Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

Here we go...Napier Sabre tool-kit..

Only 'bout a thousand items..

http://www.enginehistory.org/members/articles/NapierSabre/Tools/index.html

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

In a parallel universe, or possible future.. on the Reno flight line?

& add a bit of hot-rodding to pick-up more power/speed..

http://www.aafo.com/hangartalk/showthread.php?2812-Hawker-Fury-Prototypes-3-4

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

Here's one.. in the NZ Museum of Wearable Art..

https://www.nzmuseums.co.nz/account/3883/object/9379/Napier_Sabre_VII

Maybe Peter Jackson would like to do a project to make it [or a CAD replica] fly too..

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

Here's how..just add money.. C`mon Peter, do it..

http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/12447/1/Russ_umd_0117N_12941.pdf

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

Since Kermit Weeks' Tempest V is ex-486 NZ Squadron,
it would be a natural for Omaka, eh, Sir Peter?

& a few CAD Sabres for a brace of Reno Furies while you're at it,
thanks.. good on ya, ..Sir Peter, ta.. mate..

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

You guys are embarassing me!! your interest in, an ability to digest, copious quantities of very specific information about a relatively obscure piece of history is simply amazing!

I remember a line from a movie.. "where do we get such people"... they're still here guys! Just waiting for a nudge from the right place...............

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

Cool, glad you [& a good number of others] are enjoying the thread Wayne..

.. its been a bit of fun..

Omaka then.. I'll def ' be there for a Sabre Tempest..

http://www.classicfighters.co.nz/classic-fighters-airshow.php

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

& sure, Wayne - as for remembered movie lines..

I reckon this Bill Murray classic might fit..[hot-rod Reno Sabre-wise]

"Ok boys, lets show this pre-historic bitch how we do things downtown.."

L.O.L...

[gp70442]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

While the Sabre is an interesting piece of history, most of us realize that we will never see one operating, much less in the air. Possible, yes, but the chance is very remote. Building 980 special tools is a major project itself.

JAW I have to say your enthusiasm seems unbounded. A project like this is probably well suited for a Jay Leno/Mike Nixon tag team. )

GP

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

G.P. you are - of course, right..

Jay Leno, Larry Ellison, Peter Jackson, James Cameron & Kermit Weeks..

They can all order a set each of 5-10 metricated/digitised/CAD-scanned/3D printed
from pure unobtanium Napier Sabre replicas.. it'd be great..

Or.. we can canvass the local
Norton/Velocette/Vincent-HRD/Jaguar/Aston-Martin/Lanchester
enthusiasts/owners club..

..for a list of copacetic Whitworth/BSF spanners/pullers/drifts..

[ & they'd likely have a few Sabres stacked under a tarp in a shed too..]

[MIKE NIXON]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

OK guys lighten up on the future of the engine
First off we don't need 980 tools to get the engine flying. Most of the tooling is for major repairs of a worn out engine. The reality is that we would take the engine apart, inspect things, do the clean and paint, replace the seals and gaskets, put it together, do the ignition and fuel systems and run it.
On racing it, it was running at close to its peak at the time. The small bores allowed the high RPM. The supercharger is one stage and gave 9.5 #'s of boost. It is a small diameter high rpm fan and there is not much more to add there. More rpm and the tips go mach+ which = heat and noise and less HP. The displacement absorbs everything the blower can give out. To make more HP means more boost. ?bigger fan, add a turbocharger more pipes and weight, more rpm, more issues.
Apples to Oranges time, at what attitude did the max speed happen? Compare the max speeds of all the aircraft and you will see that they are all over the place for altitude. In other words you pick the best alit to clock the aircraft. Reno is not th e optimal place for top speeds. The best I have seen was hot and sunny with a density alt of around 9500 feet.
Strega's engine is set up with the shift in low speed. If we put the clutches back in and run at 20,000' we would get close to 600mph ground speed. Which means nothing in the record books or at Reno.
I have also done some Centaurus engines and am expermenting with some ideals there. Big difference with air cooling and liquid on the max power you can get. RPM is a killer with the big radials. The loads the master rod bearings get with high rpm is amazing for a few seconds!
We ran 38% gears on dago and strega in the first years, but the rocker arms/springs dissolved. The engine did make some HP at 3800RPM though. The small gear tended to dissolve between 400 and 500 miles of racing. That was a bit of a problem. There are lot of places to improve things but each change effects everything else and not always to the good.
Later

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

Thanks again Mike, for the positive reality-based input from seasoned experience..

Here is an interesting Flight article with data specifics by the manufacturers, Napier..

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1945/1945%20-%202283.html

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

Kiwi ace Jim Sheddan, in his book 'Tempest Pilot' provides a service use
comparison between Merlin & Sabre..

"A Merlin, by comparison was a slow revving motor, cruising revs being
in the vicinity of 1,800rpm while maximum revs were in the 2,800 range..

..Thus there was a flat spot between the pilot asked for maximum effort
from his Spitfire & when he received it..

..This time lag could be crucial when bounced by the enemy..

..The Napier Sabre, by comparison, cruised at 3,500rpm & had a maximum of 3,850..

..There was so little difference between cruising & flat out that it could be claimed that
a Tempest was operating at its maximum performance at all times..

..This had an advantage in that it was difficult for enemy fighters to get in a position
to bounce it..."

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

& in Sudan.. the Tempests' 20mm cannon were utilized in the pest control role..

Yep.. you guessed it.. against them mouthy/scaly buggers.. Nile Crocodiles..

See story below..

http://www.hawkertempest.se/Tempests19471949.htm

[J.A.W.]

Re: Kermit Weeks Napier Sabre hot-rod?.

Another cool story..

http://www.3news.co.nz/Kiwi-pilot-relives-wartime-heroics-in-restored-Tempest/tabid/309/articleID/265708/Default.aspx