Looking down the throat of a German V-1 Pulse Jet Engine

Leading up to the 2009 Chino Air Show, a crew at the Planes of Fame Air Museum restored a fully-functional German V-1 Pulse Jet Engine. Over the course of several months, we logged about 60 minutes on the engine in 3-5 minute increments.

Employing sophisticated forensic engineering techniques, we reverse engineered the design and fully replicated the original fuel control system, and matched it to the tuned-harmonic combustion chamber to reproduce the 42 Hz resonance that you hear.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the device is the view down it's the "throat" into the blazing combustion chamber through the flapper reeds that so masterfully control the flow of all that energy. This view is a testimony to the true genius of the original designers who created something this complex using nothing more than slide-rules and gut instinct some 65 years ago. Truly amazing!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Greg Pascal
• Fran Pieri
• Robin Scott
• Bob Velker
• Planes of Fame Air Museum
• Chino Air Show
• high speed
• motor sports
• classic cars

[BVelker]

To answer the Q about how loud it is, let me respond this way: if you are standing directly behind it about 20-30 yards away (with your ears well covered of course), your entire body is pulsating at the 42Hz and your chest feels like it's being pounded on by a championship boxer.

At times, we have had security respond with lights flashing from several miles away because it sounded so loud where they were.

You see, the sound waves are of such low frequency and high amplitude that they get int

[BVelker]

Regarding the Q of breaking windows: No, not yet.

However, once, a double-wide "mobile home" trailer sitting nearby picked up a sympathetic vibration when we accidentally aimed it in their direction, and it bounced all the pictures off the long walls.

It was at that point we discovered that 42Hz is the resonant frequency of a double-wide! LOL. And the people inside said it was like being inside a base drum.

Sooorrrryyy...

[BVelker]

The valves (along with the entire unit) are original 1940's vintage with about 4 hours of running time over the last two years, and they show absolutely no sign of wear. They are made of brass, and the action inside the combustion chamber keeps them relatively cool. The heat profile is concentrated about one foot from the front and is focused rearward. It's an amazing piece of engineering, but the true genius is the fuel controller. You have to see it to appreciate and understand it's beauty.

[TheFlyingStoner]

BF3

[pcblah]

@forwardbias there was a pulse jet gokart... home made engine though... (not super loud like this)

[pcblah]

@TheFlyingStoner NO

[Georgieisaporgie]

reminds me of my last visit to taco bell!

[forwardbias]

Would be awesome to mount one of them on a go cart, drive down a straight line of road at 3am, and wake everybody up, then quick cut the fuel and turn in somewhere and hide before the cops show up. It would be surely in the news of the strange loud noise rattling windows and pictures off everyones walls. Set off everyones car alarm around me for miles. On a go cart, a pulse jet engine can likely get impressive speeds as well. I need to find someone that can build me one, and an old go cart.

[spankyspanks112]

I think I pooped a little

[Bergstaller01]

The guy in the Cessna must have pooped a little.......

[phantomscaler]

one word! AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWESOOOOOOOOOO­ME!!!!!!!!!

[filmteknik]

JB-2 Loon, not V-1, right?

[86Ivar]

how much thrust it got?

[freshkryp69]

Dont let the stupid mommas boy Honda drivers find out about this! They try and use it for a muffler!