International KS5 Engine Test Bed truck

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 03/05/2020 at 10:45 • Filed to: wingspan, Planelopnik

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More info from the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! :

The RAAF Museum has recently taken this KS5 International Aero Engine Test Truck on loan for use with the Museum’s second Merlin engine.

The truck, which was built at the International Harvester Works at Geelong in 1941 and acquired by Australian National Airways, was originally used as an aero engine test bed for R1820 Radial engines after they were overhauled. Those engines were subsequently used in support of US B17 bombers and DC3 aircraft at the beginning of WWII. It became the property of Ansett Airlines after its takeover of Australian National Airlines (ANA) and was upgraded to test run R2000, R2800 and Bristol Hercules engines until the 1970s when Ansett ceased to operate piston engine aircraft.

Subsequently, the truck had a succession of owners until it was acquired in 1990 by Mr Bob Eastgate and brought to Pt Cook for refurbishment. The control cabin was rebuilt. The engine, gear box and systems were overhauled and the truck was converted to run V12 aero engines as well as radial engines. The first Merlin engine was successfully tested in 2004.

Nibby > ttyymmnn 03/05/2020 at 09:51

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SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > ttyymmnn 03/05/2020 at 09:53

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The new Batmobile!

ttyymmnn > Nibby 03/05/2020 at 10:51

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Is that the voice of Clarence?

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > ttyymmnn 03/05/2020 at 11:12

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Nothing like an extra 1,800hp hanging off the back for some extra passing power. 

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > ttyymmnn 03/05/2020 at 11:22

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You may or may not recall, but opponaut Bandit’s family has a wartime production International K-series truck.

They’re quite elegant, generally speaking. Handsome, even.

(‘41 K5 below)

They r evised the line to “KB” postwar , and medium duty and smaller trucks got some faux grill extensions.

The heavy duty models have very, very large hoods.

Nibby > ttyymmnn 03/05/2020 at 11:24

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idk

ttyymmnn > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 03/05/2020 at 12:10

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I reckon you’d have to reverse the pitch on the blades first. Otherwise you’d have 1,800hp of extra stopping power.

just-a-scratch > ttyymmnn 03/05/2020 at 12:22

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How fast do you think it could go in reverse?

ttyymmnn > just-a-scratch 03/05/2020 at 12:25

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Very. 

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > ttyymmnn 03/05/2020 at 12:36

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Indeed. What’s curious is most display engines run on a test stand have a ‘test club’ instead of a real prop for just that reason. Alternatively, a real prop with the blades pinned at low pitch. 

Nom De Plume > ttyymmnn 03/05/2020 at 14:21

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It can stop within a quarter of it’s own length.  The occupants stop a few hundred feet further along.