Great Lakes

[corsair82pilot]

I am interested in buying a Great Lakes project. It is mostly there, but needs an engine.
Has anyone ever mounted a 450 hp radial on a Great Lakes?

[D.grimm]

A local guy, Vince Marenelli, now gone west had one with a 220 Continental and it had a really short nose. He said it was still nose heavy. Not saying impossible, just going to be really hard.Dave

[corsair82pilot]

I could always add a Cont. 220 to the tail. ;)

[steveinindy]

Isn't the gross weight of a regular GL somewhere around the weight of a 450 hp radial? ;)

[Jalsup]

Biggest motor I've personally seen on a GL was a 220 Continental. I saw a picture of one that had a Vendeneyev M14 on it and it looked really sharp - but I would wonder about just building a Model 12 at that point rather than a Great Lakes.

[smutny]

I saw a picture of one that had a Vendeneyev M14 on it and it looked really sharp

If it's the red and white one, that's a Chinese radial out of a CJ-6, less horsepower and weight than the M14.

[Jalsup]

If it's the red and white one, that's a Chinese radial out of a CJ-6, less horsepower and weight than the M14.

That's the one. Thought it was an M14

[WLIU]

For an airplane like a Great Lakes, weight is the enemy. The wings were designed to fly well with their original max gross and adding weight to the airframe will just make those wings fly worse. Horsepower will produce climb, but in cruise you will be flying at a higher angle of attack and burning more fuel than the same engine installation on an airframe that is a better match to the operating weight. And the glide will be even closer to what a falling anvil does.

With higher weight, the stall speed and landing speed will go up. The airframe load "G" limits will be lower. So you may not be able to do the maneuvers that you want and you might not enjoy the new handling characteristics at all.

On an 1800lb airplane, adding 100 lbs is 5.5%. In airplanes, that's a lot.

The best advice might be to track down one of the radial installations and try to get to fly in it. Hate to see someone spend 4000 hours on a project and not be happy with the finished result.

Best of luck,

Wes
N78PS

[Yellow Peril]

The Huosai 6 and M-14 are actually almost identical with the M14 having a slightly larger nose case. The Huosai is 285hp while the M14 is up to 360hp. Huosai also made a M14 clone that has up to 420hp. The main difference in the engines is the prop reduction drive ratio. They are great engines and I put over 450 trouble free hours on my CJ6. Don

[BSquared]

Have you ever flown in a Great Lakes? Do yourself a big favor and get a little time in one. I have many hours flying this sweet, smooth capable performer, both in the 140hp and 180hp versions. Both of these will do lengthy acro series without losing altitude. It's an energy conservation exercise. The more weight you add, the more pleasure you subtract. Adding a big engine up front would, in my opinion, make a lot of hard work out of something that should be a pleasure.

[Yellow Peril]

I would have to agree. I learned tailwheel and aerobatics in a 180hp Great Lakes. Lovely flying airplane and well balanced. I just love those long oleos. They dampen any hard landing. Don

[Andrew King]

I have some time in a Great Lakes with a 200 Ranger, very nice, that's what I'd do if I was building one. I like the skinny snout look...

Also have some time in one with a 135 Menasco, still pretty nice, if less performance, and in one with a 185 Warner, again very nice. The 220 just seems like too much-

[corsair82pilot]

Actually, I'm trying to find an airplane for an engine and prop I already have. My airplane was destroyed in a hangar fire. It was a home built that resembled a small T-6. The engine and prop were in a different hangar.

[steveinindy]

Why not just build another copy of the one you already had?

[corsair82pilot]

I am already building something else. I would like to have an aircraft I can get in the air in short order.

[Jalsup]

There are Stardusters (or Skybolts - I forget - the bigger one) with Continental's on them. I think you can google "Radial Skybolt) and see one. That may be the best, easiest bet?

Edit: Here you go: http://www.steenaero.com/articles_detail.cfm?ArticleID=22