----- Original Message -----
From: "Brandon Kunicki" <c322348@yahoo.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2000 7:04 PM
Subject: Re: [MV] HMV at Walnut Ridge AR Airshow and Brownsville, TN carshow
Hi,
> Indeed an amazing engine! Unfortunately so complicated
> (and parts so hard to come by) that they are nearly
> impossible to overhaul (at least in the US). Many Sea
> Furies in the US have been converted to the
> Curtiss-Wright R-3350 engine with a 4-bladed propellor
> (original Sea Fury has a 5-bladed propellor).
>
Hmmmmm, hardly complicated apart from the piston, each cylinder has one
moving part only rather than a collection of cam-rings, push-rods, rockers
and all the valve gear.
Probably parts are a problem, its unlikely that NAPA stock new sleeves. . .
. . . .
;-)
The Bristol Centaurus needed the five-blade for a very good reason and its
understandable why you are all denied the impressive sound of a big
sleeve-valve lump in full song, certainly the example here in flying
condition makes very rare appearances indeed. We'll have to wait until
Kermit Weeks finishes his Tempest V (virtually a Typhoon) with 24 cyl of
Napier Sabre flat H sleeve valve power being closely followed by a serious
chunk of fighter. Reputedly the sleeves are being re-manufactured and
flight qualified amongst other parts, not a project for the faint-hearted or
minimally funded.
I have been separately informed that the R-3350 is the common re-power and
this modification is wholly understandable, albeit a little limp compared to
the original.
Richard
Southampton - England
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