A wise decision. The Sopwith Pup we used to maintain here in the UK was an all original rotary, albeit with a lot of new old parts, and what can I say, it was an unreliable, dangerous to fly, piece of crap, and only flow by the most experience pilots. I loved it. Fit a radial.
Loved the intro, your skill are awesome! The REALLY cool thing about this bird, as you said, you can make it all your own and anyone that doesn't like can make their own.
Love the intro, the muffling your voice bit I nearly lost my tea. I like the plan, so effectively your resto modding a WW1 tri-plane replica. Yup im in, bring on the vlogs, looking forward to the adventure. All the best from Lancashire, UK
Gyroscopic prEcession. Yes, it;s a negative. I love Rotaries, but the simple fact is that if suitable radials had been available during the Great War, then aircraft makers would have used them, & for very good reasons.
A terrific video! Thanks! A side note: a friend was telling me, some years back, that the rotary engines used castor oil for lubrication. The pilots were bathed in a castor oil mist. Castor oil is also used as a diarrhetic- it will give one serious runs. He told me that the pilots had to change clothes after virtually every flight. The masks and scarves they wore were mostly ineffective.
Excellent episode! The other con for the radial (which is not really a con) is it will change the aircraft flight characteristics. In fact, it will improve them as it will reduce the massive centrifuge effect generated by the rotary engine.
From what I've heard from pilots that still fly rotary engined aircraft is that the gyroscopic forces are slightly overplayed and if flown with the knowledge it's really a non issue
Liam Wedlake: You are absolutely correct, and obviously well read, this gyroscopic force is something that someone overheard in a pub, and has been repeated by morons every since, an urbane myth I think it is called.
Hello Mickey, Every cylinder exhausts at the 7 oclock position looking from the front!!. There is only an exhaust valve and the unburnt caster oil lubricant lubricates this and causes the oil over the side and underneath of the aircraft. We have several rotary engine aircraft flying here at TAVAS in Caboolture Australia.
@kurtvonfricken6829 I was going to suggest the very same thing. I've been there a few times years ago and watched the demonstration of the rotary engine. They also had a few in the museum section. 😊
Hey Mikey! One more thing about the rotary engines of the WW1 era... The MOST common lubricating oil was 'Castor Oil'!!! An additional reason for the scarf covering the face. Yes, THAT Castor Oil and all of its "effects". Ken
You where so logical and systematic in laying out the case for the engine choice, I can't imagine anyone giving you crap for your choice but this is the internet. Very nice explanation
I love the radial decision but I question the choice of engine. Ron Sands designed your plane to fit a Warner Scarab which weighs 292 lb The Jacob 755 weighs 505 lbs. 200 lb difference in engines is very substantial in a small plane. 200 lb more than the designer balanced the plane with May even require tail weight to get it to balance. Have not even check the difference in diameters I'm guessing it's larger Don't forget my favorite, Verner Scarlett 9S 158hp, 232lbs Brand new fuel injected and has Canadian distributor and warranty
Mikey McBryan , I agree with Danny. You should consider the different radial engine options and get a light weight and reliable engine. Reading about your plane, the crash resulted from engine failure due to icing in the carburetor. Fuel injection increases engine reliability, a consideration in your build.
Danny Simon well there won’t be real guns on the thing. So that’s a savings of 100 pounds, actually, quite a bit more than that once you subtract 1000 rounds. So gross isn’t a problem. As for CG, the engine is so close to the CG that it would require very little tail weight to balance. Could possibly even be balanced with just the battery. All that, and the fact that it had this engine to begin with make me think it’ll be okay.
You got the rotary and scarf issue partly correct Mikey. One major reason for the scarf was to limit the ingestion of the lubricating oil, back then they used castor oil. We all know what castor has a reputation for moving in your gut right? Many pilots would fly a few days and then be grounded by the quirts. An other point you might want to think about is the cooling for the radial, the rotary spun the cylinders for added cooling and the top part of the cowling was closed but the cylinders rotating would add this cooling from the open bottom design. On the radial you will need to open up the top face of the cowling to allow adequate flow to those top jugs to get them cooled.
Mikey, you know what, been watching you and your dad and the rest since Buffalo days. Man, you are one funny character and know your airplanes pretty darn well.
aircraft rotary engines have a big shield over the top of the engine and is caught by the fender that is over the top of the engine.. you already have that part. i saw it in the pile..
One interesting and often overlooked advantage of the rotary engine is one of inherent balance. If you look at your card model of the rotary you see that the pistons are not in reciprocating motion in the frame of reference of the aircraft but are rotating about the crank centre while the engine cylinders and crankcase are in circular motion around the engine centreline. This allows the rotary engine to achieve low vibration levels without counterweights. Unfortunately this advantage is outweighed by the negatives. It was apparently not possible to get a CofA on a rotary-engined aircraft here in the UK from some date in the mid 1930s so that ensured very few survived.
The real reason WWI pilots wore a silk scarf was to prevent chafing the skin on the pilot's neck caused by constantly checking behind them to avoid being taken by surprise by the enemy getting on their tail, but yes, it also was used to wipe off the castor oil thrown out by a rotary engine. The Oburusal rotary engine used in the original DR1 was a copy of the French Gnome Rhone rotary. Rotaries did have all the draw-backs mentioned in other comments. Good luck with the resto!
