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Friday, March 20, 2026

Inertia Starter


The inertia starter...
MrKent317

I've seen videos of these things in operation before, but I always imagined them as having big flywheels, big, like a foot or two across. I didn't think they would be this small.


Hand Cranking a Stearman
Lee Fox

Seems there are two methods of operation. One, you can crank them up by hand, or two, you can spin them up with a small electric motor.


4 comments:

Rick said...

The inertial starter on the Boeing P-26 Pea Shooter when engaged sounds like a Looney Tunes cartoon.

Red's woodsman. said...

So, once up to speed, why didn't the crank man clear the area prior to engaging the start?

Rick said...

That's a sign of a good crew chief. Anyway, he was outside the propeller arc.

Chuck Pergiel said...

Airplane people are attracted to danger. If you can't fly, you find other dangerous activities, like pushing the starter button while standing inches away from a giant, swinging meat cleaver.