DC-3 Question

blanston12 · Post by **blanston12** » 08 Jan 2007, 19:44

Hi All,

I was playing around with FSX over the weekend and noticed that the default DC-3 for FSX has Counter-rotating propellers (the prop on one engine spins clockwise while the other spins anti-clockwise). This is unlike the default DC-3 for FS9 and the MAAM DC-3 where both spin the same direction.

My question is does anyone know how common this was on the DC-3?

Post by **Garry Russell** » 08 Jan 2007, 20:10

As far as I know......NOT counter rotating :think:

Garry

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 08 Jan 2007, 23:43

Just another bug I guess...I don't think there ever was one with contra-rotating props :think:

Tomm · Post by **Tomm** » 08 Jan 2007, 23:55

I think the DC-3 was just taken over from FS9 without any improvements. In FS9 both propellers turn clockwise (looking from aft), but the lefthand prop is just improperly modelled, as it would spin counter-clockwise.

The engines of the real plane have a military development background, which means all parts are interchangeable.
If it wasn't absolutely necessary to install contra-rotating engines due to torque effects making the plane uncontrollable, the manufacturers chose engines spinning in the same direction.

Aircraft like the P-38 are an exception.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 09 Jan 2007, 00:00

Hi Tomm and welcome to the forum

I thought it was the gear box that made the props contra rotate?.

The engines themselves would always work the same surely.:think:

Garry

Kevin Farnell · Post by **Kevin Farnell** » 09 Jan 2007, 00:00

petermcleland wrote:Just another bug I guess...I don't think there ever was one with contra-rotating props :think:

'Contra-rotating' and counter-rotating' are two totally different engineering designs. The first, being two props in tandem' turning in opposite directions . The second, props on differnet engines, turning in opposite dirctions.

Regards

Kevin

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 09 Jan 2007, 00:03

Kevin Farnell wrote:
petermcleland wrote:Just another bug I guess...I don't think there ever was one with contra-rotating props :think:
'Contra-rotating' and counter-rotating' are two totally different engineering designs. The first, being two props in tandem' turning in opposite directions . The second, props on differnet engines, turning in opposite dirctions.

Yes indeed...I should have said counter-rotating

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 09 Jan 2007, 00:05

Garry Russell wrote:Hi Tomm and welcome to the forum

I thought it was the gear box that made the props contra rotate?.

The engines themselves would always work the same surely.:think:

I'm not entirely sure that there is a gearbox on those big radials Garry :think:

Post by **Garry Russell** » 09 Jan 2007, 00:11

Hi Peter

Those don't have contra rotating props....

I have no idea wheter or not they have reduction gears

But engines that do surely it would be in the gears, which is what I'm meaning.

If there were contra props on those engine would the whole engine revolve the opposite direction? :think:

Garry

petermcleland · Post by **petermcleland** » 09 Jan 2007, 00:16

Garry Russell wrote:Hi Peter

Those don't have contra rotating props....

Is there no reduction gearbox on those?

But engines that do surely it would be in the gearbox, which is what I'm meaning.

If there were contra props on those engine would the whole engine revolve the opposite direction? :think:

No they are not rotary engines Garry...They are big fixed radial engines, but I don't think they have a gearbox. I think the crankshaft goes straight out of the front...I'll see what I can find with Google