Charles B. Kirkham Prototypes and Projects

hesham

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Hi,


a well known designer for engine and aircraft,he was a friend to Glen Curtiss,began with
a biplane of 1911,followed by a racer biplane of 1912,joined Curtiss to design and buillt
Model-18T triplane fighter,later modified into Model-18B biplane,during 1920s he created
the Air Yacht single pusher engine light flying boat powered by one 450 hp Napier Lion
engine of 1925,in 1927 and with Williams,they co-operate to produce the Model-X,a
private seaplane of biplane configuration.


I read from long time ago this man had some Projects,remained as a paper work only,
does anyone know them ?.


http://www.aerofiles.com/_k.html
 

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A few years back, I sold some Kirkham material to a prolific collector who said he had obtained a lot of Kirkham's original papers. His name is Bill Lewis from California
 
memaerobilia said:
A few years back, I sold some Kirkham material to a prolific collector who said he had obtained a lot of Kirkham's original papers. His name is Bill Lewis from California


Very good news,Memaerobilia,


but do you keep or scan some of them ?.
 
I went back into the files to find this:
This was the 1917 Kirkham/Curtiss Co. patent papers (Where Charles Kirkham assigned his patent rights for reduction gearing, over to the Curtiss Co.) for engine reduction gearing. Kirkham was an early proponent for gearing the engine, allowing the same prop speed to receive more hp, from a higher RPM turning engine. This eventually led to development of the famous Curtiss Conquerer and other highly important and signiicant, geared aero engines. He was very influential and important in the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. *I still have this Original historic document.
hesham-Yes I have some scans of the litle bit of Kirkham material that I sold. But it was just a signed letter with an original early Kirkham engine catalogue. I seem to remember that it was from the pre-WWI Kirkahm Co, rather than from Curtiss. It had been in the files of The Curtiss archives.
 

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Thank you Memaerobilia,


and can I ask if it contains an aircraft projects ?.
 
More on the Air Yacht:
 

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Hi,


here is a 3-view to Kirkham-Williams or Model-X.
 

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I'm not sure that the Kirkham-Williams Racer was ever named as the Model-X, the press came up with many unofficial names, this one probably referring to the configuration of the Packard engine. Here are my drawings
 

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Schneiderman said:
I'm not sure that the Kirkham-Williams Racer was ever named as the Model-X, the press came up with many unofficial names, this one probably referring to the configuration of the Packard engine. Here are my drawings


They called it exactly; Kirkham-Williams X.


http://www.aerofiles.com/_k.html
 
A website is hardly a definitive source. Show me a source from 1927-1928, preferably from Williams or Kirkham, and you may have a case. None or the period magazines or newspapers that I have reviewed call it anything other than the Racer. Without a better source that says otherwise I am afraid I disagree.
 
Of course the Packard engine was not named officially as the 'X' either. It was the 1A-2775 (2A-2775 when supercharged) but referred to as the 'X Motor' in some company publicity material when it was described as the most powerful aero-engine in the world.
 
In his two volume history of Packard's non-automotive engines Packards at Speed & Master Motor Builders Robert J Neal refers to the Williams biplane as the Kirkham-Packard and the Williams monoplane as the Mercury-Packard.

The engine design is referred to as the "1,250 H.P. 24-cylinder X motor" in an ad from the Nov. 28, 1927 issue of Aviation (reproduced in Master Motor Builders) and as the 'Ex' in a 1928 report from the engine's designer Capt. Lionel M. Woolson about building the supercharged version, which was not designated 2A-2775, rather it was 1A-2775 serial No.2 BuNo 12405. When the first engine, the 1A-2775 serial No.1 BuNo 10960, which had been used in the Kirkham aircraft, was modified prior to installation in the Mercury aircraft it was redesignated as the 2A-2775, and this designation is on the back of Packard photos of the modified engine along with a note from Woolson attached to photos of the two engines in their original configurations stating: "not to be released to the press - hereafter only 2A-2775 are to be released". However, regardless of the note it continued to be called the 1A-2775 or the 'Packard X engine'. Packard sales literature listed the X as available built-to-order up to September 1930.

The modifications to 1A-2775 serial No.1 BuNo 10960 included the long-nose Allison reduction gear housing, Scintilla magneto ignition and the new design cylinder banks of the 3A-1500 inverted engine. This is the engine that was installed in the Mercury racer and the one that exists today in the Smithsonian collection.
Later the No. 2 engine also received the new style cylinder banks and was tested with and without reduction gear. Evidently the direct-drive and reduction gear units were interchangeable and were switched back and forth between the two engines.

Neal also states that there is the possibility, based on a chart of engineering data comparisons, that Packard built a third engine sometime after 1931, a supercharged version of the 2A-2775, however no photos or other information have been
found.
 
Thanks jcf. Woolson also wrote an article for the S.A.E. in 1928 titled The Packard X 24-Cylinder 1500hp Water-Cooled Aircraft Engine
 
Skyblazer said:
More on the Air Yacht:

Hi,

http://www.avia-it.com/act/biblioteca/periodici/PDF%20Riviste/Ala%20d'Italia/L'ALA%20D'ITALIA%201925%2009.pdf
 

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