Video: First Run On A Pratt & Whitney R-4360 28 Cylinder Beast!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 07:41PM First we went off the gold standard in America, and then we stopped building monster radial engines. No wonder this country is so messed up! So what if the turbine is light and powerful and burns kerosene, it sure doesn't sound like this engine. I know it's a hard sell trying to convince people that radial engines are where it's at, but I'm still a believer in the inspiring power of the sound that comes out of a radial's exhaust stacks.
As it turns out, the sound on this first run of a rebuilt Pratt & Whitney R-4360 isn't the best part of the video due to the sound inside the test structure, but seeing four rows of 7 cylinders for 28 total (with 56 spark plugs!) and that huge prop is just pure awesome. It's hard to imagine that the post WWII Convair B-36 had six of these engines buried in the wings turning pusher props. In fact it's even more interesting to me because unlike almost all other radial installations, you get the feel for the roundness of the engine, but the way they were built into the B-36 as pushers sorta disguises that fact. And can you even imagine and airplane with 336 spark plugs?!
I still think it would be very interesting to build a modern beast of a radial engine applying the design technologies that now make everyday oil leaks a thing of the past in automotive engines... along with the power-to-weight increases that computer-controlled fuel injection systems provide. Seems like a potentially viable concept to me. That was the fantasy idea behind my retro-wild Empress 400 airliner concept - big, powerful and efficient modern radial engines.
Anyway, the good news is that massive engines like this R-4360 can still be rebuilt, which means that for now we can still produce the best mechanical sound man has ever produced. Rock on.
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Reader Comments (6)
Tulsa Aircraft Engines does a rebuild of the 1340 for a mere 37,500 dollars(Rebuild, 48,000 outright). So this girl I figure for the rebuild ran about ohhh 37,000 x 4 = 148,000. I think PVP would move along nicely with this power plant but you might exceed the max speed of ultra-light class. All kidding aside, this is an awesome video. It satisfies my war-bird addiction needs with big smiles and an F yeah man or two...
thanks for posting, Martt.
Schweeet !!
This particular 4360 is going on the Cleveland era F2-G Corsair (Race #74) that is under restoration at Robert Odegaard's shop. Hopefully he will be able to bring the aircraft to Oshkosh and Reno this year.
Nunya Bidness- Thanx for the info on the destination for that big hunk of radial awesomeness! I'll see if I can find a little more info and pix to post : )
Nunya Bidness- So this engine is 2000 to 2200 hp, or is it even higher? Now I know why the Corsair's cowel is so long. I knew there was a big engine under there but I didn't think there was a 28 cylinder 4 stack.
WOW!
And I look forward to seeing her fly...
~J~
To : All Readers 28 Dec.12
I'm Looking For Any Video Of The B-36 That Has NO TALK,NO MUSIC ,OR ANY OTHER STUFF JUST THE Sound Of The Old Plane MORE THAN YOU SEE ON " Strategic Air Command, Or Jet Pilot" -- Just The Sound Of The Old Airplane As It Was When The Plane Was Frontline Equipment ,Because My Dad Grew Up At That Time And Told Me Many Times Of The Sound -- Can Anyone Help Me -- Just Leave Nme A Message At My E-Mail Address " Airmanwiles@Yahoo.com"