The Besler Steam Plane

A Travel Air 2000 biplane made the world's first piloted flight under steam power over Oakland, California, on 12 April 1933.
The strangest feature of the flight was its relative silence; spectators on the ground could hear the pilot when he called to them from mid-air.
The aircraft, piloted by William Besler, had been fitted with a two-cylinder, 150 hp reciprocating engine.
An important contribution to its design was made by Nathan C. Price, a former Doble Steam Motors engineer.
Price was working on high pressure compact engines for rail and road transport; the purpose of the flight was to obtain publicity
for this work. Following its unexpectedly favourable reception Price went to Boeing and worked on various aviation projects, but Boeing
dropped the idea of a steam aeroengine in 1936. Price later worked for Lockheed where his experience with developing
compact burners for steam boilers helped to design Lockheed's first jet engine.
The advantages of the "Besler System" that were claimed at the time included the elimination of audible noise and destructive vibration;
greater efficiency at low engine speeds and also at high altitudes where lower air temperatures assisted condensation; reduced likelihood
of engine failure; reduced maintenance costs; reduced fuel costs, since fuel oil was used in place of petrol; reduced fire hazard
since the fuel was less volatile and operating temperatures were lower; and a lack of need for radio shielding.
For capacities in excess of 1000 horse power a turbine captures the energy released by the expansion of steam more efficiently
than a piston. Thus, the steam reciprocating engine turned out to be unsuitable for scaling up to the needs of large aircraft.

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[aserta]

Is there something steam can't do?

[SuperAviatar]

Reverse thrust before landing is usually disastrous.... see lots of military accidents!!! It is more probable that the propeller was slowed, to increase drag, rather than reversed. I hope!!

[fizzguts]

You'd need a long extension cable

[fizzguts]

Suposedly sold to Japan about 1936. Lost in the devistation WW2 bought to Japan. The spare motor and boiler is at the Smithsonian aviation collection.

Ignore the loony tune conspiracy theorists. The basic design is freely avalible via steam enthusiast groups. Google Doble Steam car or Besler steam heaps of stuff will come up

[RT JaKaL]

It is likely you wont be able to find much on it, the owners of the patents don't want to make it easy for the tech, though thought of as antiquated, to be used in a way that is contrary to their wishes. Like the "Pogue Carburetor" from the early 1900's.

[Ian Bowen]

Anyone know what happened to the aircraft? I can't find any information on its location in a museum or anything.

[esteban corral]

I commend you for posting this. On the 60th anniversary of the Oakland Airport, I related the the same story to aeronatical enthusiasts. They had that me mad or something of the sort. An elderly gentleman who had personally known Abner Doble corroborated my story. William Besler had bought out the old Doble plant in Emeryville, California just north of Oakland. The advantages were it reversibilty which functioned as an air-brake. This meant that the craft could land in a much shorter

[Jason Dreager]

That is really cool. Would love to try flying one.

[MUSTASCH1O]

A lot of wasted heat not transferring to the water I guess.