corsaire31 7 Posted March 13, 2014 Since nobody jumped in, I propose you a quicky : 8 - 90 - 7 - 150 - 13 - 220 Who is the man behind these numbers ? (name and explanation, please...) you have half an hour... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimAttrill 24 Posted March 18, 2014 Sorry Corsaire, I haven't a clue. But I can ask another quiz question: Q. Which WWI engine had a life of two hours? A. (cheap engine powered the first 'cruise missile') Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
von Baur 54 Posted March 18, 2014 I'm guessing the Rocket motor for the Me-262. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimAttrill 24 Posted March 18, 2014 No, this was in WWI .... (though they didn't call it a cruise missile at the time) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 18, 2014 ...this quiz seems way too hard for me... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+elephant 36 Posted March 18, 2014 (edited) No, this was in WWI .... (though they didn't call it a cruise missile at the time) Is it the: Curtiss-Sperry Flying Bomb? Engine: Curtiss OX-5 piston engine; 74 kW (100 hp) Edited March 18, 2014 by elephant Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herr Prop-Wasche 7 Posted March 19, 2014 Since nobody jumped in, I propose you a quicky : 8 - 90 - 7 - 150 - 13 - 220 Who is the man behind these numbers ? (name and explanation, please...) you have half an hour... My guess is the numbers refer either to: aircraft: Sopwith Pup 90 hp, Spad VII 150hp, and Spad XIII 220hp, or more likely engines: perhaps Hispano-Suiza variants? So the man behind the numbers is either a pilot who flew the above types or a designer of these aircraft engines. Are we getting warmer? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimAttrill 24 Posted March 19, 2014 Good guess Mr Elephant! But according to Wiki the Curtiss OX-5 v8 engine had to be overhauled every 50 hours. The engine I am thinking of was a flat twin. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
corsaire31 7 Posted March 19, 2014 My guess is the numbers refer either to: aircraft: Sopwith Pup 90 hp, Spad VII 150hp, and Spad XIII 220hp, or more likely engines: perhaps Hispano-Suiza variants? So the man behind the numbers is either a pilot who flew the above types or a designer of these aircraft engines. Are we getting warmer? You are ... But I remind you the Pup had a 80 hp Le Rhône rotary engine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+elephant 36 Posted March 20, 2014 (edited) Wild guess: Maurice Jean Paul Boyau The 90 should be a Nieuport. The meaning of numbers is confirmed kills per Hp power of plane flown. He had 35 victories, some of them were shared though... http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/france/boyau.php PS. If I'm right this should be a shared kill with HPW; his guess gave me the idea how to figure it out. Edited March 20, 2014 by elephant Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
corsaire31 7 Posted March 20, 2014 Sorry elephant, it is not Maurice Boyau. As I said in the post, I made it a quick question without researching anything complicated... HPW was on the good track ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjw 48 Posted March 20, 2014 ...this quiz seems way too hard for me... I'm with Olham on this one! I may have to get my own Enigma to figure out the codes you guys use! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herr Prop-Wasche 7 Posted March 20, 2014 If I am on the right track, it seems to have led to a dead end. Care to leave a hint? Are we talking about man or machine? Elephant: I will certainly agree to go "halfsies" with you, if we can crack Corsair's code! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
corsaire31 7 Posted March 20, 2014 (edited) The second part ( 7 - 150 - 13 - 220) is right : Spad VII 150hp and Spad XIII 220 hp ... so it has something to do with engines as you suggested ! I didn't expect this one to last more than a couple of hours ... Edited March 20, 2014 by corsaire31 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herr Prop-Wasche 7 Posted March 20, 2014 Well, the RAF 1 was a British V8 90 hp engine, based on a French design, so the same person who developed it may have gone on to design the power-plants for the Spad VII and XIII, n'est-ce pas? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herr Prop-Wasche 7 Posted March 20, 2014 After a little more research, I'm guessing you are referring to Marc Birkigt, Swiss auto and aircraft engine designer for Hispano-Suiza. His first aircraft engine was based on a 90hp automobile engine design and was the powerplant for the Airco DH-6. The Hispano-Suiza 8a (150hp) and 8c (220hp) went on to power the Spad VII and XIII, respectively. After the war, he went back to automobiles and produced the engines for several successful racecars. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
corsaire31 7 Posted March 21, 2014 You've got the man ! In fact for me the first numbers were standing for the engine characteristics of being V8 at 90° ( as you said it was based on automobile engines... ) Congrats ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 21, 2014 Congrats, Sherlock... - aerh, HPW! Nice detective work! Now it's your turn! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
corsaire31 7 Posted March 21, 2014 (edited) By the way the "Hispano" part comes from the fact that the company was created and based originally in Barcelona, Spain. And it was as you said a Swiss engineer who put the engines in aeroplanes until WW2 ( The V12 inside the Dewoitine 520 ) From 1919 onwards, the emblem of Hispano Suiza automobiles ( a swiss cross with wings ) will also have a stork on the radiator in memory of Georges Guynemer. The name Hispano Suiza still exists today inside the french group "Safran" (before known as SNECMA) and has been working among other things on power transmission and thrust reversers for the Rolls Royce engines fitted on several Airbus (A320, A330, A380, A400M) and also for Eurocopter for the whole transmission on the EC175 (developped in cooperation with China). Edited March 21, 2014 by corsaire31 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjw 48 Posted March 21, 2014 You guys are getting out of my league! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herr Prop-Wasche 7 Posted March 22, 2014 (edited) My Swiss ancestry must have helped me with Corsair's "cryptic" quiz. Somewhat off-topic, but related to my Swiss ancestry: My ancestor, Jacob Staub, immigrated from the Swiss Canton of Glarus to the United States in 1856. Although one of his reasons for leaving may have been because he was tired of the continuing European and Swiss turmoil that finally culminated in the Revolution of 1848, his timing was poor, and he wound up in Knoxville, Tennessee on the eve of the U.S. civil war. The story goes that either shortly before or during the battle of Knoxville in the fall of 1863, Jacob was shot and killed by Yankee soldiers who were trying to steal--er requisition--one of his cows. His son, Thomas, later grew up to become mayor of Knoxville. Interestingly, I have dug up some preliminary (and admittedly rather speculative) information that Jacob may not have been shot by Yankees after all--instead he may have been a victim of a Rebel sniper. Part of my theory (I don't want to bore anyone with all the details) involves the election of Thomas as mayor of Knoxville. Although the town of Knoxville was quite pro-Union during the war, it gradually became quite conservative and strongly pro-Southern after the war. My guess is that Thomas changed the story from his father being shot by a Rebel to being shot by a Yankee because it was advantageous to him politically. At this point, I don't have anything to back up my theory, but I may have opened up somewhat of a small debate inside the family at least! As far as the quiz is concerned, would Elephant care to pose the next question? I wouldn't know where to start in finding a good question to ask. My WWI knowledge is embarrassingly limited, I'm afraid. Edited March 22, 2014 by Herr Prop-Wasche Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 22, 2014 You guys are getting out of my league! Welcome to the club, Robert... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimAttrill 24 Posted March 22, 2014 Wasn't there a general in the Civil War (can't remember which side) whose famous last words were "they can't hit a thing at that distance" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herr Prop-Wasche 7 Posted March 22, 2014 (edited) At the U.S. Civil War skirmish of Spotsylvania Court House, (Major-General John) Sedgwick was deploying his men to face the enemy, with Confederate snipers hindering their preparations. His statement "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance" are probably some of the best-known of all 'famous last words'. http://www.phrases.org.uk/quotes/last-words/john-sedgwick.html Edited March 22, 2014 by Herr Prop-Wasche Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
