On Wed, 03 Dec 2003 10:19:59 -0600, RR Urban wrote:

On Wed, 03 Dec 2003 15:13:03 GMT, Peter Dohm
wrote:


However, there were at least two variants of Rolls Royce Griffon
engines: 1 On the Spitfire, it had a single five bladed propeller which
rotated in the reverse direction from the propeller on the Merlin
engined aircraft.




I have been told that it killed a few
unwary pilots who forgot and pressed the wrong rudder pedal on
take-off.
:-(

Regards,

Peter
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Really.

Who told you such?
Sounds like wannabee myth and legend
without some serious documentation.


Barnyard BOb - over 50 years of successful flight

Have a look at "Spitfire, a Complete Fighting History", Alfred Price,
1991, page 97. The caption to a photo of a Spitfire XII says "The Griffon
rotated the opposite direction to the Merlin; thus, instead of the
accustomed swing to the left during take-off, the Griffon Spitfires swung
strongly to the right. On one occasion a pilot took off in one of the new
Spitfires without receiving a briefing on this important difference. As
he lined-up for take-off he wound on full right rudder trim and put on a
bootful of right rudder to catch the expected fierce torque from the
engine when it took effect. He pushed open the throttle, and with
everything set the wrong way, the Spitfire swung viciously to the right
like an unleashed animal; she finally got airborne at ninety degrees to
the intended direction of take-off, narrowly missing a hangar in her path.
It was an extremely attentive young man who landed the Spitfire a few
minutes later, to learn the mysteries of the new version!"

The photos clearly show the prop it pitched in the opposite direction on
the Griffon Spits. But, according to this book at least, this didn't kill
a few pilots.

--
Kevin Horton RV-8 (finishing kit)
Ottawa, Canada
http://go.phpwebhosting.com/~khorton/rv8/
e-mail: khorton02(_at_)rogers(_dot_)com