So yesterday a guy stopped to admire the Cuda and talk about the 225 (pickup) he used to have. Then he said that when he was in the navy in Pensacola back in the early 70's he worked in the "boneyeard" for awhile and they had a bunch of slant six airplane engines stored there. He said that the navy had got a bunch of straight 6 test engines from chevy, ford and chrysler and tested them, but went on to other things. He said that the slant six's were fuel injected with turbos and ran a direct drive prop.

I've read a fair amount of slant six histories, but I don't recall any mention of an aviation usage. Anybody read more than I have (or has some personal knowledge)?

Don

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1965 Barracuda

I'm not saying he isn't right but getting a slant six airborne would be a major feat!! As a direct drive engine it would need to develop all its power under 2800 rpm, and be capable of running at at least 65 or 70 percent of its power continuously ! It's a big ask for any engine. A typical 200 cube aero engine makes about 100 HP and is light compared to a slant, at a guess around 150 lbs. A slant hanging out the front of an aircraft would be a weight and balance nightmare. Then there is the massive gyroscopic forces the crank and bearings must tolerate which are generated by a spinning prop, the engine would also likely be inverted to allow decent prop clearance to ground and better vision from cockpit. The bearings at the drive end pf a direct drove engine crank are roughly 4" long and the crank flange is about 5" dia to mount the prop!! VW engines aside many have tried to run auto engines via reduction gearboxes but none have ever been a decent success, and many have given it a big try with big $$$!! Perhaps the engines he saw were marine engines or used as generators? Even using a slant as an APU ( aux power unit, basically a generator for ground use ) wouldn't make sense, waaaay too heavy!

Only aviation application I've ever heard of for the slant is powering a tug:

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obliquely-inclined state of mind

Now THAT would work! Nice and heavy up front..... The guy mentioned injected and turbo!that would be one fast tow!

Quite a lot about /6 development is known and this is the first I've heard of aircraft usage. I'm going to call BS on this unless he produces evidence.

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Joshua

Dang smartphone browser.

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Joshua

although I have seen VW powered planes, I really doubt this!

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1964 Dart GT

I don't know how much power one need, but the nearest thing to an aircraft engine would perhaps be an air propeller powered flying boat, like they use in the Florida swamps.

One of you local guys could make a call to realgasket.com in Tennessee. The owner is a Mopar guy, and he makes gaskets approved for air service. He might be one of the few that know if the SL6 made a flight of it's own.

Olaf

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Aspenized

There is an old airplane in the Munich DeutchesTechnik Museum in Munich, that had a six cylinder engine in it, I took a picture as it had a good looking header design...I know the engine has less power and weighs more than the slant six per the exhibit placard...I'll see if I can find the picture in my archives....

Edit:

wish they had a platform I wanted to see what else was on this engine....looks like a crossflow head.




-D.Idiot

Yeah, I had my doubts but I've learned that there is a lot I don't know yet so I thought I'd see what other people thought. I think that engines for an aviation tow vehicles make the most sence of why those slant 6's were in the boneyard, not engines for planes.

But, I'm happy to listen if anyone comes across a different explanation.

Don

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1965 Barracuda

Another Mopar inline 6 "aviation application". (Yeah: OK, it's a flathead)...



The wheel chock is there to prevent it from becoming airborne.

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obliquely-inclined state of mind

Putting the shoe on the other foot: the famous Tucker automobile was powered by a modified Lycoming engine originally designed for Bell helicopters.

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obliquely-inclined state of mind

I seem to remember there was a slant 6 powered airplane in the Slant Six News once. I have them all downstairs but no desire to look through them all now. Jack Poehler might remember.

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If you didn't drive it there, it's not a street car.

You are right Seymour, I may dig through my old issues.

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61, 62, 63, 64 Valiants
62 Lancer
64 Darts
66 Barracuda
64 D100
77 Aspen