Crosley Engine as Aircraft APU Generator

[mickthecat]

This showed up here the other day, it's a Crosley CIBA block with some sort of generator attached to the bellhousing and aircraft-style ignition wires. I believe it's an APU from a cold-war era bomber. I haven't been able to find any information on it. Sadly, the manifolds are missing. There's no starter; I suspect you started it by applying power to the generator. Is there much interest in saving it as-is or should I just part it out?

[dalef62]

I would think it is worth saving. Strange setup on the sparkplugs??
Dale

[Jim Bollman]

Shielded ignition.

I believe it was built for ThermoKing refer units.

[JohnBoyle]

If it's from a "bomber"...it would probably be from a B-29/B-50/C-97 series.
I know B-29s had a APU, but I don't know who made it. Likewise, as post-war developments, the B-50 and C-97 series would also have one.
Trouble is, it doesn't look like the B-29 unit.
I don't know whether the B-36 has an APU.

At any rate, it's not off a jet.

Post a photo on the Warbird Information Exchange Forum, you'll have an answer whether it was in an aircraft within an hour.

Warbird Information Exchange • View forum - The WIX Hangar

[Jim Bollman]

The Crosley engines used for power on planes and other places during WW2 were the CoBRa sheet metal engine not the Cast engine.