The Great War Through the Golden Age of Flight

[@markwarren625]

Excellent presentation of detailed engineering design throughout the early periods of aviation. The outstanding collection of photographs matched with concise data is very appreciated. Thank you.

[@AEHSvideo]

Thank you for your comments. More to come!

[@dubsy1026]

Great stuff, looking forwards to more from this channel

[@AEHSvideo]

Thank you for your comments. The plan is to publish four new videos per year.

[@20chocsaday]

If the term Radial replaced Rotary, do the cylinders still rotate with respect to the airframe?

[@AEHSvideo]

With respect to aircraft engines, a rotary engine is a radial-type geometric configuration in which the crankshaft is fixed and the cylinders/crankcase/propeller assembly rotates around the stationary crankshaft. So all rotarys have a fixed crankshaft.

[@20chocsaday]

@@AEHSvideo A crankshaft fixed to the aircraft if rotary.. It was not only a change in description.

[@Ernest-jr]

Thanks for the review. Some of your comments have given me some new thoughts. I was waiting for you to mention your reasons for favoring rotary motors, since Anzani radial motors were developed before the Great War. Still, rotary is a very unusual solution, used only in that war and never again. By the way, before the war two, three and four-row radial motors were tested. But, in my opinion, the war delayed and perverted their progress. Apparently, you are only talking about serial and famous motors, and not about influential searches. As early as the 1920s, turbocharging was being researched and introduced. It's worth mentioning. And I think racing is not so important for the history of aircraft engines, because it was conducted at low altitude, first of all the progress was related to high altitude.

[@Ernest-jr]

I am russian and have trouble communicating.

[@AEHSvideo]

Ernest, thanks for your comments. With respect to the Rotary engines, your comment is correct in that the presentation was narrowed in scope to engines that were either successfully produced, or those which performed well and advanced the technology. I think “highlights of the developmental history” might better describe the intent. This presentation is only the first of three. Part two will go into further depth on the topic of various supercharging methods, and altitude performance in the 1930s through WWII. Supercharging was initially employed to improve consistency in fuel air mixture, and, as will be shown, boost altitude performance. Look for the next installment later this year.

[@Ernest-jr]

@@AEHSvideo Thanks for the answer. I may be false, but I see a track: the first aircraft engines were single-row water-cooled, then radial air-cooled ones appeared (and multi-row), a little later V-shaped ones, during the Great War rotary engines almost dominated, but after that they immediately and forever disappeared (even light). Air-cooled in-line engines have been introduced for a long time, but by World War II they were marginal. V and even X-shaped ones are becoming the main ones, and almost multi-row radial ones dominate... but now the internal combustion engines are only V and opposed air-cooled (even without oil coolers). The plot of fashion movements without details. And I would like to come to an explanation of the reasons for some sudden turns. You have already passed some of them without noticing. The art of script writing includes attempts to show clues, or questions, lessons. Why did fashion change SO? I'd like to compare my guesses with yours.

[@briansilcox5720]

That is a pretty complex topic, driven by wildly swinging economies of the period, and radical foreign policy decisions (war). Engineering probably follows the path of least resistance, but is also propelled by whatever force is funding it. I think this what makes it interesting.

[@Ernest-jr]

@@briansilcox5720 in culture, ideas are almost always immortal. They don't disappear, only trends change. But rotary motors simply disappeared within a year. The reasons are technological: rotational speed, say. Screws have been developed for higher rotational speeds.

[@ihateemael]

if there are 12 cylinders per bank isn't that a V 24 ?

[@ihateemael]

OP thx for the reply. You could post here for interest..

[@AEHSvideo]

With respect to the AS.6 engine in the M.C.72, it is more correctly a coaxial tandem dual V-12 engine configuration as each propeller is driven independently by its own engine. The engines are not mechanically coupled together, but they do share a single crankcase. The aft V-12 drives the fore (outboard) propeller while the fore engine drives the aft (inboard) propeller. The aft engine alone drives the supercharger that feeds both engines. All that being said, the AS.6 is often referred to as a V-24. Search "MC.72" on You Tube to find period film of the engines starting independently and an excellent article on the AS.6 can found here: oldmachinepress.com/2012/10/14/fiat-as-6-aircraft-engine-for-the-mc-72/

[@johncrispin2118]

Thankyou v interesting particularly the Italian aircraft which are very elegant . Sorry but I have to say this is a nice presentation but typically US centric. No mention whatsoever of the Bristol engines, starting with the Jupiter, of the mid twenties, which formed the basis of the companies Radial aero engines . So P&W and Wright were not the sole exponents of this configuration. Let’s hope we can see this put right. Thanks again.

[@AEHSvideo]

John thank you for your comments. Indeed, this segment of my presentation is as you put it “U.S. centric,” possibly because American developments in radials were a large part of the story in the 1920s and early 1930s, that led to some highly successful aircraft. You are correct that there were other important contributors. This part one part of a three part series, in which I suspect your point will be “put right.” AEHS is scheduling one program per quarter, with part coming in October. Please stay tuned.

[@johncrispin2118]

@@AEHSvideo Thankyou for the response glad to hear the balance might be addressed looking forward to it .