Extant Pobjoys

Apologies Ex Brat, my posting was a generic thread reply, not specific to your enquiry.

The Morgan owner has another Pobjoy which is destined for another car I guess.

I think somebody has one in a (non-modern) Morgan 3-wheeler.

I posted a wee clip of the Comper Swift taxiing at Omaka here last night
https://www.facebook.com/WONZShow/videos/1709322045774899/

Pobjoy, running, 15th April 2017

[ATTACH=CONFIG]253072[/ATTACH]

Couple to add ! One at Le Bourget and the Scion project at Rochester has one.

…… but I want to keep something for the Pobjoy book!

Then perhaps you would like to PM me re: a projected use for the Amazon engine

Excellent, many thanks. When you say twin-row, tandem am I right in thinking that this means the front and rear cylinders were aligned, as in the AS Deerhound, for instance? I guess OHC rather implies that.

G-OBBU airframe slow but motor running, wilts – .:)

Should be G-OBUU…….. JAP owned and rebuilt G-ABUU in the 60s…….

The question above re Argentina. Yes, they are ‘R’ one is serial#75 the other I could not read.

OK, here’s a tricky one for any Pobjoy specialists. What can you tell me about the ‘Amazon’ engine project, circa 1936? Max power of 695hp, apparently

Oh, & I missed out the bicycle shop owner, prior to the farmer who left them outdoors. They were sold on ebay but the seller failed to complete & re-advertised em!

Good question, and one that to date no one can answer!?

Jon

Just remind me, please- the two ex-Wirral/Monospar/Hooton Park engines(extremely corroded) that were on ebay about 18 months ago. Which museum did they go to?

Off the top of my head (digging thru stuff may reveal more);

Flying pobjoys UK;
-Swallow G-AFGE
-Swallow G-ADPS
-Swift G-ACTF
-Swift G-LCGL

Soon to fly in UK?
-Swallow G-AFCL (well on the way to recovery)
-Swallow G-AFGD (but I’ve said that before)
-Swift G-ABUS (not in France and in good nick, certainly almost flyable but not sure if it will – sorry sworn to secrecy re location)
-Wot G-AVEY, motor (an ‘R’) runs, airframe needs a little more TLC
– BK Swallow G-ACXE – almost there by all accounts.
-3 x Swift replics all have motors; G-ECTF close to going in the midlands, G-OBBU airframe slow but motor running, wilts – the third I know little about but has motor and is advanced.

Stored etc within UK;
-Swift G-ABTC as mentioned by others above
-Swallow G-AFGC, stored nr Exeter, plus 2 or 3 other motors. Owner keen to keep them and I respect their privacy, but believe they are rapidly devaluing (worthless?) due neglect.
-RAF Museum has Swift G-ACGL with a prefectly good motor on the front. Shame.
-Science museum has an ‘R’ stuck in the rafters and out of sight.
– Shuttleworth apparently has at least one.
– One (an R) at Duxford (on e-bay a few years ago – didn’t sell)
– Other museum exhibits as mentioned by others above
– Two more runners I know of but very much in private hands and several people have spares.

Overseas;
– Swallow EI-AFF (flying)
– Swift ‘G-ABUU’ in Spain (flying).
– Pobjoy racer in EAA museum (it’s an R). Not run for 10+ years.
– One in a museum in California, ex Steve Wittman, was for sale but cannot find it now.
– Part complete engine for sale in France a few years ago.
– One in S.Africa for a Swift replica – incomplete.
– 3 in a museum in Denmark, one on a stand and two in a Monospar hung in the ceiling.
– Australia. One being re-worked for a Swallow restoration, and several more (3 1/2?)for projects being undertaken by someone who posts here, (one of which is running) – I’ll let them step forward if they wish.
– NZ – Cataract, earmarked for an advanced project.
– rumors of some licence built stuff in Czech republic. I know it was built but not sure still extant.
– Rumours of some stuff in Argentina (see below)
– Wilburs Smiths a/c and engine are reportedly still in the Sahara if anything is left.

I’ve not really separated, types of Pobjoy here, but be aware they are very different animals, esp the ‘R’ from the Cataract/Niagara, and most bits are not interchangable, despite external similarity. As a rough guide Swifts were ‘R’ powered and Swallows and other stuff the latter models. There was a very good article in the PFA rag about 30-35 years ago by John Pothecary about these motors. It’s in my library somewhere and if time permits I’ll find it and give issue date here later.

Also as someone says above, magnesium casting. Well yes, the crankcase was, but not the gearbox cover and other ‘strong’ bits – these were aluminium.

