 Balbo's North Atlantic Flight in 1933  |
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The sea planes
Seaplane S.M 55 X The communications
Communications network The ships
Ship Alice The airplanes in support The equipment |
From "La centuria alata" by Italo Balbo: "I have already mentioned the replacement of the Fiat A. 24 R. engine with the Isotta Fraschini Asso 750 engine. The tests carried out for the final choice of the engine required a total of over 1000 flight hours. it is water-cooled, has eighteen cylinders on three converging rows with angles of forty degrees. The crankcase is in «electron», the cylinders are made of carbon steel with the water and cooling chamber enclosed and welded. The plungers are made of special aluminum alloy with 4 elastic bands. The crankshaft is made of nickel-chrome steel, with eight supports and six cranks: it is drilled so as to allow complete lubrication of the connecting rod bearings: these are made of special high-strength steel. The ignition is given by means of two high-voltage magnets located at the rear of the engine. Each magnet provides the 18-cylinder spark; each cylinder is equipped with two spark plugs, each of which works with a different magnet. Water cooling is obtained by forced circulation, by means of centrifugal pumps. Lubrication occurs with gear pumps, one for delivery and two for recovery. The engine has six carburetors. The type of carburettor adopted makes possible a lean carburation, with evident economy in consumption, but allows a quick fattening of the mixture in order to obtain a prompt and perfect recovery. The propellers rotate with variable pitch to the ground, and in direct engagement do not need a gearbox. The motor has no gearbox. Bore mm. 140, -
I have reported these technical data so that even the layman has at least a brief idea of the perfection to which the aircraft mechanics has arrived in Italy. In a decade it has been able to move far ahead. "
Following some images; click to enlarge
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