NOW it makes sense to me! Thanks for that (in one posting and a weekend at La Ferte I have learned more about rotaries that I had previously known!).

At La Ferte the N.28 was running on 1/8th power and it sounded like a crowscarer being let off every turn of the prop. You could feel the shock on your chest and I was standing perhaps 40 feet away.

There is a chance the Mem Flt might be getting a 160 Gnome . . .

I was thinking the very same Melv, learnt more about Rotaries in this post than i thought i would ever know, thanks for the info Baldeagle.

Stuart Goldspink outclimbed a 450 Stearman on five cylinders in Guy Black’s one!

The fire problem is not that which goes into the cylinders, if it doesn’t get used there it is forced out and by then is not liquid, being a fuel/air mixture. There is enough wind through the cowling to disperse it when in flight. The problem was if an inlet valve got stuck open the spark could ignite the mixture in the crankcase!

The insistence of some people that rotaries only run on full throttle (no offence Matt) is funny as how did aircraft formate without throttle control?

Incidentally, had great fun flying on Friday night with FOUR rotaries in the air!

I have to admit that i always thought that they were governed by altering the number of cylinders that were firing rather than having a throttle control as we know it on a conventional engine, there you go, live and never stop learning 😀

The only other plane with a rotary engine that i’ve seen before is the french Dr.I, and I dont remember the pilot bossing the throttle so hard.. is there a reason why? If there is, it honestly escapes to me..

Alex

There is no throttle with a rotary, its all or nothing with a blip switch that cuts out all ot some of the cylinders 😉

Oops, apologies, it’s not my piccie, but it’s a great one.
Me thinks it might be yours… 😮

No worries, its not only my picture its my Aeroplane as well 🙂