Love the opening animation! One thing that reinforces the use of the radial engine/starter and a tailwheel is safety. The airplane must be safe for the pilot to fly.
Gday Mikey Enjoyed your episode today ..You put the right engine on the Fokker . Keep doing what you know is Right to get it flying .PLANE Savers Mk 2 is Excellent!! Thanks Mate From Tony in Australia.
yes, rotary has "total loss" lubrication system! usually Caster oil! There is a company here in NZ who are manufacturing new rotary (gnome?) engines if you need one!
Castor oil! The last time I heard someone mention caster oil, it was a lady from Africa talking about how he rubbed it on her temples in hopes of it regrowing the hair on her temples. haha. Her hair was receding from wearing extremely tight braids for decades. Apparently, castor oil is thought to be a cure for baldness by women from the Caribean islands and the African continent. haha. Of course, it does not work. hehhe.
Another downside to operating a rotary engine with castor oil is the negative affect it has on the pilot, particularly the digestive system. It's well-documented that pilots of rotary engine aircraft would have to endure diarrhea as a result of ingesting the castor oil. Sometimes they would be able to land the plane in time to deal with it... sometimes in haste... sometimes they wouldn't make it.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA the opening! LMAO! Almost spit water everywhere. I definitely agree with your decision on the engine. Would it be cool to see the rotary? Yes. But the radial just makes more sense.
Good choice on the engine Mikey. I trained as an aircraft mechanic in Quakertown, PA in the early 80's. One of my instructors had worked for Jacobs and we had a few of the engines in the school. He was always promoting their reliability and performance. I always loved the rocker covers with the Jacobs name across them. Keep William safe with a good engine!
That intro! So good. Moar! Regarding the engine... Ok, so... since it's not a real Fokker Dr.1... And considering the 'Cuda situation... Only makes sense you stick a Hemi in that Fokker. XD Seriously, the radial is a no brainer. Better flying characteristics, better maintenance, better everything. The rotary is an awesome, radical, quirky piece, true, but I'd want that plane to fly and fly well and comfortably. ... but totally go Hemi. You gotta. :)
I agree, in the RC world you get "Stand off Scale" and that is what this Fokker is about. It must "LOOK" like the real thing but be a usable flyable aircraft! When its flying you wont tell the difference. Great animations Mikey.
A little fact about WW1 pilots - more of them died to dysentery as opposed to combat. With the fuel for the rotary engine being castor oil/nitromethane mixture it would get back into the pilots lungs and the castor oil took over after that. Nasty way to go. It explains why the SPAD 13 was so advanced with a V-8 engine with a proper exhaust scavenging system.
Rotary engines always seemed like a good punchline to the lightbulb joke. "How many (X's) does it take to screw in a lightbulb? One to hold the bulb and X many to turn the house around it!
Mikey, that was the coolest intro yet. Don't worry what people think about the DR 1 Do what you want to because like you said, it would be hard to get a rotary engine and it would be a pain in the butt to operate so that's it. It is no big deal!
Mickie, you also forgot to mention that the rotary engines were mainly lubricated with caster oil! With the exhaust in their faces, few WW1 pilots had worries about intestinal blockage.
You have to watch this episode a few times to absorb and appreciate the work and how much "content" you have managed to craft into it Mikey. Firstly your visual tutorial of the working differences of rotary verses radials was spot on. Getting your head around the fact that it is the crankshaft that is bolted to the plane and then the whole actual engine spins around it will be a weird concept for some to accept, but your working cardboard model and computer graphics explained it perfectly. As a man who restores a lot of old stuff I totally get the idea of taking things back to being "factory original", however, as your DR1 was/is a replica machine that changes the whole rule book on what route you can take with its restoration. The whole job of restoring a plane to airworthiness again must always be based around doing it safely, and for that reason going down the radial engine route is obviously the safest and most practical way. Re-fitting a Jacobs radial is also going to be the most straightforward task as that is what the airframe was built to take. I really liked the old black and white WW1 pictures you included Mikey, I had not seen those before. It was also great to see Chuck, Stella and the new dog as well, and of course the wonderful planes in the hanger being worked on. The footage from the "back lot" was great too, I'd so love to spend an hour or so having a nose-about the vehicles and machinery you have parked up in there. Regards David Jones Coventry UK.
When I got out of the USAF in Sept of '68 My Dad sold me a 1964 &1/2 289 HP FastBack Mustang 2-4's 4 speed Black with white Interior. It also had the elongated 'V" with the 289 above it but it also had a round white background enameled medallion with a Cobra Head on each front fender. I understand that Shelby made the running gear for 650 or 750 Fastbacks in 64.
I have an old book on WWI airplanes. In those days their oil was castor oil. Good lubricant and good laxitive. As the story goes, when the planes came back and landed, the prop was still turning as the pilot bailed out and made the run to the toilet. However some of the pilots made the run to the laundry. 😅
Very good decision. It only makes sense to use a reliable radial engine, since this aircraft is intended to be flown. I am sure if such an engine had been available to Fokker in WW1 he would have used that instead or a rotary.
