(phil hunt) wrote in message ...
On 18 Sep 2004 16:05:44 +0100, ANDREW ROBERT BREEN wrote:
A related issue was maintainance (this for multi-engine types): if you
wanted to avoid torque effects you had to have "handed" engines, turning
in different directions on each side (like the Lockheed Lightning or the
De Havilland Hornet), or you put up with the torque effects and had the
mainatainance/suppy gain of n identical engines.

Couldn't you use identical engines, but mount them back-to-front on
one wing?


Dornier made an amphibious flying boat known as the Do 26 that used
this technique. The rear engines even tilted up 13 degrees to keep
them out of the water during takeoff. It was a pretty aircraft.

Becuase the Do 26 was powered by diesels it could be refueled at any
port with diesel and it had an enormous range for a pre war aircraft
of 5500 miles.

I used to dream of taking one on a round the world trip refueling in
yacht ports as we go.