enginehistory.org

[jjuutinen]

Have double acting piston engines been tried on aircraft?

[kmccutcheon]

Several double-acting aircraft engines are listed in Aerosphere 1939:
The Behmann, an Italian water-cooled, compression-ignition, inline six that produced 980 hp @ 1,800 rpm;
The Besler was a US double-acting, 90-degree-V compound steam engine that first flew in a Travel Air on April 12, 1933;
The Deeble was a US air-cooled inverted inline six that produced 300 hp @ 2,000 rpm;
The Dermont was a French air-cooled rotary six circa 1913;
The Dufaux was a French five-cylinder two-stroke;
The M.A.N. was a German liquid-cooled, two-stroke, seven-cylinder Airship Diesel that produced 1,000 hp @ 1,000 rpm (1932).
_________________
Kimble D. McCutcheon

[gryan]

Richard Pearse, considered by some to have flown a heavier than air machine prior to the Wright Bros., built double acting piston engines. Pearse was a farmer who constructed all manner of inventive machinery during his life (including bicycles). One of his double acting engines was used in his aircraft. Labouring alone and and isolation, he was considered a crank by neighbours and accused of being "mad" by many even after making his first flight.

For obvious reasons, outside NZ the story of "Mad" Richard Pearse and his work is not well known.

[pshort]

Somewhere I have a photo I took a few years ago in Lucerne at the Technical Museum there. They have a very old aero engine, a pretty ingenious looking contraption that was double-acting if I remember correctly.
Let me know if you would like me to dig out the photo. It was a very interesting engine!

[wallan]

I think you will find that Philip Jarrett, and others, have debunked a certain person's efforts to blow Richard Pearse's trumpet. (Even Mr. Pearse had the grace to admit he wasn't the first) Try to read some of the reviews in Aeroplane Monthly about certain books from NZ on this item.