Radial has my vote. We need an airplane that won’t kill the pilot. Making the rest of the aircraft as exact as possible will thrill and awe the majority of those who are interested.
There were benefits to the old rotary engines, that made them practical at the time. Air cooling for example. As the engine spin around it cooled itself. As technology developed of course they were replaced with radial and inline engines.
Radial vs Rotary.....and the winner is.....Radial! Having seen a number of WW1 replica aircraft being operated with rotary engines and having heard the comments from the pilots who have flown them about the characteristics of the rotary engine and some of their "gotcha" issues, the decision to go with a suitable radial engine is a prudent and sensible one. Another excellent episode!
I had a b24 fly over my head at Ankeny airport on it’s way to Oshkosh I was in awe of it beautiful plane and then I’ve got to see a b25 and b17 the same day best day ever at work
My grandfather flew a French fighter air craft that had a rotary engine (in WWI). Because of he mass of the rotating engine made it hard tor turn in one direction but easier in the other. The Germans knew which way the plane would turn which made it easier to shoot down.
Couple of detail points. Years ago I did see rotaries flying at Rhinebeck... I don't know what the status is now. I suspect the key advantage for using rotaries in the early days is that they have no reciprocating mass to balance out. The pistons are spinning around one center, the block is spinning around another...there is no reciprocating inertia at all.
Getting sprayed with Castor oil for hours, Blackberry brandy was the popular remedy for inhaling the vile stuff. (Rotary engine) "Starter"? Spin the prop, Archibald. "Throttle"? A real man "blips his engine" to get more/less power.
Very cool intro Mikey! I remember reading all the "Biggles" books by Capt. WE Johns as a kid. It always stuck in my head about the rotary engine of the Sopwith Camel and how Biggles had to "blip" the engine when landing, by switching the ignition on and off to get the desired airspeed and control. A very tricky procedure coupled the mess and smell of castor oil from the engines smeared all over the pilots faces. The books are a good idea of flying in WW1. Great series mate!
Early Rotary Piston engines also used a "total loss" lubrication system using Castor based oils which is why pilots were always seen running for the toilet on landing!
Keep in mind the difference in output power and weight between both engines. That alone may have structural implications. Don't take me wrong: I support the idea of putting a radial engine on it. Just not the P&W one. Something way smaller would be better.
I have learned everything about planes and flying from you and your family. Your very smart mikey keep up the videos like this one......very cool to see chuck also very big pro!!!! Put your dad on the next episode
Mikey, the radial would be better but stay with the rotary as this would be what the plane was made for. Love your video's and this one is at the top. May you and yours have a blessed weekend. Shalom my brother Shalom.
They did have a throttle; in fact, most of them ran very similar to modern aircraft (air and fuel adjustment) engines minus the starter and the sucking procedure. Only engine that was one and off was the Gnome 100hp series and later they improved it with the Gnome 160hp series of which used an ignition timer instead of a carburetor in which the spark will change the number of cylinders get ignited when they were filled with fuel and air. The Gnome 160hp used a four place switch it which throttle was operated by the number of cylinders that were sparking. It was odd-numbered as most rotarys had 9 cylinders. Ergo a four/five place switch. 1,3,5,7,9
You will want to read "Flying the Old Planes" by Frank Tallman, who discusses the operation of the rotary engine. The Gnome Rotary used castor oil for lubrication. You are correct that the pilots breathed the vaporized oil, which made for some interesting problems. You can imagine why the pilots walked with a certain swagger. This also is why the pilots drank milk laced with brandy.
The gyroscopic forces of the rotary are what gave the DR1 some of it's incredible handling characteristics. If you can find a rotary it is what I would install. It will allow the plane to demonstrate its full acrobatic potential. But there are certainly drawbacks to using a rotary.
The Jacobs is the sensible engine choice, because you mentioned that your DR I is a replica, and, thusly, is not the real deal, so you have the liberty to do whatever you want. Make it usable, and flyable, so that it can be enjoyed.
The cowling of a rotary engine is closed on the top and open on the bottom. It is cooled because the engine rotates through the open space at the bottom where air flows over it. A radial engine's cowling is open in the front but closed on the sides and curves in toward the front so that it covers part of the front. If you put a rotary engine cowling on a radial engine it will overheat. The rotary engine cowling was closed at the top to deflect part of the exhaust. The engine lubricant was castor oil which is a laxative. Rotary using pilots did not have constipation problems.
At no point would I give my opinion as I am NOT a professional in that field of work. That said, I am now more educated on both engine types and would agree that the radial makes far more sense from an operational and cost viewpoint. GREAT animations.Great episode!!!!!
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. With all of the reciprocating weight that a rotary engine has, crankcase and jugs spinning with the prop, as the prop digs into the air and pulls the plane , there is a serious tendency for the plane to lean in the other direction. Best bet would be to take one of the turbines and cowling off of an Electra.
From season one I have felt you should be making T shirts emblazoned with your artwork. Then I thought maybe a children’s book or possibly online comic book. Now after that episode intro I say go full scale video cartoon. Charlie Brown and Snoopy made the leap from our newspapers to television and movies. No reason “Plane Savers” can’t also. Really enjoy your series. Thanks.
