Sopwith Engines
I have been watching a bunch of WW1 air show films on You tube. All of the planes are so cool: both looks-wise and they sound cool. But the Sopwiths sound terrible; like the engine is about to stall and the pilots are trying to desperately gun the engines to keep them going. Why is that? Were their engines that different? The Bristols and RAF engines don't sound like that.
Do you know whether the Sopwiths were using reconstructions of the original rotary engines or modern substitutes, Lance?
Originally Posted by skyking20
Lance the Sopwiths (Camels,pups & Tripes) all have rotary air cooled engines whilst the Bristol, BE's & Albatross & Fok D.VII's have inline water cooled units.
The rotary is usually controlled by a "blip" switch rather than a throttle hence the Flat Out then nothing effect.
Last edited by gully_raker; 01-21-2014 at 14:48.
The video did not say.
I would guess then that they were rotary engines. I had forgotten they had those. Didn't that type of engine allow certain maneuvering advantages?
The rotary is usually controlled by a "blip" switch rather than a throttle hence the Flat Out then nothing effect.
Yes, the torque of the rotary engine enabled rather tight turns in one direction - hence the Camel & others getting the 90 degree right turns in their manoeuvre decks
Of course, this torque also made them difficult to fly for the novice pilot, leading to large numbers of crashes.
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