The first attempt to develop the PA-32 into a MEP consisted of simply bolting two 115 hp O-235’s with fixed prop to the wings of an early, fixed gear Piper Six, and throttle the existing 260 HP engine in the nose back to simulate a 3 × 115 = 345 hp 3-engined Piper Six. Reportedly it performed poorly engine-out, probably due to the non-featherable prop windmilling. Then 3 × 150 hp was attempted, but this meant that constant speed props were now needed x 3, and that was deemed to costly/complex. As I understand it only one prototype was ever involved in this, and the above is the only picture I have ever seen.
There was even a 4 engined plane which could go into this cathegory… Some of them were even equipped with IO520’s or 540’s
MedEwok wrote:
Funny how the engines have no cowling at all (is that the correct word?)
Yes, engine cowling is the correct English language term. Cowlings for air cooled engines were in development at about the same time as the Tri-Motor but were used mostly on higher speed planes at first. Maintenance without a cowling is very easy! The ‘speed ring’ was an early development for radial engines, patented in England, and NACA did a lot of work, led by Fred Weick
The modern type of cowling for a horizontally opposed engine was (I believe) introduced in 1937, for the Luscombe Silvaire
Silvaire wrote:
EAA has had their rebuilt Tri-Motor flying for about a year now.
Took a ride in it last year at Osh They got two there last year flying continuously all week.
Funny how the engines have no cowling at all (is that the correct word?). But congrats for flying this classic aircraft, Aveling!
The very same. Just like a big Cessna. Flies beautifully, extremely stable, easy to co-ordinate. A great, great privilege to be allowed to sit up front and fly the circuit in a 1929 airliner! (Not the landing thank goodness – a light crosswind meant one wheel first, then the other, executed perfectly by my captain). This was at Smyrna, Nashville last month where I’d just checked out in a 172 for a short east coast tour.
They are touring the US this summer and if you get the chance, don’t hesitate.
EAA has had their rebuilt Tri-Motor flying for about a year now.
What type is that, Aveling?
I flew one the other day. Really.
(Well I was RHS to a captain who was also a CFI, so I got 20 mins 3-engine time in my logbook. Honestly.)
Now we know where Burt Rutan got his idea from…