Mikey build her as you see fit. You're at the "pointy end" of this project with the best situational awareness to achieve your goals. Besides you know your Plane Savers family (new and from season 1, episode 0) will Love and accept her. Keep on doing the goodness that you do Mikey! Wishind you, Stella and Stuka the best.👍👏😁
Hi Mikey, love the fun animation 🤗 Nowadays when you mention a rotary engine most people instantly think of a Mazda or NSU Wankel engine and not a WW1 aero engine so that was a great explaination. At the end of the day, it's your aeroplane and basically you can do with it what you want. It's not like it's a Lancaster but even there, the two surviving airworthy Lancs are far from "original". The necessity of creating a flying example overrides the museum originality. Keep up the great work 👍👍👍
While restoring this plane with a rotary would be very cool, I totally understand. I've been doing a lot of research into these old things and in addition to the engines themselves being rare and hard to find (though apparently there are companies out there making replica Gnome Le'Rhone engines) the *oil* that you need is a little special. (though they do make Castrol formulated for these types of engines)
I think the reason why the Sopwith Camel of the era was so difficult & dangerous to fly for inexperienced pilots, was that it had a rotary engine. Having a big chunk of spinning metal in your makes things kind of dangerous, especially during the low airspeeds on take off and landing... I'd go radial:)
During the beginning of the First World War the Gnome rotary engine was state of the art. The radial was still in its infancy! The original radial engines also belched oil and sprayed the pilot with burnt oil mist! Check the parts count between both engines and ease of manufacture the rotary engine wins. Motorcycles used the rotary engine with some success. Weight was in favor of the rotary engine being lighter and more powerful hp per pound to inline and radial designs. Then comes the issue of reliability the French and Germans both documented that the rotary type of engine was more reliable. The radial was more controllable and offered greater power as the war went on. Automobiles, tanks used rotary engines because they ran cooler by their very nature. Within their limitations rotary engines were an answer to a problem. Never poo poo a old design that filled a niche in its day! As the rotary had it time so did the radial that led to the inline then turbines and pure jets to turbo fans! Heck there were steam engines tried in planes too. Both the US and USSR tried nuclear reactors to generate electricity to run electric motors! There was even a pedal driven aircraft! Still love your program! My neighbor worked at corrosion corner at Miami International Airport repaired radials for 40 years, he loved them. He had a project 9 cylinder Gnome in his garage in parts. He was building it for a museum.
The radial engine is the better choice. For lots of reasons, but the bottom line is money and safety. That's what counts the most.
I totally agree with your engine choice😀. It only makes sense financially and for safety.
A wise decision. The Sopwith Pup we used to maintain here in the UK was an all original rotary, albeit with a lot of new old parts, and what can I say, it was an unreliable, dangerous to fly, piece of crap, and only flow by the most experience pilots. I loved it.
Fit a radial.
Loved the intro, your skill are awesome! The REALLY cool thing about this bird, as you said, you can make it all your own and anyone that doesn't like can make their own.
Well said!
I agree, and I love the animation in the intro
Love the intro, the muffling your voice bit I nearly lost my tea. I like the plan, so effectively your resto modding a WW1 tri-plane replica. Yup im in, bring on the vlogs, looking forward to the adventure. All the best from Lancashire, UK
You missed "gyroscopic precession" as a negative for rotary engins
Gyroscopic prEcession.
Yes, it;s a negative. I love Rotaries, but the simple fact is that if suitable radials had been available during the Great War, then aircraft makers would have used them, & for very good reasons.
I don't think any ME-262s fly with original engines. For good reasons.
@@KB10GL apologies for the spelling mistake.
@@richardjweeks If that's the greatest error that any of us make in a lifetime then we are doing pretty damn good. It's all good mate.
According to Kermit Weeks, who has flown lots of WW1 era aircraft with rotary engine, it's not really a big deal.
A terrific video! Thanks! A side note: a friend was telling me, some years back, that the rotary engines used castor oil for lubrication. The pilots were bathed in a castor oil mist. Castor oil is also used as a diarrhetic- it will give one serious runs. He told me that the pilots had to change clothes after virtually every flight. The masks and scarves they wore were mostly ineffective.
These pilots had to drink hard liquor to counteract the diarrhetic effect. That's why most of them became alcoholics.
Excellent episode! The other con for the radial (which is not really a con) is it will change the aircraft flight characteristics. In fact, it will improve them as it will reduce the massive centrifuge effect generated by the rotary engine.
Yes, the centrifugal force was very pronounced on the rotaries, not a good trait to have on a short coupled aircraft.
From what I've heard from pilots that still fly rotary engined aircraft is that the gyroscopic forces are slightly overplayed and if flown with the knowledge it's really a non issue
I agree on the centrifugal problem. Just for safety sake I really hope they avoid rotary.....to treacherous even for experienced pilots.
Hmm, I never thought of that
Liam Wedlake: You are absolutely correct, and obviously well read, this gyroscopic force is something that someone overheard in a pub, and has been repeated by morons every since, an urbane myth I think it is called.
Hello Mickey, Every cylinder exhausts at the 7 oclock position looking from the front!!. There is only an exhaust valve and the unburnt caster oil lubricant lubricates this and causes the oil over the side and underneath of the aircraft. We have several rotary engine aircraft flying here at TAVAS in Caboolture Australia.
