ID a twin plug Flatty?

F

F91

Junior Member
I'm in a flathead Facebook group and one of the guys posted this picture of a dual plug flat head. Any one know what the heck this is?

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Those heads were floated over on the HAMB quite a while back and no one identified them there. They look to only have partial water cooling which may not have been a good thing. At least one other manufacturer tried something similar and it too didn't go over well with the early rodders. My guess would be for boat racing since most of the dual plug stuff was developed for that.
 
It might be aircraft. Planes are required to have a twin plug setup.
It would be a BIG project to set up a twin firing setup, when an automobile didn't really need it. Probably, that is why both plugs are not wired.
MIKE :)
 
FL&WVMIKE said:
It might be aircraft. Planes are required to have a twin plug setup.
It would be a BIG project to set up a twin firing setup, when an automobile didn't really need it. Probably, that is why both plugs are not wired.
MIKE :)
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Early aircraft engines were not required to have dual ignitions. For example this flathead that powered the 'Arrow'

 
I have seen old fire truck engines with dual ignition, but never a flathead Ford. Yet it could be a possibility.

Note the fins for extra cooling I would guess.
 
51 MERC-CT said:
Early aircraft engines were not required to have dual ignitions. For example this flathead that powered the 'Arrow'

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Perhaps, in the early days, it was not required. I have read, where it is required, now. I'm sure that a dual system has saved many lives. What was the year of the "ARROW" ?
SHADETREE - You are a student of flying, please step in and educate us.
MIKE :)
 
FL&WVMIKE said:
Perhaps, in the early days, it was not required. I have read, where it is required, now. I'm sure that a dual system has saved many lives. What was the year of the "ARROW" ?
SHADETREE - You are a student of flying, please step in and educate us.
MIKE :)
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That was 1937:)
 
FL&WVMIKE said:
Perhaps, in the early days, it was not required. I have read, where it is required, now. I'm sure that a dual system has saved many lives. What was the year of the "ARROW" ?
SHADETREE - You are a student of flying, please step in and educate us.
MIKE :)
Click to expand...

Mike,
I am no aviation scholar but in the early years it was anything goes. The engine that 51 Merc pictured is definitely an aircraft or air boat engine. Note the propeller flange and the gear reduction. Some Pietenpol airplanes were powered by the Model A engine and I doubt if it had dual ignition.

However you are right about dual ignition saving lives.

We have a 1946 Aeronca Champ and it has dual ignition. That is the earliest airplane I have flown.

Bud
 
Shadetree said:

...The engine that 51 Merc pictured is definitely an aircraft or air boat engine. Note the propeller flange and the gear reduction...

Bud
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Shadetree, The carburetor in 51 Merc's picture appears to be tilted backward. Would this mean that it more likely was a boat engine than a plane engine?
 
Early aircraft engines were not required to have dual ignition. For instance a Taylorcraft A model with a 40 Horsepower Continental engine did not have dual ignition.
 
ford38v8 said:
Shadetree, The carburetor in 51 Merc's picture appears to be tilted backward. Would this mean that it more likely was a boat engine than a plane engine?
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The 'tilt' is because of the angle the picture was taken, the engine is indeed out of an aircraft, not a boat.
The same as this 1936 version of the same type aircraft.
 
That's a great photo of flathead powering an airplane, duel ignition or plugs or not. This is a great site, with folks that have really varied interests and knowledge. Learn something new every time I go on it. Thanks
 
There was at least one brand of airplane that ran a model A engine inverted and 1 plug per cylinder, but i lost my mind and can not remember the name. I am sure someone else will remember.
 
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