Engines On Wood Stands

John Gaertner sent me a drawing for a wood stand to hold the engines while moving or storing them.  They're now in a better storage shed where I can keep soaking them with penetrating oil.  I like Corrosion-X and I've had some luck with PB Blaster.  I'll pour some blaster in the cylinders a keep spraying Corrosion-X on all the nuts etc.

Propeller Hub for WWI 80 HP Le Rhone Rotary Motor

 Back in January 2013 I wrote about de-rusting a propeller hub and then discovering it was a metric hub.  I've just learned that this hub fits an engine from earlier in the First World War.  It's for an 80 HP Le Rhone rotary motor.  It does not fit the larger motors like the 110 HP version.  It may fit the 60 HP version but I have not found data for the hub on it and they only made a few hundred of them.

 The first piece of data was from The Handbook of Instructions for Airplane Designers, second edition, February, 1921.  This book was produced by the Engineering Division of the Air Service.  The focus is on the dimensions which are relevant to making the propeller.  The dimensions are:

A - Hub Shaft O.D. 60 mm (2.362")
C - Prop. Bolt Centerline Diameter 120 mm (4.724")
D - Hub Flange O.D. 150 mm (5.905")
E - Number of Bolts - 8
F - Dia. of Bolts - 10 mm (0.394")

On-line I found some drawings which show the dimensions related to attaching the hub to the shaft.

The shaft is 42 mm O.D. at the nut end of the shaft.
The taper increases the diameter as a 10% cone.
The threaded end of the shaft (where the retaining nut screws on)
    is threaded for 18 mm.
The thread has on O.D. of 40 mm and a pitch of 1.50 mm.

All of which says this hub works on an 80 HP Le Rhone.  With magnetic inspection for cracks and fresh nickle plating it would be ready for use.

Anyone need a prop hub for their project?
Some of the planes which used the 80 HP Le Rhone either as the primary or alternate motor were:

1913 - Morane-Saulier L
1913 - Morane-Saulier N
1914 - Nieuport 10
1915 - Nieuport 11 (Bebe)
1916 - Nieuport 21 (as trainers)
1914 - Bristol Scout C
1915 - Bristol Scout D
1915 - SPAD A-2
1916 - Sopwith Pup
1916 - Vickers F.B.12
1917 - Thomas-Morse S4c

I Now Have An OX-5 Motor

While at the Antique fly-in at Blakesburg John Swander stopped by my booth to check on the progress of my WACO NINE project.  He had acquired 2 OX-5 motors some parts and a radiator.  After a little discussion I purchased them for $2800.  The motor you can see in the door is the most complete and hopefully restoreable. The other motor is on the other side of the van.  The motor mount is believed to be for a Travel-Air as well as the radiator.

 The valves on the best motor are Miller valves which use a grease fitting instead of oil holes in the castings.  The cylinders are also from a dual ignition OXX-6 motor.  The second plug hole is plugged with what appear to be factory made slotted brass plugs.

Both motors were made by Willis-Morrow Company of Elmira, New York.  The better motor has Manufacturer's Number M3607 but is missing the Army acceptance tag.  The other motor is number M2753 and was accepted 15 May 1918.  The motor John Gaertner is working on is number M6195 and was accepted 11 Dec 18. Assuming steady production, M3607 was probably made about 6 Jul 18.

The extra parts include a header tank for the radiator and various water and intake pipes.

The prop hub on the left is not for an OX-5 but looks like it may be for a Hisso.

Some Berling Magneto cores and parts.

3 Zenith Carburetors.

Water pumps.

Standard OX-5 valve mechanisms from the second engine.

Intake manifolds.

Overall this is very cool.  The next step will be to start soaking all bolts, pistons, etc. with Corrosion X.  The plan is to clean up, repair and organize each item as it's removed.  The bigger problem is how to get the motors to the attic.  I probably will have to break it down to cylinders and case in order to store it while I'm working on each piece.