2 ms·

Just to be the pedantic one… I did some searching and found one single example of a steam-powered aircraft that actually flew. A bunch of other attempts are lis

• buildsjets 3y ago
  And thanks, now I am researching small steam boilers that I could install in a Pietenpol homebuilt aircraft that a friend and I have been talking about building for a few years now. All I need is 30 kilowatts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietenpol_Air_Camper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietenpol_Air_Camper
• RyEgswuCsn 3y ago
  I knew it! Yeah, I really meant coal-powered steam engines.
  • buildsjets 3y ago
    If you built a coal gasifier, or maybe used a powdered/pelletized form of coal, I could see it being plausible. (but still dumb) Having just returned from a week at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s yearly gathering, I’m kind of interested in using up some of my employer’s time to see if I can make it work, at least on paper. Luckily I even have a budget line available for silly studies like this.
• eesmith 3y ago
  Sweet! I found a video clip at https://archive.org/details/turner_video_11514 https://archive.org/details/turner_video_11514 at timestamp 54:47 for about 20 seconds. (Found that reference via https://web.archive.org/web/20030203103015/http://www.flysteam.co.uk/history.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20030203103015/http://www.flyste... which I found via https://archive.org/details/australian_model_engineering-issue_110-2003_09_10/page/32/mode/2up?q=%22steam+powered+aircraft%22 https://archive.org/details/australian_model_engineering-iss... )