Engines & Turbo System
Welcome to the engine and turbo systems section, a complex and intriguing topic. Everyone who hears the roar of the big turbo prop engines can not mistake the sound, the B-17 power plant incorporated with the 1200 HP engine built by Studebaker and designed from Wright Cyclone. The depth of the engines and back ground deserves its own entire section, therefore we will stay with what was recovered from the site, with reference to the assembly involved. In this section I will cover the engine parts found, turbo chargers, Tubo coolers, filter, air ducting, amplifier for the regulators, and engine covers.
So what have we found, first to mention was the key piece in identifying the wreck as Bull Session for 100%. In the Missing Air Crew Report (MACR), all engines are listed by serial number. This is very important to identify the wreck as the correct aircraft. The engine tags or data plate was a priority in the initial search of the wreck zone to identify the wreck positively without doubt. I knew the serial numbers of each engine, and only hoped to find proof. In the first days of searching the fields I never dreamed it be possible to find the engine ID plate right off, but it happened, I had found a very mangled data plate belonging to one of the engines, but the entire number was not present, within two weeks I had the other half of the data plate and the complete number, that indeed match the serial number on the MACR. the site was therefore proven to be Bull Session.
This is the original e3ngine data plate found in the condition found. great care was taken to open the tag to read the complete number. The left side was slightly bent as compared to the left side that was completely folded, but contained the rest of the number and had to be unfolded carefully. This is done with slowly heating and slowly bending, Aluminum will break easily when bent cold, this does not mean it still wont break.
Left photo shows the data plate after flattening, photos below show the detail of the numbers and lettering that proved it to be the engines SW-030481 from Bull Session, which were then compared to the MACR.
A second data plate later found in the deposited dig, was from another engine and was still attached to the engine sump face. It too was compared to the MACR and was a number match. Now there were two seperat engine ID numbers to positively identify the wreck, but there would be more evidence in and around the engine.
The only cylinder found of the engine also exhibits the serial number of the engine on the intake valvebox chamber, Serial # SW 030457.