built in Australia.
http://www.rotecradialengines.com/

My understanding is that the R2800 is twice as heavy, twice the size and twice the power. Yet, it is too small for other projects I have considered.

Pobjoy – rare as hen’s teeth and equally difficult to keep running!

A friend has one in a BA Swallow and I guess he gets an hour’s flying for every ten hours of maintenance. Yet still he loves it!

A rather more robust alternative is the Rotec R-2800, being built in Australia.
http://www.rotecradialengines.com/

One is flying in the UK in a Kitfox (from Popham?) and is currently for sale!!