Is the Skeeter unique?

The Bristol Brabazon had radial engines that weren’t exactly ‘in line’ with the direction of the propeller thrust and a similar arrangement is pretty common on helicopters but there can’t be many aircraft where the crankshaft is at 90° to the (main) propellers.

The Bristol Brabazon had radial engines that weren’t exactly ‘in line’ with the direction of the propeller thrust and a similar arrangement is pretty common on helicopters but there can’t be many aircraft where the crankshaft is at 90° to the (main) propellers.

A recent addition to the display in the Museum of Army Flying is an engine from a Skeeter helicopter. During a discussion about the differences between the Skeeter’s version of the Gipsy Major and those in conventional aircraft, the following question arose, “Is the Skeeter the only aircraft with a transverse mounted engine?”.

So, is it?

Surely the concept of transverse or longitudinal is a bit perverse on a helicopter?
After all the skeeter’s engine’s crank is parrallel to one of the skeeter’s propellors isn’t it?

A recent addition to the display in the Museum of Army Flying is an engine from a Skeeter helicopter. During a discussion about the differences between the Skeeter’s version of the Gipsy Major and those in conventional aircraft, the following question arose, “Is the Skeeter the only aircraft with a transverse mounted engine?”.

So, is it?

Surely the concept of transverse or longitudinal is a bit perverse on a helicopter?
After all the skeeter’s engine’s crank is parrallel to one of the skeeter’s propellors isn’t it?

However, the S-56/H-37 hid have transverse drivelines that connected the sponson-mounted radial engines to the fuselage gearbox and rotor system.

As does the Kamov Ka-26….

Ken

However, the S-56/H-37 hid have transverse drivelines that connected the sponson-mounted radial engines to the fuselage gearbox and rotor system.

As does the Kamov Ka-26….

Ken

I can’t think of an American production helicopter with that layout…there may have been a prototype with a tranverse engine (and Lord knows there have been enough odd prototypes) but not a production type to the best of my knowledge.

However, the S-56/H-37 hid have transverse drivelines that connected the sponson-mounted radial engines to the fuselage gearbox and rotor system.

I can’t think of an American production helicopter with that layout…there may have been a prototype with a tranverse engine (and Lord knows there have been enough odd prototypes) but not a production type to the best of my knowledge.

However, the S-56/H-37 hid have transverse drivelines that connected the sponson-mounted radial engines to the fuselage gearbox and rotor system.

Good question, but no, the Skeeter isn’t unique in that respect (I think).

I believe that the airships the USS Akron and USS Macon had their (German, Maybach) engines mounted transversely in the hull; this was possible because they were both designed to use helium as their lifting-gas (so there was much less fire risk). Allison built bevel-gears to allow the propellers to thrust to the rear (and that also allowed the propellers to be turned through 90° to thrust downwards).

Allison also built (in 1940) a bevel-gearbox for their V-3420 engine (two coupled V-1710 engines) that would have allowed the engine(s) to be located in the fuselage with the propellers mounted on low-drag nacelles on the wings, however the V-3420 was still mounted in-line (but I suppose two engines could have mounted traverse).

Good question, but no, the Skeeter isn’t unique in that respect (I think).

I believe that the airships the USS Akron and USS Macon had their (German, Maybach) engines mounted transversely in the hull; this was possible because they were both designed to use helium as their lifting-gas (so there was much less fire risk). Allison built bevel-gears to allow the propellers to thrust to the rear (and that also allowed the propellers to be turned through 90° to thrust downwards).

Allison also built (in 1940) a bevel-gearbox for their V-3420 engine (two coupled V-1710 engines) that would have allowed the engine(s) to be located in the fuselage with the propellers mounted on low-drag nacelles on the wings, however the V-3420 was still mounted in-line (but I suppose two engines could have mounted traverse).