How can you stand them day after day? 😂
@@davecrupel2817 With earplugs AND Muffs!!! See TAVAS website for flight videos
@@sarinaman I'll definitely give it a look. Cheers from America!
They fly rotary engine planes at Rhinebeck every weekend.
@kurtvonfricken6829
I was going to suggest the very same thing. I've been there a few times years ago and watched the demonstration of the rotary engine. They also had a few in the museum section. 😊
Wright decision.
Nice pun
lol you are so Wright..
I see what you did there... ;)
Yes it is brother
Hey Mikey!
One more thing about the rotary engines of the WW1 era... The MOST common lubricating oil was 'Castor Oil'!!! An additional reason for the scarf covering the face. Yes, THAT Castor Oil and all of its "effects".
Ken
Turboprop on a DR1... PRICELESS 😆
Well, now I have another thing on the "Things to do if I win a stupidly large lotto someday" list...
The sheer torque would spin the plane like a top
No no no Mikey! If you are going in, you need to go all the way in!
First Fokker DR-1 with a Turbine engine!
No. It needs a DB-605.
I’m looking forward to seeing more of Chuck !
I like Chuck, he is a funny guy
You where so logical and systematic in laying out the case for the engine choice, I can't imagine anyone giving you crap for your choice but this is the internet. Very nice explanation
I love the radial decision but I question the choice of engine.
Ron Sands designed your plane to fit a Warner Scarab which weighs 292 lb
The Jacob 755 weighs 505 lbs.
200 lb difference in engines is very substantial in a small plane. 200 lb more than the designer balanced the plane with
May even require tail weight to get it to balance.
Have not even check the difference in diameters I'm guessing it's larger
Don't forget my favorite, Verner Scarlett 9S 158hp, 232lbs Brand new fuel injected and has Canadian distributor and warranty
The Aircraft had the Jacob already mounted from when it was built.
Mikey McBryan , I agree with Danny. You should consider the different radial engine options and get a light weight and reliable engine. Reading about your plane, the crash resulted from engine failure due to icing in the carburetor. Fuel injection increases engine reliability, a consideration in your build.
Danny Simon well there won’t be real guns on the thing. So that’s a savings of 100 pounds, actually, quite a bit more than that once you subtract 1000 rounds. So gross isn’t a problem. As for CG, the engine is so close to the CG that it would require very little tail weight to balance. Could possibly even be balanced with just the battery. All that, and the fact that it had this engine to begin with make me think it’ll be okay.
Mikey excellent discussion about this wonderful aircraft to be restored
You got the rotary and scarf issue partly correct Mikey. One major reason for the scarf was to limit the ingestion of the lubricating oil, back then they used castor oil. We all know what castor has a reputation for moving in your gut right?
Many pilots would fly a few days and then be grounded by the quirts.
An other point you might want to think about is the cooling for the radial, the rotary spun the cylinders for added cooling and the top part of the cowling was closed but the cylinders rotating would add this cooling from the open bottom design. On the radial you will need to open up the top face of the cowling to allow adequate flow to those top jugs to get them cooled.
Mikey, you know what, been watching you and your dad and the rest since Buffalo days. Man, you are one funny character and know your airplanes pretty darn well.
aircraft rotary engines have a big shield over the top of the engine and is caught by the fender that is over the top of the engine.. you already have that part. i saw it in the pile..
That shield also protected the pilot from the oil, mostly...
That was the best explanation of the reasoning to go original vs. modified I have ever heard. Nicely done.
Mikey, follow kermit weeks videos. He has several rotary engined WW1 aircraft.
One interesting and often overlooked advantage of the rotary engine is one of inherent balance. If you look at your card model of the rotary you see that the pistons are not in reciprocating motion in the frame of reference of the aircraft but are rotating about the crank centre while the engine cylinders and crankcase are in circular motion around the engine centreline. This allows the rotary engine to achieve low vibration levels without counterweights. Unfortunately this advantage is outweighed by the negatives. It was apparently not possible to get a CofA on a rotary-engined aircraft here in the UK from some date in the mid 1930s so that ensured very few survived.
The real reason WWI pilots wore a silk scarf was to prevent chafing the skin on the pilot's neck caused by constantly checking behind them to avoid being taken by surprise by the enemy getting on their tail, but yes, it also was used to wipe off the castor oil thrown out by a rotary engine.
The Oburusal rotary engine used in the original DR1 was a copy of the French Gnome Rhone rotary. Rotaries did have all the draw-backs mentioned in other comments.
Good luck with the resto!
'Shaky Jake'; good choice, easy to manage. (Bentley BR2 WOULD be nice, but you'd never get Joe & Ronnie away from it : )
Love the opening animation! One thing that reinforces the use of the radial engine/starter and a tailwheel is safety. The airplane must be safe for the pilot to fly.
McBryan and Patey collaboration. Turbo prop Tri wing
Love the cardboard cutout. And your computer animation! Thank you Mikey!
Dang. I was hoping you were segueing into "we're going to put a radial engine in this Plymouth" 😆
Gday Mikey Enjoyed your episode today ..You put the right engine on the Fokker . Keep doing what you know is Right to get it flying .PLANE Savers Mk 2 is Excellent!! Thanks Mate From Tony in Australia.
