R-1830 "Twin Wasp" Radial Engine prop-shafts Journey Through Buick.

The prop-shaft in a fully assembled engine, in Chicago. The shaft is protruding directly out the front of the engine, under the workers left hand.

                                             

Adding the "rear bulkhead" cover for the planetary (bevel) prop-shaft at the Buick plant in Chicago.

Assembly of the planetary bevel gear at the Buick Melrose plant.

This photo that I took at the Sloan museum in Flint, Michigan shows the prop-shaft assembled and in it's proper place in the "nose section".

One of many propaganda posters that were found throughout the factories.

Parts ready for delivery to the Buick Melrose assembly plant in Chicago. Prop-shaft on the left, master rod in the middle and crankshaft on the right.

Much inspection taking place on this critical part.

Finished prop-shaft. Or raw housing for a bevel planetary unit. "Assembly took place at Buick in Chicago".

Cutting the splines and test fitting the area that the propeller unit will fit to.

Some difficult inside lathe work on the surface where the planetary gears will ride. More of this work is shown farther below.

Grinding the outside edge.

Milling on the bevel edge.

This looks like a vertical lathe at work.

Grinding on the outside bevel. Same worker shown twice farther below, doing the same operation.

Drilling and inspecting.

Some difficult inside lathe work on the surface where the planetary gears will ride.

Grinding on the outside bevel.

Adding the inside holes where the pins for locking in the planetary gears will fit.

Grinding on the outside bevel.

Milling or grinding the inside surface where the planetary gear will ride.

More drilling foe the gear pins to fit into.

Rough grinding the shaft into a taper.

Rough grinding the shaft into a taper.

More shaft machining on a lathe.

Drilling two prop-shafts at the same time.

Drilling the core for the mechanism that will allow the propeller (or prop) to be feathered (or turned into the wind) in order to keep the engine from over revving when shut down while in flight. It will control the propeller and it's assembly through this opening. There are many kinds of prop-shafts and this one is called a "bevel".

The bevel has now been roughed in.

More lathe work.

First "roughing in" on a lathe.

The prop-shaft with what I believe to be some sort of Colet used during the machining process.

I believe this to be a forged part made in factory #03. I also think, but can't confirm yet that this is the same chromium-nickel-molybdenum steel that the crankshaft is forged from.

The prop-shaft for the Liberator engine on it's way to heat treat. I looked ay numerous photos and believe this to be in the factory #03 complex of buildings (the forge plant).

This is where the prop-shaft for the R-1830 Pratt & Whitney Liberator radial engine was machined. This is also the factory that did the machine work on the Hercules crankshaft. This factory was demolished in the summer of 2011.

 Links:

Factory #66 Demolition

Another view inside factory #02/08

B-24 Liberator