Very old cowl - what airplane?
01-31-2012, 03:27 PM
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Very old cowl - what airplane?
<span style="font-size: medium">Afriends father passed away about a year ago and cleaning out his storage shed, they came across this cowl. It obviously came off of a radial engine powered plane, and is very old, Maybe a WW1 plane? The diameter is 37 inches and it's 18 inches from center hole to the back edge. The paint appears to be a very faded OD and it has some yellow/orange underneath it where it has been worn off.
Any help would be apprecited.
Dash</span></p>
01-31-2012, 06:46 PM
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RE: Very old cowl - what airplane?
This cowl most certainly dates from well after the WW1 era.
I believe that it is most likely from a small civilian airplane dating from the late 1920's through the 1930's.
A 37" diameter cowl is for a fairly small for a 7 cylinder engine. (By the number of openings in it you can see that it was made for a 7 cylinder engine.) This cowl is along the lines of the Waters tunnel cowl design used on some Monocoupe 90A's, although those usually had 5 cylinder Lambert engines made by the same company that made the Monocoupe. This cowl also looks somewhat similar to the ones used on some Monocoupe D145's and the Luscombe Phantom, but not quite the same.
My best guess is that this cowl was made to fit a Warner Scarab 110 or a 7 cylinder Ken-Royce (or its predecessor the LeBlond) which ranged from 90 to 120 horsepower.
Anyway, I am rambling a bit here, but hopefully this will help give you a little direction to your search. There is always the possibility that it came from a foreign aircraft, that it came from a one-off airplane, or that it was a one-off cowl design for a well known airplane.
MOST IMPORTANTLY THOUGH:
This cowl would be quite a find to someone who was restoring whatever airplane it is that it fits!
On many smaller early airplanes cowls were often optional equipment (much like wheel fairings were).
Even if originally equipped as an option, such cowls were often not repaired and reinstalled after a mishap, and then became separated forever from the original airplane.
I believe that it is most likely from a small civilian airplane dating from the late 1920's through the 1930's.
A 37" diameter cowl is for a fairly small for a 7 cylinder engine. (By the number of openings in it you can see that it was made for a 7 cylinder engine.) This cowl is along the lines of the Waters tunnel cowl design used on some Monocoupe 90A's, although those usually had 5 cylinder Lambert engines made by the same company that made the Monocoupe. This cowl also looks somewhat similar to the ones used on some Monocoupe D145's and the Luscombe Phantom, but not quite the same.
My best guess is that this cowl was made to fit a Warner Scarab 110 or a 7 cylinder Ken-Royce (or its predecessor the LeBlond) which ranged from 90 to 120 horsepower.
Anyway, I am rambling a bit here, but hopefully this will help give you a little direction to your search. There is always the possibility that it came from a foreign aircraft, that it came from a one-off airplane, or that it was a one-off cowl design for a well known airplane.
MOST IMPORTANTLY THOUGH:
This cowl would be quite a find to someone who was restoring whatever airplane it is that it fits!
On many smaller early airplanes cowls were often optional equipment (much like wheel fairings were).
Even if originally equipped as an option, such cowls were often not repaired and reinstalled after a mishap, and then became separated forever from the original airplane.
02-01-2012, 04:03 PM
#4
RE: Very old cowl - what airplane?
Silvaire is on the money. I don't see a way to attach it to the aircraft so there may be some parts missing. You might try posting your question and pictures here: http://www.eaaforums.org/.
02-01-2012, 04:39 PM
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RE: Very old cowl - what airplane?
Thanks to both of you. I"m not sure about the attachment points. Ididn't look at it that close. I had noticed it was for a seven cylinder engine, but was not fmiliar with one that small. I'll try a post to the EAAForum as suggested.
Dash
Dash
10-02-2018, 05:07 AM
#8
I would think it would be a bit more easily identified if it came from a military aircraft, or any radial engine for that matter. I am going to say it is an end bell from a large electric motor,....maybe military, but not necessarily.,...possibly from a portable welder, or pump,...... or end bell from a gas/diesel driven generator..
