Machine gun synchronizer - video

**Altair** · Jan 31, 2019, 08:56 PM

A machine gun synchronizer or interrupter gear is a mechanism that allows fighter pilots to fire their forward-facing machine guns without shooting off the propeller blades.

Previously:

1930s biplane fails aircraft carrier landing - GIF and photo
Parallel parking a fighter jet on an aircraft carrier - GIF
Harrier jump jet lands on a stool - GIF and video
1920s airplane wing walking
airplane short takeoff/landing records

**mklotz** · Feb 1, 2019, 09:31 AM

The phrase "the delicate synchronizer mechanism" would give me pause were I a pilot. I want the device preventing me from shooting my prop off to be the most robust feature on the aircraft!

**neilbourjaily** · Feb 1, 2019, 04:59 PM

The pistons rotate on a radial engine? All this time I thought a crankshaft was rotated by pistons.

**Murph1090** · Feb 1, 2019, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by neilbourjaily

The pistons rotate on a radial engine? All this time I thought a crankshaft was rotated by pistons.

The engine is stationary and the pistons rotate the crank on a radial engine, the crank is stationary and the engine rotates on a rotary engine.

Murph

**Toolmaker51** · Feb 3, 2019, 02:32 PM

There are radial engines of both variety; rotating crankcase-stationary crank and more common rotating crankshaft-stationary case. There's also been at least one rotating crankcase automotive engine, operating horizontally towards rear of chassis.

**neilbourjaily** · Feb 3, 2019, 02:48 PM

Which was the car with the mid-mounted rotating crankcase radial? What an item that would be.

The only rotary engine with which I am familiar is the Wankel where the case was stationary and the crank was turned by a multifaceted and convex-faced head (not a piston) fired upon by a single sparking plug.

**Toolmaker51** · Feb 3, 2019, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by neilbourjaily

Which was the car with the mid-mounted rotating crankcase radial? What an item that would be.

The only rotary engine with which I am familiar is the Wankel where the case was stationary and the crank was turned by a multifaceted and convex-faced head (not a piston) fired upon by a single sparking plug.

It appeared as a HMT.net post, danged if I can find it. Position looked right over the differential.
I notice an interchange between radial and rotary. Car described is radial power. My mistake.

**Jon** · Feb 3, 2019, 06:10 PM

1906 Adams-Farwell 5-cylinder rotary engine

**Toolmaker51** · Feb 3, 2019, 08:19 PM

Adams Farwell; Thanks Jon!
And there you go neilbourjaily.
No matter the effort, some posts evade me. Exhibiting NO respect of my search terms, for posts I know exist!