WWI aircraft engine management

[Charge]

Looking at WWI aircraft pictures I noticed that the engine cylinders did not seem to rotate at all. These airplanes had rotary engines which meant that the whole cylinderblock rotated with the propeller.

There is a rather enlightening article about this type of engines and their engine management in Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_engine

Imagine the torque and gyroscopic effects of the massive engine rotation force on such light airframes.

-C+

[Martyn]

I visited Brooklands aerdrome (UK) where, by chance, I met a restoration expert working on an old Sopwith. I can't remember if it was a Pup or a Camel. The 'point' of the plane was to put all the major weight centrally within the first 3 feet of the airframe and 7 feet including the pilot. This led to it being small and amazingly manouverable. It could roll a 3/4 turn in one direction in the same time it took to roll 1/4 turn the other way because of the engine torque.

[FLS]

You can be sure that HTC is very familiar with rotary radial engines. I've been waiting 8 years for them to model WW1 aircraft again. 

[j500ss]

I also believe that the WWI planes are going to be a blast to play with.  From interest shown on the boards, that arena should be fairly well represented.

One thing I found interesting about some of the WWI rotaries was that there was no throttle control. Engine rpm's and power were controlled by the ability to drop ( shut off spark) cyiinders with magneto settings.  Should be interesting

[Wmaker]

These airplanes had rotary engines which meant that the whole cylinderblock rotated with the propeller.

Haven't read that wiki-article but yep, that's how it was. The basic reason was that the cylinders were machined rather than cast. The casting techniques simply weren't there to manufacture cylinders with cooling fins. So the cylinders were machined and the cooling was arranged by the fast airflow around the cylinders as the engine rotated.

[Wmaker]

Very nice intro into the principals and operation of rotary engines:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXf3StrRHcc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk9Dl6RZxmQ

[Charge]

Torque and gyroscopic force: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch7Z4UurPSk&feature=related

-C+

[Scherf]

More to the point, will the torque / gyro stuff be modelled? Didn't the Camel pilots have to displace the stick at 90' to the direction in which they wanted to go?

[FLS]

Torque and gyro are already modeled in AH.

[Karnak]

This video has some nice stuff too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6PnKUEFX8g

[Wmaker]

Torque and gyro are already modeled in AH.

Yes they are, I think it's largely just about using the right parameters to model the effects as accurately as possible...plus misc. tweaking.

[FLS]

The Old Rhinebeck Camel has a 160 hp Gnome Rotary engine. When it's started the wing dips 6-8 inches IIRC. One of the pilots told me that it's not that hard to fly, you just have to know what to expect. I believe if it's modeled correctly people will think it's too easy, even if every newbie that tries it crashes the first time.   

[Scherf]

Am I right in thinking that the rotaries were either full throttle or full idle, nothing in between?

[FLS]

You could adjust the "full on" with the fuel air mixture. The OP's wiki link explains it.

[Wmaker]

Am I right in thinking that the rotaries were either full throttle or full idle, nothing in between?

There were also a method cutting the ignition for every other or every third cylinder in a changing firing order which lead into "50%" and "33%" settings between all out and idle. Check the first youtube-link I posted.