Chip Foose designed the car for Gone in 60 Seconds. Mikey you should watch the original Gone in 60 Seconds.
I prefer the original 70's version of the film, felt more about the cars
I love the original movie
@@ThePoloRick It me years to find this movie on DVD and now I have all of Halick's movies !!!
@@vancemarin8022 The story of how H. B. Halicki did the original was as entertaining as the movie itself!
yes, rotary has "total loss" lubrication system! usually Caster oil! There is a company here in NZ who are manufacturing new rotary (gnome?) engines if you need one!
Also peter jackson (the director) from NZ has the biggest collection of WW1 aircraft
He now owns 42 WW1 aircraft,wonder if he is planning on making a film one day with them ?
Castor oil! The last time I heard someone mention caster oil, it was a lady from Africa talking about how he rubbed it on her temples in hopes of it regrowing the hair on her temples. haha. Her hair was receding from wearing extremely tight braids for decades. Apparently, castor oil is thought to be a cure for baldness by women from the Caribean islands and the African continent. haha. Of course, it does not work. hehhe.
Another downside to operating a rotary engine with castor oil is the negative affect it has on the pilot, particularly the digestive system. It's well-documented that pilots of rotary engine aircraft would have to endure diarrhea as a result of ingesting the castor oil. Sometimes they would be able to land the plane in time to deal with it... sometimes in haste... sometimes they wouldn't make it.
Michael R. ... Castor oil Does grow hair.! Thats why those WW1 pilots had MORE HAIR on their chest than I ever will.!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA the opening! LMAO! Almost spit water everywhere. I definitely agree with your decision on the engine. Would it be cool to see the rotary? Yes. But the radial just makes more sense.
Good choice on the engine Mikey. I trained as an aircraft mechanic in Quakertown, PA in the early 80's. One of my instructors had worked for Jacobs and we had a few of the engines in the school. He was always promoting their reliability and performance. I always loved the rocker covers with the Jacobs name across them. Keep William safe with a good engine!
You know the opening of this was so well done! Lol
That intro! So good. Moar!
Regarding the engine... Ok, so... since it's not a real Fokker Dr.1... And considering the 'Cuda situation... Only makes sense you stick a Hemi in that Fokker. XD
Seriously, the radial is a no brainer. Better flying characteristics, better maintenance, better everything. The rotary is an awesome, radical, quirky piece, true, but I'd want that plane to fly and fly well and comfortably.
... but totally go Hemi. You gotta. :)
Your plan makes sense! Flyable is better than a museum piece!
I agree, in the RC world you get "Stand off Scale" and that is what this Fokker is about. It must "LOOK" like the real thing but be a usable flyable aircraft! When its flying you wont tell the difference. Great animations Mikey.
A little fact about WW1 pilots - more of them died to dysentery as opposed to combat. With the fuel for the rotary engine being castor oil/nitromethane mixture it would get back into the pilots lungs and the castor oil took over after that. Nasty way to go. It explains why the SPAD 13 was so advanced with a V-8 engine with a proper exhaust scavenging system.
Not a lot of that I did know. As a purist at heart, I can and do appreciate what you pointed out. Overall a fascinating short video. Thanks!
Rotary engines always seemed like a good punchline to the lightbulb joke. "How many (X's) does it take to screw in a lightbulb? One to hold the bulb and X many to turn the house around it!
Awsome. When it comes to either flyable versus museum I go flyable. Putting the radial back in it just makes sense. Keep up the awsome work Mikey.
Hands down Best channel on RUclips! Keep em coming Mikey
Mikey, that was the coolest intro yet. Don't worry what people think about the DR 1 Do what you want to because like you said, it would be hard to get a rotary engine and it would be a pain in the butt to operate so that's it. It is no big deal!
Mickie, you also forgot to mention that the rotary engines were mainly lubricated with caster oil! With the exhaust in their faces, few WW1 pilots had worries about intestinal blockage.
You have to watch this episode a few times to absorb and appreciate the work and how much "content" you have managed to craft into it Mikey.
Firstly your visual tutorial of the working differences of rotary verses radials was spot on. Getting your head around the fact that it is the crankshaft that is bolted to the plane and then the whole actual engine spins around it will be a weird concept for some to accept, but your working cardboard model and computer graphics explained it perfectly.
As a man who restores a lot of old stuff I totally get the idea of taking things back to being "factory original", however, as your DR1 was/is a replica machine that changes the whole rule book on what route you can take with its restoration. The whole job of restoring a plane to airworthiness again must always be based around doing it safely, and for that reason going down the radial engine route is obviously the safest and most practical way. Re-fitting a Jacobs radial is also going to be the most straightforward task as that is what the airframe was built to take.
I really liked the old black and white WW1 pictures you included Mikey, I had not seen those before. It was also great to see Chuck, Stella and the new dog as well, and of course the wonderful planes in the hanger being worked on. The footage from the "back lot" was great too, I'd so love to spend an hour or so having a nose-about the vehicles and machinery you have parked up in there.
Regards
David Jones
Coventry
UK.
THANKS DAVID!!!!
Mikey, the opening animation was awesome! I think you're making the best choice in going with a radial.
