The Besler STEAM Plane

[CWOJackson]

http://www.aircraftowner.com/videos/view/the-besler-steam-plane_658.html

Interesting video.

[Lionheart]

Is that cool or what???

Their behavior and power output can be like a very powerful electric motor. It the old days, man really had the steam engine down pat. Its sciences were pretty well ironed out for such an early time. They would add some mineral oil or alcohol (something) to the water to keep it from freezing. Some developed piot lights which kept the boiler at a warm/hot temp to keep it always driver ready in snow conditions. The burners (combusters) became so advanced that they could do a total cold start to running in only a couple of min's, if that.

William Lear of the Lear Jet and countless other inventions tried to bring back the steam engine in the 1970's and almost did. But underlings tried to make an engine that was much more advanced but didnt use steam as efficiently. It went from a several cylinder engine block to a steam turbine with extreme RPM output. They had the engines (turbines) in several California Highway Patrol Cars but the project didnt get enthusiasm so it eventually died.

It was an enginious engine system with a nice design for a vapor recovery system for reclaiming spent water vapor back into its water tank for steam generation, which they were doing already back in the early 1900's, but Lear had some ingenious little concepts for improving it.

Pretty amazing...

Thanks CWOJackson for the heads up on that. I had seen it years ago.. Good to see it again.



Bill

[Marlin]

I wish they would have been able to add the audio too. But that was really cool regardless, thanks for the additional information Bill.

[Piglet]

And reverse, too!
In theory, the only diff between a 1800's steamship, and a nuclear powered ship, is the heat source.

[cheezyflier]

i really dug the music.