planecanadian wrote:...Now, to the second part. Castor oil was a perfect solution to the unique propulsion provided by the rotary engines favoured by many WWI aircraft. It didn't break down, and the thin walls of the rotary engine's cylinders were prone to distortion - so a lubricant needed to be exceptional and to reduce friction as much as possible. In simplest terms, it could stand the heat and the centrifugal force where other materials couldn't.
Granted, given everything we've said here, if you're flying a rotary, I'd suggest a modern synthetic. Just in case.
Hello Charles, I´d rather be breathing castor oil fumes than sinthetic oil fumes...