Good choice, put the safety of your crew first. Go radial. Besides the Jacob sound is awesome!
When I got out of the USAF in Sept of '68 My Dad sold me a 1964 &1/2 289 HP FastBack Mustang 2-4's 4 speed Black with white Interior. It also had the elongated 'V" with the 289 above it but it also had a round white background enameled medallion with a Cobra Head on each front fender. I understand that Shelby made the running gear for 650 or 750 Fastbacks in 64.
LOVE that intro! Almost fell of my honking chair chuckling!
I have an old book on WWI airplanes. In those days their oil was castor oil. Good lubricant and good laxitive. As the story goes, when the planes came back and landed, the prop was still turning as the pilot bailed out and made the run to the toilet. However some of the pilots made the run to the laundry. 😅
Radial is definitely the more sensible option, the pilot will certainly be more thankful for it!
Like your cartooning using Sharpie markers . I use them in my sketches and painting . Thank you . Love the big round engines and the inline engines .
Very good decision. It only makes sense to use a reliable radial engine, since this aircraft is intended to be flown. I am sure if such an engine had been available to Fokker in WW1 he would have used that instead or a rotary.
Radial has my vote. We need an airplane that won’t kill the pilot. Making the rest of the aircraft as exact as possible will thrill and awe the majority of those who are interested.
so stella is a computer graphic wow you have done your work and homework
thumbs up on your decisions , Mikey , also neat graphic's on this video , Bill
There were benefits to the old rotary engines, that made them practical at the time. Air cooling for example. As the engine spin around it cooled itself. As technology developed of course they were replaced with radial and inline engines.
Radial vs Rotary.....and the winner is.....Radial! Having seen a number of WW1 replica aircraft being operated with rotary engines and having heard the comments from the pilots who have flown them about the characteristics of the rotary engine and some of their "gotcha" issues, the decision to go with a suitable radial engine is a prudent and sensible one. Another excellent episode!
A very fun but educational episode. I like the way facts are presented. I can understand it.
Wasn’t a minute into the video before I subscribed. All around great presentation. Now to binge watch!
Thank you for wanting to watch more!! 👍👍👍
Mikey, U R so creative... blowin me away, .... and you turn a wrench and survive the frozen tundra.
I had a b24 fly over my head at Ankeny airport on it’s way to Oshkosh I was in awe of it beautiful plane and then I’ve got to see a b25 and b17 the same day best day ever at work
Radial: why can’t you just be normal?
Rotary: *rotating weedwacker noises
Radial: oh god that smell! And I think I gotta use the bathroom!
mikey ur a nut! LOL!...keep it up!... I bought brand new 1973 Mazda ROTARY RX3 THAT THING FLEW!...great video!
My grandfather flew a French fighter air craft that had a rotary engine (in WWI). Because of he mass of the rotating engine made it hard tor turn in one direction but easier in the other. The Germans knew which way the plane would turn which made it easier to shoot down.
Couple of detail points. Years ago I did see rotaries flying at Rhinebeck... I don't know what the status is now.
I suspect the key advantage for using rotaries in the early days is that they have no reciprocating mass to balance out. The pistons are spinning around one center, the block is spinning around another...there is no reciprocating inertia at all.
Getting sprayed with Castor oil for hours, Blackberry brandy was the popular remedy for inhaling the vile stuff. (Rotary engine)
"Starter"? Spin the prop, Archibald. "Throttle"? A real man "blips his engine" to get more/less power.
Very cool intro Mikey!
I remember reading all the "Biggles" books by Capt. WE Johns as a kid. It always stuck in my head about the rotary engine of the Sopwith Camel and how Biggles had to "blip" the engine when landing, by switching the ignition on and off to get the desired airspeed and control. A very tricky procedure coupled the mess and smell of castor oil from the engines smeared all over the pilots faces. The books are a good idea of flying in WW1.
Great series mate!
Great intro amination! You certainly know your stuff! Thanks for sharing!
Cool animation!
Early Rotary Piston engines also used a "total loss" lubrication system using Castor based oils which is why pilots were always seen running for the toilet on landing!
Keep in mind the difference in output power and weight between both engines. That alone may have structural implications. Don't take me wrong: I support the idea of putting a radial engine on it. Just not the P&W one. Something way smaller would be better.
I have learned everything about planes and flying from you and your family. Your very smart mikey keep up the videos like this one......very cool to see chuck also very big pro!!!! Put your dad on the next episode
Con for the radial... sound! Those old rotaries (Mazda nuts are cringing here) have a completely unique sound.
been for a flight on witchcraft with the Collings foundation its was fun to hear those P&W 1830s start
Mikey, the radial would be better but stay with the rotary as this would be what the plane was made for. Love your video's and this one is at the top. May you and yours have a blessed weekend. Shalom my brother Shalom.
Building modern makes a lot of sense, good choice to not be bound by historic accuracy, and the dangers contained therein
It will be a safer plane to fly, easier to maintain. Like you said, it's a replica, the are choices you make with replicas; it's all good
Love that you’re a car guy!
