By Bob Hunt, Technical Counselor, EAA Chapter 13
Imagine finding a forgotten treasure in your garage — an old airplane engine, gathering dust. That’s exactly what happened to our chapter. Instead of letting it rust away, we turned it into an inspiring learning tool for young people.
It all started with a brilliant idea from our EAA Chapter 13 president, Peter Dugdale. He envisioned a cutaway engine that would reveal the inner workings of an aircraft powerplant. This would be a fantastic way to spark interest in aviation during our Young Eagles events.
I was tasked with transforming this old engine into a captivating display. It was a challenge, as the engine was in rough shape and missing parts. With the help of one of our talented members, Andy Klos, and our president Peter, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work.
Andy used his machine shop skills to carefully cut away sections of the cylinders, revealing the pistons and valves. Meanwhile, I transformed the engine case into a window showing the heart of the engine. By slowly opening up the engine case in steps to keep as much of it intact as possible, I was able to show all the internal parts. We also wanted to be able to turn the propeller and watch the parts move just like a running engine. To make the project even more impressive, Peter wanted to keep one cylinder intact so visitors could feel the compression when turning the propeller.
It was a lot of trial and error, but with our technical knowledge and mechanical skills, we managed to put it all together. To display the project, I purchased a rotating automotive engine stand, fabricated an engine mount, and added a cut-down propeller to finish the build.
The entire project took about eight weeks, and the result is truly amazing. The cutaway engine is a hit with kids and adults alike. It’s an incredible tool for teaching young people about aviation powerplants and inspiring the next generation of pilots and engineers.