Flight of the Phoenix question...

[El Bucho]

I remember it from the original too. Does anybody know exactly how that works with starting a big round engine with what looks like a 12 gauge shotgun shell? I know it's some sort of charge or whatever, but just wondered exactly how that worked. Thanks.

EB

 

[EagleRJ]

It was called a cartridge starter. It used gas from a shotgun-type blank to turn the engine over in remote areas where there wasn't a power cart and the plane's battery might be dead.

Similar systems were used later on in turbine engines, such as the B-57 Canberra's famous smoky starts.

 

[erj-145mech]

I remember it from the original too. Does anybody know exactly how that works with starting a big round engine with what looks like a 12 gauge shotgun shell? I know it's some sort of charge or whatever, but just wondered exactly how that worked. Thanks.

EB

It was called a Kaufmann starter. The expanding gasses were directed over a flywheel, which spun it up, then thru a rudimentary gear arrangement to convert the energy into a usable torque from the revolutions, then thru a sprague clutch to the crankshaft via the accessory case. Very similar to an inertial starter found on R-985's and 1340's.

 

[joe_pilot]

B-52's had a similar system for use on the alert pad. The could fire up all 8 engines at once. I understand the crew chiefs hated it because it was a real pain to clean up afterwards.

Any Buff crews around?