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Bristol Hercules Radial Engine


Bristol Hercules Radial Engine
Photo Information
Copyright: John Cannon (tyro) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 220 W: 79 N: 828] (3929)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-04-24
Categories: Transportation, Portrait
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF-S 10-22 mm f/3.5-4.5 USM, Tiffen 77mm UV Protector
Exposure: f/3.5, 1/20 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Map: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-04-29 16:03
Viewed: 1002
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Another picture taken last week at the Museum of Flight, East Fortune, East Lothian. This is one for the Petrolheads in the audience! This might not appeal to all, but to me, this is a thing of beauty!

This is a cut-away example of a World-War II Bristol Hercules Engine, a mighty engine which powered a number of aircraft including Bristol's own Beaufighter heavy fighter although it was used chiefly in bombers, including the Lancaster and the Wellington. It was considered to be one of the most reliable aircraft engines of the era, and was well liked by both pilots and mechanics.

General characteristics

· Type: 14-cylinder air-cooled two-row radial engine
· Bore: 5.75 in (146 mm)
· Stroke: 6.5 in (165 mm)
· Displacement: 2,364 in³ (38.7 L)
· Diameter: 52 in (1320 mm)
· Dry weight: 1,930 lb (875 kg)

Components

· Valvetrain: Gear-driven sleeve valves with five ports per sleeve – three intake and two exhaust
· Supercharger: Two-speed centrifugal, single-stage
· Fuel type: 100/130
· Cooling system: Air-cooled

Performance

· Power output: 1,675 hp (1,230 kW) at 2,900 rpm
· Specific power: 0.70 hp/in³ (31.8 kW/L)
· Compression ratio: 7.0:1
· Power-to-weight ratio: 0.98 hp/lb (1.61 kW/kg)

At this time, with military aircraft, sleeve-valve engines ruled supreme. Sleeve-valves had been used in road-going vehicles earlier, particularly by Daimler as they were conducive to quiet running. They were well suited to the high power outputs of warplanes at this time until they were superseded by the more familiar poppet valves which were made more durable and efficient, particularly with sodium-cooling.

Picture shot at ISO 400 in available light in RAW and converted and edited in PSE6. A very distracting background was removed and replaced with solid colour. I just hope I have managed to capture some of (what I think is) the beauty of this piece of machinery.

All comments/critiques/advice welcome!
graffer, Derona has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To graffer: Thank you, Peter!tyro 1 05-01 15:50
To Derona: Thank you, Derek!tyro 1 05-01 15:42
To toucan1967: Thank you, Andy!tyro 1 05-01 15:41
To lrw1966: Thank you, Larry!tyro 1 05-01 15:38
To buzdovan: Thank you, Jure!tyro 1 05-01 15:37
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Critiques [Translate]

Awesome photo of this monster.

John Hi:

Beautiful work. A keeper for sure.

Larry
United States
TFS!

Hello John,

What a wonderful work of art this engine is! Your photograph does it justice too. I can see this would appeal to a surgeon.

The use of available lighting has produced a far better effect than flash would have done.

In some ways one wishes to be able to zoom out and see the engine in its entirety, but then we wouldn't have been able to see all the details of the "innards" so well.

Your frame and titling is just right. Fine PP to have got the sympathetic plain background.

Regards,

Peter.

Hi John,
Great capture, you have certainly done well here, good light, colour and sharpness capturing the details of this engine well.
Well done
Regards Andy

Hi John

As you say, this might not appeal to everone but I certainly like it.
Good detail and focus.
TFS

Regards Derek

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