Unknown Cylinder Head Recovered from Freeman Field
 

Hey guys...

Trying to ID this...

Any thoughts?

Re: Unknown Cylinder Head Recovered from Freeman Field
 

I'm sure this is from a P&W R-2800. I've just broke down, cleaned, applied preservatives, and re-assembled over 20 of the 36 from Flak Bait's two R-2800 engines and it looks the same.

P&W had different manufacturers like Ford and GM make the engines so the stampings are from a manufacturer. Ford's is a clearly scrolled 'F' and I don't see that here.

Tony

Re: Unknown Cylinder Head Recovered from Freeman Field
 

Hey Tony!

All the stuff from Freeman that has been recovered were all from captured aircraft (German, Japanese, Italian).

There were "some" US aircraft there that took the R-2800...those being the A-26, C-82, P-61, and P-47....but...this cylinder head was perfectly serviceable...so there was no need to dump in in the pile of captured axis aircraft parts in 1946/1947...especially when the engines and aircraft were still being used.

Is it "possible" that this is a foreign variant? or are the serial/part numbers 100% conclusive of being US?

Mike

Re: Unknown Cylinder Head Recovered from Freeman Field
 

I am out of town now and can check when I returned to NASM later this week concerning the numeric stampings. I know that BMW began building radials under license using the P&W Hornet.

I do not know of any other foreign license builds of radials.

One thing I noticed about the large radials the US produced, R-2800, R-3350, and the R-4360, is the asymmetrical cooling fins with the exhaust side larger than the intake. It seems earlier radial cylinders for the most part were symmetrical. I also do not see that in any German or Japanese engines.

Re: Unknown Cylinder Head Recovered from Freeman Field
 

Thanks Tony!

For sure the Japanese had asymmetrical as well, as I have some here...but you are right about the German engines.

I am 100% sure this is not German, as the stamps and part numbers do not match anything German...same with Japanese.

I guess I was hoping it was something foreign...but I think you are right on this one...

Any chance to get a pic of the serial/part numbers from one of the radials you are working on for comparison?

mike

Re: Unknown Cylinder Head Recovered from Freeman Field
 

Sure thing. When I get back later this week.

Re: Unknown Cylinder Head Recovered from Freeman Field
 

Hey Tony,

I think you are right on the money...found an image online with stamps in the same areas...also found these stamps...do these mean anything to you?

Re: Unknown Cylinder Head Recovered from Freeman Field
 

In the last image I came across that inking on every cylinder but we didn't identify what it was. When I return I will see what the number was on Flak Bait's engine. It was 4 digits but I don't recall what it was.

Since GM and Nash-Kelvinator also built the engine under P&W license, I suspect it is one of theirs, unless you find a nicely scrolled 'F' which would be the Ford built. The 'F' for Ford was somewhere on the rocker arm/push rod housing.

That first image has a circular stamping, with what WT 1M, I cannot tell exactly what that is.

Re: Unknown Cylinder Head Recovered from Freeman Field
 

Mike,

Here you go. In the one image you will the scrolled 'F' for a Ford made R-2800. Note that your cylinder is like the one I posted, from the rear bank of 9, where the push rods and intake/exhaust ports are on the same side. A forward bank cylinder has the push rods on the opposite side as the ports.

Tony