A Wright R3350 Cyclone engine is starting to become a rare find here in the U.S. and I'll bet is even more scarce in Europe. For our pals across the pond looking for a working engine, check out this link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1872607044

Considering it costs around $100,000 just to overhaul one of these engines in the U.S., this might not be such a bad deal.

=V=

That is a steal of a bargain!

Airline History Museum should really seriously think
about investing in this engine. The history of its overhaul
and the photographs tell me it won't be too long before
someone snatches it up.

Doug

Isnt this a C 119 engine?

thought it was the engine for the c-121/super connie. If not...sorry

The Wright R3350 is used in the S.Constellation and was used on the C-119G. Other C-119 variants used the PW R4360.

I expect this engine (if it's as good as the seller says) will be snapped up by one of the Reno racing teams. Fits very nicely in a Bearcat or Sea Fury.

Yeah, either AHM or the Aussie HARS group should snag it.

Can't hurt to have a spare engine ready to go.

A 3350 comes in many versions, some unique to a particular aircaft type. I am pretty sure that the 3350 on eBay is a variant that went on USAF C 119s. The basic engine is the same, but accessory locations, nose cases, prop gear ratios, etc can vary a lot between different versions of the 3350. Someone correct me if I am mistaken. I am not a round engine expert.

About a year ago I came across a party with 10 of these engines still in their cans located in Italy. Email rcb@tredi.net I had occasion to check again after a few months and he still hadn't found a buyer.

News

The Super Constellation Flyers Association buys 5 "zero time" engines! (January 2001)


In December 2000, Jean-Marc Goepfert and I traveled to Antwerp, Belgium to inspect five Curtiss-Wright R-3350 engines in a scrap yard. These engines were kept in closed and nitrogen pressurized containers except one, which was opened about one year prior to our visit. This container was the only container we were able to check and we were both nevertheless very surprised when we discovered an R-3350-89A engine.

Although our contacts, who lead us to these engines, always claimed that the containers they had discovered contained Super Connie engines, we found that dash number "-89A" meant, that these engines never flew on Constellations, but were used on Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar aircrafts. The engines are very similar to the engines used on Connies and there exists even an STC (Supplemental Type Certificate) that can be obtained for transforming this type of engine into a Super Connie engine.

During the inspection in Antwerp we could only check the engine in the open container. Despite the fact that a nitrogen atmosphere did not protect this engine for more than one year, the engine showed only very light signs of corrosion. In fact, there was also protective oil inside the cylinders, which meant that there was no corrosion inside the engine itself. We could see the famous three PRT's (Power Recovery Turbines)! The engine looked very nice indeed. After we had seen that this engine was in a good condition, we concluded, that the remaining four engines inside the still closed and nitrogen-pressurized containers must be in an even better shape!

The history of these engines is quite interesting and amusing:

Air France completely overhauled the five R-3350's in 1971, which implied that the engines were "zero time" (like new) engines after the overhaul. In 1972 they were put into nitrogen-pressurized containers and sent back to the FAB (Force Aérienne Bilge/Belgian Air Force), where the originally came from. As the FAB was selling its C-119G Flying Boxcars around this time, the engines were also put up for sale.

The Belgian Air Force found a buyer in Africa and shipped the engines by sea transport to the new owners to Africa. The actual shipping from Antwerp was due upon receipt of the payment from the customer. However, the payment never arrived, the FAB never received the money for the engines and therefore never released the shipment. The engines were stored somewhere in a warehouse at Antwerp harbor until, after many years, one day, somebody decided to get rid of these old and rusty containers. A local scrap dealer was called; he bought them at scrap value and took the merchandise to his scrap yard in Antwerp. One day, again after many years, the scrap dealer decided to open one of the containers to check what was inside. After all, you never know! As he did not speak English, he was also not able to read the inscription on the containers: "Warning - depressurize before opening!" He loosened the rusty bolts and once the top of the container was loose, sure enough, nitrogen began to escape with noise and the scrap dealer, fearing for his life, ran away, as he was afraid to be exposed to a toxic gas. After he calmed down again, and no birds fell dead from trees and roofs, he checked what was inside the container and found, much to his surprise, a brand new aircraft engine.

The scrap dealer contacted a friend with contacts to the aviation industry and this friend in turn contacted people he considered to be interested in these engines. Finally we learned about the engines through contacts in the Netherlands and after long and difficult negotiations with the scrap dealer, we purchased all five engines at an interesting price.

André Goepfert and Luck Verkoyen coordinated the transport to Basel, Switzerland where André opened all five containers. The engines look great (see picture). They are now safe and kept under protective nitrogen in the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) hangar at the EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg.

For the Super Constellation Flyers Association these engines are an important asset, as new engines are not only difficult to find, but also very expensive to buy. Today we proudly own five new Curtiss-Wright Cyclone R-3350 engines that can be used on our Super Constellation!

Francisco Agullo

Well Done Francisco.....!

How is everything going with you and the group?
Hope to hear from you.

Best to all,

Doug Vernon

I remember once seeing some unused C 47 (DC 3) props for sale dirt cheap as they "had no paperwork". What kind of "paperwork" is needed on this 3350 eBay engine to make it useable on a standard category transport acft in the US? I remember after the US started being friendlier to post war Viet Nam, large amount of OH'd C 130 engines and parts started appearing, but they did not fetch the huge prices you might expect because they "had no paperwork". What exactly is the right kind of "paperwork"?

I went back and looked at the add for those Italian 3350s. The dash numbers are 3350-32WA. The phone number is given as 0347/6905560. Phone calls must be in italian. Anyone who would be interested in viewing the add is welcome to contact me and I will be happy to forward it to them.
BTW. What does the -32wa indicate?

Doug,
Can you get in tough with Foe Geldersma at the AHM re Lee's question as to the meaning of the 32WA prefix?

I do not have his e-mail address

the -32WA 3350s were used in Navy Martin Marlin seaplanes P5M-2 and SP-5B. That engine was also used in certain models of the P2V Neptune.

Dear David,
My Email address is foejutta@aol.com
Foe Geldersma

Thankyou Mark for finding the meaning of the 32WA prefix. I have been mildly surprised that no one seems interested in the italian 3350s. At least I've not heard of any interest from anyone. They are turbo compounds so they might not fit every aplication.
Lee McKinney

No bids on the 3350! I guess it was over priced. Several people told me that some time ago there was a canned overhauled 4360 that went for about $1600 on ebay. Anyone have any leads on thiat engine? BAHF needs a fresh 4360-59B for their C 97. Price to overhaul a good core 4360 is around $125,000!!!!!

Actually I am very surprised that this engine has not been purchased. There must be a reason other than money. 35 thousand dollars for an engine said to be like new appears, to me at least, a bargain. Possibly someone over at AHM could shed some light on this.

Doug

I am told that even if overhauled and canned, a 3350 with no paperwork is not worth even a fraction of that asking price. eBay is a pretty efficient market. If that engine were a bargain at $35,000 it would be snapped up fast.