Bentley BR2 1916

Read the forum code of contact

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

I have been told that Bently, built a rotary engined car the Bently BR 2 way back in 1916.
Anyone any photos or further info/

Mods... as its part car, part aero, didn't know if this is the right place to Post.
Jim.

Liincoln .7

Original post

Member for

17 years 6 months

Posts: 346

don't really want to be pedantic but it's Bentley not Bently,:)

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 2,778

Jim.
Why didn't you post this in historic?
Anyway, not cars but aeroplane engines--the cars came later.
Yes, well they did.
W.O. Bentley, who was a serving Naval officer, actually built the A.R.1 (that was Admiralty Rotary type 1) rotary first. That eventually became the Bentley BR.1. The majority of RNAS Camels had BR.1's fitted.
As oposed to Le Rhone or Clerget engines in RFC Camels.

He then went on to develop the BR.2 of about 230 hp.
This powered the Snipe, Salamander (ground attack machine) and a couple of other things.

Happy to discuss more on Great War Engines if you need anything.
Andy.

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

[QUOTE=nibb100;1850075]don't really want to be pedantic but it's Bentley not Bently,

When your 100% perfect in everything you say and do, then by all means correct ME, so, until then, in the nicest possible way, take a hike:)
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

Andy in Beds.
Hi Andy, many thanks for the input. I find the rotary engines absolutely mind boggling in it's construction, ie some had no throttles, and to cut airspeed, they just cut one or two cylinders off from the fuel supply.
I was down at the Shuttleworth Collection, not so long ago, and was given a behind the scenes tour by Jim, he showed me a Clerget they had nearly fully restored. It''s fantastic how these old engines were built to last.
Thanks for the offer, I will no doubt be in touch.
Jim.

Lincoln .7

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 2,778

Andy in Beds.
Hi Andy, many thanks for the input. I find the rotary engines absolutely mind boggling in it's construction, ie some had no throttles, and to cut airspeed, they just cut one or two cylinders off from the fuel supply.
I was down at the Shuttleworth Collection, not so long ago, and was given a behind the scenes tour by Jim, he showed me a Clerget they had nearly fully restored. It''s fantastic how these old engines were built to last.
Thanks for the offer, I will no doubt be in touch.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Jim Norris..?
Lovely guy, I know him well.
Actually, I think we met that day.

It was the Gnome of about 150 hp that was the one with lots of blipping cylinders, no real throttle and only one driven valve per cylinder.
I think Bentley went into cars when he left the navy, about 1919. I think in partnership with his brother.
Cricklewood came to my mind as a location and the first model was a four cylinder of 3 litres capacity.

I'd love to see a BR.2 in a car.
I'd imagine the transmission of power to the wheels would be an interesting engineering exercise though.
I think it has been done though.
A.

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

Andy, Yes it was Jim Norris.:) I guess the reason I was given a behind the scenes tour, was because that day, I had donated a mint hand riveter gun, from which I later received a nice letter stating they would be used to rivet the skins on the wings of the Spitfire they are restoring. Apparently it will cut the time do do this job by a lot, and I got a nice warm feeling on the drive home. Ain't life full of surprises,
I had actualy gone down there to try and get 2 different rotary engine spark plugs I.Dd, but no one could, and the Collection, which as you know has a comprehensive collection of it's own didn't have the 2 I had.
Are you aware of any books on rotary engined spark plugs?,
Jim.

Lincoln .7

Member for

12 years 3 months

Posts: 112

I find the rotary engines absolutely mind boggling in it's construction, ie some had no throttles, and to cut airspeed, they just cut one or two cylinders off from the fuel supply.
Lincoln .7

Its normally the ignition which is cut on a rotary to control speed or sometimes fuel is cut to all cylinders. You can't cut the fuel supply to just some of the cylinders.

Member for

13 years 9 months

Posts: 8,306

Hi Bushell, Yes, I knew as soon as I had posted all fuel to all cylinders had to be cut, and as Andy stated, the ignition was blipped,Just couldn't be ars**d to re type it out again, I had, then my comp decided it was going to load updates, just as I had completed the first reply.and as such, everything shut down for the updates.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 2,778

Andy, Yes it was Jim Norris.:) I guess the reason I was given a behind the scenes tour, was because that day, I had donated a mint hand riveter gun, from which I later received a nice letter stating they would be used to rivet the skins on the wings of the Spitfire they are restoring. Apparently it will cut the time do do this job by a lot, and I got a nice warm feeling on the drive home. Ain't life full of surprises,
I had actualy gone down there to try and get 2 different rotary engine spark plugs I.Dd, but no one could, and the Collection, which as you know has a comprehensive collection of it's own didn't have the 2 I had.
Are you aware of any books on rotary engined spark plugs?,
Jim.

Lincoln .7

Jim,
I was there.
Rory took the rivet gun off you.
I think you had a chat with quite a group of us.

I lurk in the vehicle section.
Vintage motorcycles are my thing--although Jim is no stranger to them either.

A.