Bristol Freighter on 'finals' to Filton
"Now I want to know exactly how a sleeve valve engine works, other than not very well."
The Perseus was the first of the Bristol engines with sleeve valves. Nearly 60,000 Hercules were built, which suggests they were hardly rubbish
I can well remember being taught the Bristol Hercules when I was learning to fly the Varsity at Valley in 1961.
It was said that the definition of a genius was one who could describe the sleeve-valve principle without the aid of a working model or a blackboard!
It was said that the definition of a genius was one who could describe the sleeve-valve principle without the aid of a working model or a blackboard!
Many moons ago I was inspecting the compressor of a Bristol Proteus on a Britannia using the intrascope to see if the bump stalls it had experienced over the Gulf of Mexico had damaged any blades. They did and the first stage had some rather twisted ones. No rips or tears or missing bits but still a bit questionable. The local Bristol representative showed up and gave us some guidance. Basically, if no rips or missing bit and none of the blades were twisted into a reverse pitch direction, it was okay.
It turned out he had been assigned to Trans Canada during their use of the Bristol Freighters with the Hercules engines. According to him, in the winter's cold, if you didn't have preheaters going, you would have to wait for spring to start them. I had experienced the problems of starting poppet valved engines, particularly carbureted ones in the cold but I can imagine trying to get sleeves to reciprocate and oscillate inside the cylinder in the cold wilds of Canada. Don't know if he exaggerated or to what degree. Any comments on cold weather ops with those engines?
It turned out he had been assigned to Trans Canada during their use of the Bristol Freighters with the Hercules engines. According to him, in the winter's cold, if you didn't have preheaters going, you would have to wait for spring to start them. I had experienced the problems of starting poppet valved engines, particularly carbureted ones in the cold but I can imagine trying to get sleeves to reciprocate and oscillate inside the cylinder in the cold wilds of Canada. Don't know if he exaggerated or to what degree. Any comments on cold weather ops with those engines?
I only ever flew in a 'frightener' once and that a one hour trip from Kuantan to Changi. I spent the whole flight wondering if the clam doors were going to open. The thought of flying in one from Gan to Changi or vice versa does not bear thinking about. It must have taken about ten hours - ten minutes was enough for me!
Old Duffer
Old Duffer
Bristol Hercules sleeve-valve engines worked very well for SAFE Air in New Zealand over more than three decades. They were getting more than 2,000 hours between overhauls out of their's fitted to the Bristol B170 Freighters, which was considerably more than what NAC were getting out of their P&W R-1830 Twin Wasps in the DC-3s. And those Bristol Hercules engines in SAFE's Freighters used to get thrashed on short haul flights backwards and fowards every day across Cook Strait between Wellington and Blenheim. Heaps of startups and shutdowns and accompanying full-power takeoffs every day.
If anybody really wants to make their head hurt regarding sleeve valve engines, there's a cutaway Napier Sabre in AirSpace at Duxford. It's truly mind-boggling.
After the initial teething problems with sleeves, finally cured using Bristol technology, they also were extremely reliable and stayed in service for years.
After the initial teething problems with sleeves, finally cured using Bristol technology, they also were extremely reliable and stayed in service for years.
Resident insomniac
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: N54 58 34 W02 01 21
Age: 79
Posts: 1,873
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Pakistan Air Force Bristol 170 were based at Dishforth around 1954/5 . This was for crew training of PAF personnel. Some of cadets of our local ATC squadron (2109Sqn, Whixley)managed to get trips on circuit work,they said PAF crews were very welcoming.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: london
Age: 58
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The film the man in the sky is on today 10pm on channel talking pictures there have been some classic British films on this channel loads of shots of bovingdon blackbuse also old Saint films of Luton in the early sixties .with regards to the Bristol instone had a head quarters in York road Wandsworth London beleive run by Jeremy instone when they first got the Bristol it actually flew low over Wandsworth must have been 81/82 it was a great sight
A friend's Dad, who turned 90 last year, delivered the third RNZAF Bristol B.170 Freighter from the factory to New Zealand. He was towards the end of a five-year short service commission with the RNZAF as a transport pilot. At the end of the five years, he joined TEAL (which later became Air NZ) and flew Solent flying-boats, Douglas DC-6, Lockheed L.188 Electra, Douglas DC-8 and McDonnell-Douglas DC-10 airliners. His best boyhood friend while growing up in Auckland was Ray Hanna.
RNZAF Bristol Freighters were part of the taxi service Kuching or Labuan to and from Changi during confrontation. The other options were Hastings or upstairs in a Beverley, so not the least desirable option.
Talking Pictures TV is on Freesat Channel 306.
The film 'The Man in the Sky' was shown last night (15/01/2018) but is scheduled to be shown again on TPTV on Sunday morning (21/01/2018) at 07:20.
The film 'The Man in the Sky' was shown last night (15/01/2018) but is scheduled to be shown again on TPTV on Sunday morning (21/01/2018) at 07:20.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Just watched it, for the first time in fifty-plus years. Some wonderful old film. I had to laugh though, when the potential customer says he is keen but the board "are considering the Bristol instead"
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hertfordshire
Age: 70
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In 1962 we flew with a car from Southend to Rotterdam. There were both Bristol Freighters and Carvairs. I remember going in the Carvair:
We weren't 'well heeled' as the video describes passengers but had a flying background - this was the way to go!
We weren't 'well heeled' as the video describes passengers but had a flying background - this was the way to go!