Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Misc. Forums > Aviation History and Nostalgia
Reload this Page >

THe biggest single engined a/c

Aviation History and Nostalgia Whether working in aviation, retired, wannabee or just plain fascinated this forum welcomes all with a love of flight.

THe biggest single engined a/c

Old 3rd Aug 2011, 21:04
  #1 (permalink)  
Sir George Cayley
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
THe biggest single engined a/c

An idle thought. What was/is it?

DHC Otter, something Russian? For now lets stick to propellor and introduce jets as the thread flags.

A vous

Sir George Cayley
 
Old 3rd Aug 2011, 21:07
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: due south
Posts: 1,332
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Do you mean largest wingspan as the sole measurement of size ?
henry crun is offline  
Old 3rd Aug 2011, 21:12
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 587
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Vickers Wellesley maybe?
PPRuNeUser0139 is offline  
Old 3rd Aug 2011, 21:32
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: due south
Posts: 1,332
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
ANT-25 was much bigger than the Wellesley.
henry crun is offline  
Old 3rd Aug 2011, 22:03
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Near Stalyvegas
Age: 78
Posts: 2,022
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Lockheed U2, maybe?
chiglet is offline  
Old 3rd Aug 2011, 22:12
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: due south
Posts: 1,332
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
chiglet: "For now lets stick to propellor"
henry crun is offline  
Old 3rd Aug 2011, 22:16
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: New South Wales
Age: 63
Posts: 9,719
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
biggest
Gunston says the Tupolev Tu-91 was the most powerful single-engine propeller aircraft ever built and with a MTOW of 31,746lb I wonder if it was the heaviest?

Cheers.
Noyade is offline  
Old 3rd Aug 2011, 23:25
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: New South Wales
Age: 63
Posts: 9,719
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
I wonder if it was the heaviest?
Nope.
They just keep getting bigger! The Douglas XTB2D-1 Skypirate at 34,760 lb...?
Noyade is offline  
Old 4th Aug 2011, 01:04
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: flyover country USA
Age: 82
Posts: 4,579
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Maybe a stretch of the thread.

Three Boeing 299Z ships were converted from surplus B-17G stock by Boeing. They were used by Allison, Curtiss-Wright, and P&W as engine testbeds. All three ships were, on occasion, flown in cruise with the four R-1820s shut down, so the only power was the single testbed engine.

Note that P&W's ship, NC5111N, was retired to the Bradley Air Museum (or New England air museum) and damaged in a tornado in the late 70s. This ship eventually was reconverted to B-17G, and became "Liberty Belle", flying from 2005-2011 for the Liberty Foundation. It was destroyed by fire after a forced landing two months ago.
barit1 is offline  
Old 4th Aug 2011, 05:58
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 5,222
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 3 Posts
The odd Lancaster used to be used for the same purpose. One was for the Mamba trials and used to spend some time on one engine.



In this picture it looks as if No1-3-4 are feathered with No 2 unfeathered for a quick start if neccessary.
Fareastdriver is offline  
Old 4th Aug 2011, 15:15
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Wildest Surrey
Age: 75
Posts: 10,798
Received 90 Likes on 63 Posts
Biggest single engine piston was called the Evangel; only a few built but they were bigger than an AN2.
I can only find details of a twin version, but I'm sure I read a story in an American magazine about a single engine high wing version.
chevvron is offline  
Old 4th Aug 2011, 15:40
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Down south
Posts: 670
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Does BA flight 9 (B747) count, south east of Jakarta when they managed to restart one engine? Okay I admit they became a multi pretty quickly afterwards, but for a few minutes were a pretty big single engined aircraft!
bingofuel is offline  
Old 4th Aug 2011, 15:47
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: South East of Penge
Age: 74
Posts: 1,788
Received 7 Likes on 7 Posts
Odd Lancaster

Far East Driver - Isn't your " Odd Lancaster " a Lincoln?
(For largest single Propeller driven aeroplane the Linke Hoffman R II beat the Lincoln by over 18 ft wingspan at 138+ ft and about 25 years IIRC)

Last edited by Haraka; 4th Aug 2011 at 16:07.
Haraka is offline  
Old 4th Aug 2011, 16:38
  #14 (permalink)  
Sir George Cayley
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Photos guys we need photos

SGC
 
Old 4th Aug 2011, 21:35
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Minehead Somerset UK
Age: 77
Posts: 1,502
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Photos guys we need photos
Whiling away the time monitoring an SC Challenge, I thought I may as well oblige!

Courtesy of henry crun: the ANT-25 1933: Wingspan: 34m (111 ft 7 in), Length: 13.9m (45 ft 7 in), Height: 5.5m (18 ft 1 in)

Powerplant: 1 × Mikulin AM-34, 560 kW (750 hp (later forced to 874 hp)) at 1,760 rpm for cruise



Courtesy of Haraka: the Linke-Hofmann R.II 1919: Wingspan: 42.16 m (138 ft 4 in), Length: 20.316 m (66 ft 7-7/8 in), Height: 7.1 m (23 ft 3-5/8 in)



Power was supplied by four 252 horsepower (188 kW). Mercedes D.IVa engines, arranged in pairs, in the central fuselage driving the propeller through clutches, shafts and gearboxes.

As Haraka intimated, the Linke-Hoffman R.II was probably the largest single propeller aircraft ever built and flown

Last edited by SincoTC; 4th Aug 2011 at 21:48.
SincoTC is offline  
Old 4th Aug 2011, 21:41
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Westnoreastsouth
Posts: 1,824
Received 26 Likes on 25 Posts
Smiling at the concept of a 5 engined a/c being classified as a single ...come on guys LOL

5 donks = 5 donks

1 donk = 1 donk
longer ron is online now  
Old 4th Aug 2011, 23:01
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: New South Wales
Age: 63
Posts: 9,719
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Photos guys we need photos
Sure.

The Douglas XTB2D-1 from a December 1981 Wings article....



Power was supplied by four 252 horsepower (188 kW)
Hence why I dispensed with the Linke monster and the Douglas XB-42 with two Allisons.

Intriguing thread
Noyade is offline  
Old 5th Aug 2011, 08:27
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: down south
Age: 76
Posts: 13,226
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Here's a thought.

When we have solved this conundrum, how about a discussion on the worlds' smallest single engine aircraft (excluding models of course and it must have been flown by a human on board).

I reckon Noyade and I know what it might be.
Lightning Mate is offline  
Old 5th Aug 2011, 09:53
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: EU
Age: 82
Posts: 5,505
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
How about defining biggest?

Reason for my question:

For Douglas XTB2D-1, the weights are:

Empty weight: 18,405 lb (8,348 kg)
Loaded weight: 28,545 lb (12,948 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 34,760 lb (15,767 kg)

What would be the best comparable weight for "biggest" single engined a/c"?

If this was not fun, please disregard.
RegDep is offline  
Old 5th Aug 2011, 10:21
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: New South Wales
Age: 63
Posts: 9,719
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
How about defining biggest?
For me, I've obviously been looking at weights, however dimensions are certainly another factor to consider. The ANT-25 has an impressive span and I'm ashamed to say I spent a considerable part of the morning looking for something bigger. Closest I got was the Egret...

D-FSTN - Private Grob G520T Egret Aircraft Photo | Airplane-Pictures.net
Noyade is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.