enginehistory.org

[jschauer]

Does anyone know why you only have three positions on the mixture control of a R-3350-57 (B-29 fuel injected engine), FUEL-CUTOFF, AUTO-LEAN, and AUTO-RICH? The flight manual says not to operate it in any other position other than these stated. In other words, you can't manually lean the engine out. I believe the later versions of the engine in the "Connies" had fuel injection and were able to manually lean those engines. I've been flying as FE on the CAFs B-29 for 5 years now and still don't know the answer.

[kmccutcheon]

[mmraz]

Kim, this is really amazing info. I hope you plan to write another book and that it's going to be about the 3350's history.

jschauer: I would give my you-know-what to fly FE on "Fifi." You are one incredibly lucky man!!!

[kmccutcheon]

mmraz:

[cconnacher]

This is all very interesting, I would like to see a book written on the R3350's history also, including some history on the Curtiss-Wright Co. itself. It sounds like many of their problems were self inflicted but I have a partiality for Wright. My Dad worked for them in the fifties (51-58) as a tool designer at Wood Ridge, N.J. I was just a kid then. I guess the debate over the best or most important engine could go on for centuries. Everyone has their personal favorites for one reason or another just as in any area of interest or hobby. Railroad fans have their favorite roads & locomotives etc. When looking for an engine to restore I finally chose an R1820 when it became available because of Dad working for Wright. It may even have been built while he was there, I suppose with some research I could find out. While living there in Northern N.J. we were close enough to La Guardia & New York International that the propliners going west were still on their climb as they passed overhead. Dad taught me to differentiate between the Connies, DC3's 6's & 7's. Later in the fifties the Vickers Viscount turboprops appeared with a distinbctive "new" sound. But I liked the throaty roar of the piston engines better. One night while out in the yard a plane went over & Dad pointed out the exhaust flames from the engines. this all fascinated me as a youngster. Another item of interest from that era were the sky writers that flew over putting advertisements in the sky. They were single engine planes ( I'm guessing surplus WW2 fighters or trainers) that flew 5 wingtip to wingtip (don't know what that formation is called) & left puffes of smoke in perfect timing to make perfect letters accross the sky. I miss all those things that once were, including steam locomotives, that are all but gone today. Thankfully we have other people that feel the same & put so much effort (& expense) into restoration of all this so we can still experience & enjoy it & let the younger generations of today experience their heritage as it was before them.

[jschauer]

Thanks for the info. I don't know if you know it or not but "FIFI" has fuel injected engines, R-3350-57A. Your right about the small distance between Auto-Lean and Fuel-Cutoff, it is only about 1 1/2 inches of travel with the mixture control.

John

[mmraz]

Anyone interested in the 3350 turbo-compound (or any other round engine) should visit John Deakin's AVweb site and buy a copy of the booklet he reprints, "Basic Theory of Operation, Turbo Compound Engine." It very clearly and concisely explains the principles behind mixture control in all internal combustion, spark-fired, gasoline engines. It was written by American Airlines (published by Curtiss-Wright) based on their service experience with the TC18 in their DC-7 fleet.

[kmccutcheon]

John-

[mmraz]

I saw (from a distance) B-29-60-BW s/n 44-69729 "T Square 54" at the Seattle Museum of Flight and its 3350s had the front-row exhaust collectors mounted ahead of the front row of cylinders. Does anyone know if "T Square 54" has the correct engines installed? As I recall, B-29A-60-BN s/n 44-62070 "Fifi" does not have this exhaust-collector "feature."

jschauer, are Fifi's -57 engines the original dash number, or did the CAF replace them with a later version?

[jschauer]

Yes FIFI has the same exhaust, but my guess is the 29 in Seattle doesn't have the pieces of cowling that cover the fwd. facing exhaust collector as it does on FIFI. We have been talking for years to convert to a later version of the 3350 such as the -26 that was found on the Skyraider. The biggest drawback is that the 29 has a fwd. facing exhaust on the front row of cylinders as opposed to the normal rear facing exhaust on all the other versions. We would have to build a complete new exhaust system. All we need is cubic yards of dollars.

[jkinney]

cconacher: