It's A Radial Robert

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Yah-Tah-Hey

Yah-Tah-Hey

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Currently reading Robert Matzen's account of the TWA DC-3 crash in January of 1942 that killed actress Carole Lombard and 21 other passengers. Very interesting account of the multiple twists and turns that led to Clark Gable's wife's obliteration on Mt. Potosi ,33 miles southwest of Las Vegas.Nevada. Matsen researched the subject thoroughly and even visited the crash sight. His photos of what remains of the wreckage can be seen on the internet, including multiple shots of the nine cylinder Wright 1830 radial engines. So on page 252 I was surprised to see that the Wright Aeronautics radials were "twelve cylinder Cyclone engines." No matter, it's a very good account of how the "blond bombshell" came to be a passenger on that flight.One of the most intriguing events occurred at Albuquerque when Lombard, her mother, press agent and other passengers were bumped off the flight by Army Air Corp members. The actress, who was returning home from a very successful war bond drive, had a melt down with the agent and threatened to call general so and so who arranged her trip, and her party was allowed to continue the trip west. A little after 7:00 PM (PST) DC-3 ND-1946 and 22 souls all but evaporated in a Fireball seen for many miles.
 
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Radial engines have odd numbered cylinder arrangement.

Wright engines are either 7 or 9 cylinder.

Pratt &Whitney are usually 9 cylinder

Kenner was a 5 cylinder

Anzani was 3 cyl.

If the mfg. wants a bigger engine they add more rows.

Pratt & Whitney made an engine nicknamed the corncob, R4360 ci with 4 rows , 7 cyl each = 28 cyl.

Lycoming made a with an "X" arrangement (x7750) 9 rows with 4cyl. and water cooled.

You can find it on wikipedia .

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Probably an editor's technical error as far as 12 cylinder radial engine.
Wikipedia mentions a 22 cylinder prototype but that would be a double row radial with eleven cylinders x 2.
The radial design requires a 'master rod' usually at the 12 o'clock position, with articulating link rods attached around the
perimeter of said master rod. So each row must be an odd number of cylinders. (no other cylinder is directly opposed to the master cylinder)
 
In the year 1969, Spartan School of Aeronautics power plant curriculum did not have one page on gas turbines. The one they did have rested on the floor and was the repository for refuse coming off the roach coaches . Understandable though. I can't remember one question about gas turbines on the exam for the P rating. But there were questions about radial engines and setting up the mag and engine timing. Never put a wrench on a real airplane but training helped in my power generation career.
 
If it used R-1830 P&W Radial engines, they are a 14 cylinder engine. 2 rows of 7. All the DC-3's I worked around in the day had R-1830's.
I think during the war some had Wright R-1820's, which is the same engine used on B-17's. R-1820's have one row of 9.
 
I flew a DC-6 a few years.
2 banks of 9=18
Pratt & Whitney R-2800 (US military designation) Double Wasp (civil designation) is an American twin-row, 18-cylinder
 
Originally Posted by clarkflower
I flew a DC-6 a few years.
2 banks of 9=18
Pratt & Whitney R-2800 (US military designation) Double Wasp (civil designation) is an American twin-row, 18-cylinder


You mean 2 rows of 9. If using the term Banks, then it is 9 Banks and 2 rows.

Bank definition.........
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylinder_bank
 
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