They did have a throttle; in fact, most of them ran very similar to modern aircraft (air and fuel adjustment) engines minus the starter and the sucking procedure. Only engine that was one and off was the Gnome 100hp series and later they improved it with the Gnome 160hp series of which used an ignition timer instead of a carburetor in which the spark will change the number of cylinders get ignited when they were filled with fuel and air. The Gnome 160hp used a four place switch it which throttle was operated by the number of cylinders that were sparking. It was odd-numbered as most rotarys had 9 cylinders. Ergo a four/five place switch.
1,3,5,7,9
Make it work. Make it safe. Just save that Fokker ! We'll be flying along !
You will want to read "Flying the Old Planes" by Frank Tallman, who discusses the operation of the rotary engine. The Gnome Rotary used castor oil for lubrication. You are correct that the pilots breathed the vaporized oil, which made for some interesting problems. You can imagine why the pilots walked with a certain swagger. This also is why the pilots drank milk laced with brandy.
The gyroscopic forces of the rotary are what gave the DR1 some of it's incredible handling characteristics. If you can find a rotary it is what I would install. It will allow the plane to demonstrate its full acrobatic potential. But there are certainly drawbacks to using a rotary.
The Jacobs is the sensible engine choice, because you mentioned that your DR I is a replica, and, thusly, is not the real deal, so you have the liberty to do whatever you want. Make it usable, and flyable, so that it can be enjoyed.
The cowling of a rotary engine is closed on the top and open on the bottom. It is cooled because the engine rotates through the open space at the bottom where air flows over it. A radial engine's cowling is open in the front but closed on the sides and curves in toward the front so that it covers part of the front. If you put a rotary engine cowling on a radial engine it will overheat. The rotary engine cowling was closed at the top to deflect part of the exhaust. The engine lubricant was castor oil which is a laxative. Rotary using pilots did not have constipation problems.
If you close your eyes, he sounds kinda like a toned-down Kermit The Frog.
i'm hearing more fozzy bear!
Very informative, Mikey. Radial? Good choice!
You recision is totally understandable, especially since the plane had a more modern engine installed before. Get the same one.
Chucks expression after he finds out we’re the exhaust goes 😂😂😂
At no point would I give my opinion as I am NOT a professional in that field of work. That said, I am now more educated on both engine types and would agree that the radial makes far more sense from an operational and cost viewpoint. GREAT animations.Great episode!!!!!
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. With all of the reciprocating weight that a rotary engine has, crankcase and jugs spinning with the prop, as the prop digs into the air and pulls the plane , there is a serious tendency for the plane to lean in the other direction. Best bet would be to take one of the turbines and cowling off of an Electra.
Alright. Thumbs up for that intro alone!
From season one I have felt you should be making T shirts emblazoned with your artwork. Then I thought maybe a children’s book or possibly online comic book. Now after that episode intro I say go full scale video cartoon. Charlie Brown and Snoopy made the leap from our newspapers to television and movies. No reason “Plane Savers” can’t also. Really enjoy your series. Thanks.
Chuck should have had his own show!
Mikey build her as you see fit. You're at the "pointy end" of this project with the best situational awareness to achieve your goals. Besides you know your Plane Savers family (new and from season 1, episode 0) will Love and accept her. Keep on doing the goodness that you do Mikey! Wishind you, Stella and Stuka the best.👍👏😁
Hi Mikey, love the fun animation 🤗
Nowadays when you mention a rotary engine most people instantly think of a Mazda or NSU Wankel engine and not a WW1 aero engine so that was a great explaination. At the end of the day, it's your aeroplane and basically you can do with it what you want. It's not like it's a Lancaster but even there, the two surviving airworthy Lancs are far from "original". The necessity of creating a flying example overrides the museum originality.
Keep up the great work 👍👍👍
While restoring this plane with a rotary would be very cool, I totally understand. I've been doing a lot of research into these old things and in addition to the engines themselves being rare and hard to find (though apparently there are companies out there making replica Gnome Le'Rhone engines) the *oil* that you need is a little special. (though they do make Castrol formulated for these types of engines)
I think the reason why the Sopwith Camel of the era was so difficult & dangerous to fly for inexperienced pilots, was that it had a rotary engine. Having a big chunk of spinning metal in your makes things kind of dangerous, especially during the low airspeeds on take off and landing... I'd go radial:)
During the beginning of the First World War the Gnome rotary engine was state of the art. The radial was still in its infancy! The original radial engines also belched oil and sprayed the pilot with burnt oil mist! Check the parts count between both engines and ease of manufacture the rotary engine wins. Motorcycles used the rotary engine with some success. Weight was in favor of the rotary engine being lighter and more powerful hp per pound to inline and radial designs. Then comes the issue of reliability the French and Germans both documented that the rotary type of engine was more reliable. The radial was more controllable and offered greater power as the war went on. Automobiles, tanks used rotary engines because they ran cooler by their very nature. Within their limitations rotary engines were an answer to a problem. Never poo poo a old design that filled a niche in its day! As the rotary had it time so did the radial that led to the inline then turbines and pure jets to turbo fans! Heck there were steam engines tried in planes too. Both the US and USSR tried nuclear reactors to generate electricity to run electric motors! There was even a pedal driven aircraft! Still love your program! My neighbor worked at corrosion corner at Miami International Airport repaired radials for 40 years, he loved them. He had a project 9 cylinder Gnome in his garage in parts. He was building it for a museum.