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By: 18th July 2014 at 03:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-It is the only restored radial-engined warbird flying today with a working cartridge/Coffman starter (used as the only means of starting).
The aircraft debuted at Airventure Oshkosh last summer, following completion. A long thread here with its progress over years up until its first flights and display at Oshkosh last summer in the final pages: http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=33045
Here's a brilliant photo from its arrival at Oshkosh last summer: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brentc2/9427443929/sizes/h/
This article on the aircraft highlights some of the unique/authentic details of the restoration, including the Coffman starter: https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-airventure-news-and-multimedia/eaa-airventure-news/eaa-airventure-oshkosh/2013-07-29-shotgun-starter-sets-the-tone-on-wildcat-restoration
Furthermore, it has been for sale at Courtesy (note a couple of the photos belong in the P-51 listing): http://www.courtesyaircraft.com/index.php/inventory/inventory/warbirds-fighters/item/n774fm-general-motors-fm-2
By: 18th July 2014 at 10:09 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Very interesting - thank you for the links.
Tim
By: 18th July 2014 at 20:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-Interesting that you found this, as there is an article on this Wildcat in the July EAA Warbirds magazine, infact it's pictured on the cover.
By: 19th July 2014 at 15:46 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-I always thought shotgun starters fed the explosion gases straight into the cylinders and cranked the engine thusly. Now I've learned that the expanding gases actually work on some sort of worm-gear arrangement that does the cranking. Live and learn.
By: 19th July 2014 at 17:18 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-[ATTACH=CONFIG]230318[/ATTACH]
By: 19th July 2014 at 17:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-So where does all the lead shot go? :)
By: 19th July 2014 at 18:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
-;) Mike, that's why I referred to it as cartridge not shot gun start! My only in-cockpit experience of this system was back in the 1960s when in Provost G-ASMC which was then still using this type of mechanism - quite impressive, it started first bang.
Tim
Posts: 1,772
By: Consul - 18th July 2014 at 02:10
Just came across this - how many restored radial warbirds are started this way?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65qrzgbTTcQ
Tim