In article . net,
"Thomas Schoene" writes:
Peter Stickney wrote:
I don't recall any seaborne use of radials, other than carrier
aircraft. Air-cooled marine engines don't make a whole lot of sense,
really.

I'm having an early senior moment here. Was the GM "pancake" diesel a
radial? I've spent the past fifteen minutes googling but cannot find any
sort of actual description of this engine, other than its use in sub chasers
and (I believe) some submarines as well.

Hmm. Good point. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure. Usually,
"Pancake" refers to a Horizontally Opposed engine, like, say, an
air-cooled VW, or a Continental or Lycoming light aircraft engine.
But the Navy's got to be different - can't call anything by its real
name. (I mean really - decks where the floors should be, Covers
instead of hats, Bulkheads where rational people would put walls. I
don't eaven want to think about the Seaman's Head! (Yes, it's all a
joke, please don't keelhaul me!))
The U.S.S. Albacore is drawm up on shore as a Museum, and the Engine
Rooms (And why aren't they Engine Compartments? Every other danged
room on that boat's a Compartmnet! Mamble, mumble) She had the
Pancake Diesels, so I'll pull an on-site inspection the next time I'm
downta Portsmouth.

Actually, the best meal I've ever had was at the Portsmouth Naval
Shipyard's Officer's Open Mess. I was attending a Society of Military
Engineers meeting about solving some problems in convincing the
Albacore to be properly set into its cradle for display. I also stood
on the conning tower of the Squalus/Sailfish, looking out onto the
cold, gray, North Atlantic. Submarining looks like dangerous,
stressful work, with the Ocean outside always trying to get in.


--
Pete Stickney
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many
bad measures. -- Daniel Webster