Very interested about the Argentinian ones – does anyone know more. I suspect they were R’s, but would like to know what/who/where if anyone does.

Please excuse me not giving too much detail, esp names etc but I know many of the owners etc value their privacy. I have however given registrations etc as anyone could dig them out with very little nouse.

So to answer the question I guess, ten running, of which six fly, and in addition to these another 15-20 paperweights – some of which may go again as described above. As always though, I’m sure there are onr of two I know nothing about somewhere. 🙂

Off the top of my head (digging thru stuff may reveal more);

Flying pobjoys UK;
-Swallow G-AFGE
-Swallow G-ADPS
-Swift G-ACTF
-Swift G-LCGL

Soon to fly in UK?
-Swallow G-AFCL (well on the way to recovery)
-Swallow G-AFGD (but I’ve said that before)
-Swift G-ABUS (not in France and in good nick, certainly almost flyable but not sure if it will – sorry sworn to secrecy re location)
-Wot G-AVEY, motor (an ‘R’) runs, airframe needs a little more TLC
– BK Swallow G-ACXE – almost there by all accounts.
-3 x Swift replics all have motors; G-ECTF close to going in the midlands, G-OBBU airframe slow but motor running, wilts – the third I know little about but has motor and is advanced.

Stored etc within UK;
-Swift G-ABTC as mentioned by others above
-Swallow G-AFGC, stored nr Exeter, plus 2 or 3 other motors. Owner keen to keep them and I respect their privacy, but believe they are rapidly devaluing (worthless?) due neglect.
-RAF Museum has Swift G-ACGL with a prefectly good motor on the front. Shame.
-Science museum has an ‘R’ stuck in the rafters and out of sight.
– Shuttleworth apparently has at least one.
– One (an R) at Duxford (on e-bay a few years ago – didn’t sell)
– Other museum exhibits as mentioned by others above
– Two more runners I know of but very much in private hands and several people have spares.

Overseas;
– Swallow EI-AFF (flying)
– Swift ‘G-ABUU’ in Spain (flying).
– Pobjoy racer in EAA museum (it’s an R). Not run for 10+ years.
– One in a museum in California, ex Steve Wittman, was for sale but cannot find it now.
– Part complete engine for sale in France a few years ago.
– One in S.Africa for a Swift replica – incomplete.
– 3 in a museum in Denmark, one on a stand and two in a Monospar hung in the ceiling.
– Australia. One being re-worked for a Swallow restoration, and several more (3 1/2?)for projects being undertaken by someone who posts here, (one of which is running) – I’ll let them step forward if they wish.
– NZ – Cataract, earmarked for an advanced project.
– rumors of some licence built stuff in Czech republic. I know it was built but not sure still extant.
– Rumours of some stuff in Argentina (see below)
– Wilburs Smiths a/c and engine are reportedly still in the Sahara if anything is left.

I’ve not really separated, types of Pobjoy here, but be aware they are very different animals, esp the ‘R’ from the Cataract/Niagara, and most bits are not interchangable, despite external similarity. As a rough guide Swifts were ‘R’ powered and Swallows and other stuff the latter models. There was a very good article in the PFA rag about 30-35 years ago by John Pothecary about these motors. It’s in my library somewhere and if time permits I’ll find it and give issue date here later.

Also as someone says above, magnesium casting. Well yes, the crankcase was, but not the gearbox cover and other ‘strong’ bits – these were aluminium.

Very interested about the Argentinian ones – does anyone know more. I suspect they were R’s, but would like to know what/who/where if anyone does.

Please excuse me not giving too much detail, esp names etc but I know many of the owners etc value their privacy. I have however given registrations etc as anyone could dig them out with very little nouse.

So to answer the question I guess, ten running, of which six fly, and in addition to these another 15-20 paperweights – some of which may go again as described above. As always though, I’m sure there are onr of two I know nothing about somewhere. 🙂

Yes I noted that one ! Be interested to know where the other Monospar engine went !

I think this subject as been raised in an earlier thread , but to add to this one there is one on display at MOTAT in Auckland NZ

Not sure about magnesium castings, but I am sure someone more knowledgeable about the engines can confirm that.

Below is a photo and potted history for Douglas Pobjoy. Unfortunately Douglas was killed in a plane crash in 1948 in what at the tme was the worst plane crash in Britain.

http://nickcomper.co.uk/pobjoy/

Pobjoy engines

Pobjoy was an instructor at RAF Cranwell in 1925 and my dad was a “trade lad” there and worked on the drawings and prototype parts for the “Niagara”. I mention this because he said that Pobjoy engines are made from MAGNESIUM castings – please be very careful if you are restoring one!!