Originally Posted by
27/09
Two of the bigger aerial ag companies on this side of the ditch spent copious amounts of money developing V8 replacements for the IO720's fitted to their Fletchers. One went down the Ford route using a 10 litre engine the other the Chev 6.5 litre engine. Both engines were slated to produce 550 BHP with a gearbox used between the engine and the propeller.
I think in one case the gear box was one of the major hurdles.
Long story short the Ford version actually flew but was cancelled before testing was finished, the Chev version was cancelled before it flew. I understand development costs and getting suitable reliability were the major factors for the projects being cancelled.
That machine on shutdown sounded like a 44 gal drum full of spanners bouncing down a very steep hill.