TALESPINNERS - February, 2003

Hangar Flying
with Stu Faber

ROTARIES AGAIN. As a "gear head" aka "engine nut" I am fascinated by all kind of engines.  The Wankel rotary being light and simple has always seem to have merit as an engine for light planes.  I once owned a Mazda RX-3 with a Wankel.  It ran well but used more gas than other small cars.  Mazda has continued to produce the RX-7 as a hot rod turbo charged sports car.  Popular Science, 02/03 has an article on a redesigned Wankel for their new RX-8.  The exhaust and intake ports have been moved from the side of the block to the end plates and increased the power and efficiency of the engine.  Port overlap in the earlier model wasted fuel.  The RX-7 engines were reasonably priced.  The RX-8 engine delivers 247 HP at 8500 RPM.  A number of experiments in aircraft conversions of RX-7s have been tried but it has not taken hold.  Perhaps the new engine will do it.  See Feb 2002, yes 2002, Sport Aviation for an article on Wankels.

HOMEBUILDER'S DREAM. Also in Popular Science A short article on a man-carrying rubber band powered plane.  It claims it will fly a mile at 100 ft. AGL with two people.  The very small picture looks like a long pipe with a cross tail, huge prop, and a tall landing gear with a person seated on the axle.  No wing was visible.

MONSTER FLYING SOMETHING. According to the February issue of Popular Science Magazine Boeing is looking at plans for a huge machine called a WIG, for wing-in-ground effect, about 4 times as big as a C-5A.  This one is named Pelican.  Some time ago I mentioned in this space that spy photos had spotted a similar Russian craft on the Caspian Sea in the 1960s.  No airfield could handle it so it was a flying boat.  However wave pounding during landing and takeoff requires a heavy hull making for problems.  The Soviets built several, called ekranoplans, which required 7 to 10 jet engines including two at the front pointed down at an angle to get them off the water.  The Boeing plan is for an unpressurized land plane flying in ground effect if possible, or up as high as 20,000 ft.  It will have a 500 ft wing with drooping outer panels which will raise to promote handling at airports.  There will be two decks and some cargo space in the wing roots.  Empty weight 3.2 million pounds plus 2.8 million of cargo.  4 pairs of 80,000 HP turbine engines turning 4 pairs of 50 ft diameter counter rotating props provide power.  The landing gear has 78 wheels.  It may have civilian uses too as does Russia's super size transport now.  I don't believe the Spruce Goose ever got out of ground effect.

DON'T MISS THIS! eBay has been offering an ideal aviator's home.  How about a 727 mounted on a pylon so it can pivot with the wind?  The interior to be reworked into complete living quarters with the wings converted to decks.  Attachments will be added to eliminate the wing lift.  Est. value $300.000. Gen. Aviation News. 1/11/03.

    OR for winter reading, Amazon.com is offering Jane's All the Worlds Airplanes for 2002-2003 for just $595.  The chief customers for this are the military and intelligence departments of most nations.  Saves a lot on spys.  They are great for History buffs as they have been published for about 90 years.  I have a reprint of the 1919 edition.  They also publish on ships, armament, etc.  Has anybody looked up Iraq?

HISTORY. A recent TV program discussed the role of the CAP in a phase of WW II.  I don't remember the details but it covered the use of CAP pilots in their own planes to patrol the waters off the east coast of the U.S. to spot German submarines.  As we entered the war Germany was determined to keep American supplies from the British and sent subs to sink any shipping that could be found.  Not just enroute to Europe.  As memory serves some 150 Cap planes spent many many hours patrolling over water in small private planes.  More than 40 were lost.  But they were quite effective for about a year and a half until the military could take over.  In summer 1942 I met several recent trainees who would say nothing about their training except they had been in Florida.  Later, one who had been at a secret radar school at Boca Raton near Miami, mentioned seeing as many as 4 American freighters burning off the coast in one night.  I believe we lost over 400 ships in a few months but the puddle jumpers saved many more.  One pilot would dive at a periscope causing the sub to submerge.

Copyright © 2003 by Stu Faber.  All rights reserved.