In the Fall 2002 Issue of
Packard
Aero Engines
1919
- 1923
Packard’s interest in aircraft engines began in
the fall of 1914, directly following the outbreak of war in Europe. Henry Joy
was then President of Packard and it was he who said “Just as sure as God made
little green apples. We will some day be forced to participate in this war.”
Joy was impressed with the importance of the airplane in modern warfare and, looking about, realized how poorly prepared the United States was to produce, as he put it, “an automotive power plant for aerial warfare.” He then authorized Jesse G. Vincent, Packard’s Vice President of Engineering and chief engine designer, to put together a qualified engineering organization that could design and develop a first-class aircraft engine. In this issue of Torque Meter, Packard expert Robert J. Neal tells the story of Jesse Vincent and the evolution of Packard aero engines from 1919 through 1923. Included is an intriguing account of the Navy airship Shenandoah.
The
Packard Merlin
Supercharger Drive Mechanism
for Two-Stage Engines
Part 1: Epicyclic or Compound-Spur?
When Packard began producing two-stage Merlin aircraft
engines, the original Rolls-Royce supercharger drive design was changed to what
proved to be a better scheme. The Packard designed supercharger drive for the
two stage Merlin engines is often described as, “epicyclic” but this is
quite erroneous. It was, in fact, basically a conventional compound spur gear
step up mechanism consisting of three sets of paired gears equally spaced around
the impeller/crankshaft centreline axis. In Part 1 of this series, Jerry Wells
discusses these and other differences between Rolls-Royce and Packard built
Merlin engines.
The Lockheed P-38 and its Opposite Rotating Propellers
Ever wonder why P-38 propellers turn the opposite way as
compared to those of modern general aviation aircraft with handed propellers?
Numerous explanations have been proposed, but few exhibit the careful research
and analysis shown here.
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