"Morgans" wrote:
"Some Other Guy" wrote
But sites like

http://www.flyingkettle.com/besler6.htm

claim that the engine really did reverse:

Each time as the machine swooped down and the landing wheels
touched ground, the pilot pulled back a small lever at the side of
the cockpit and the steam engine at the nose of the plane instantly
reversed, whirling the propeller backwards, creating a powerful
braking effect which reduced the landing runs to a very short
distance.

I have only run toy steam engines at home, but I do know that they
are just
as happy to run one direction as another. I have never imagined one
flying,
though.

I saw a video once of a guy with a steam powered plane. One thing he
did
was back up on the ramp. It was funny to see steam blowing through
the prop backwards, the prop then stop and go the right way.

There is a a video on youtube that shows the Besler steam plane backing up
(starting around 2:45 into the video):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw6NFmcnW-8

Thought this was a neat related video, showing a tiny steam driven RC-sized
prop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOU3DBQGlzA