Cool pix!

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Like "fixed" radial engines, rotaries were generally built with an odd number of cylinders (usually 5, 7 or 9), so that a consistent every-other-piston firing order could be maintained, to provide smooth running. Rotary engines with an even number of cylinders were mostly of the "two row" type.

Plus:
The first cylinder's connecting rod attaches directly to the crankshaft - this is the master rod. The other cylinders' rods connect to pivoting points around the master rod. Every radial engine has an odd number of cylinders, and they fire in an alternating order.

 

The first Fallschirmjäger working on technique at an exhibition during the 1936 Olympics
This just looks weird…The crowd are interesting too.

MilitaryHistoria

 

Yeah would have been hilarious…if there weren’t so many brown shirts attending. Paratroopers don’t parachute into their own country…This should have rung some alarm bells.

 

I guess that's how they had to practice their door exits. They had that unusual parachute system where the 'chute was attached to the upper back of the harness, between the shoulder blades. You fell in a kind of face down manner and had no way to control or steer your parachute. AFAIK, they're the only ones to use this type system. The Russians were the first to raise airborne units in the early 1930's, but only a military run by Stalin could have fielded troops like that. Early units had the Airborne troops ride hanging onto the wing and dropping into deep snowbanks sans parachutes.

 

Rotary engines always freak me out. The idea that the whole engine is spinning as fast as the propeller

 

Actually, a steerable canopy is important in avoiding mid-air collisions. Chutes that use risers such as the WWII T-5 and T-7, more modern T-10 (adopted early '50's) or British X-Type are steerable but not to the degree that a paratrooper can select a prime landing spot. Best you can hope for is to slip past an obstacle at the last moment. (The last 100 feet seems to jump up and meet you at an accelerated rate). The more modern MC1-1B with toggle steering and canopy cutouts would make it possible, it's quite maneuverable but it's really hard to judge the ground until you get pretty close, and the last bit comes up really quick and smacks you.

 

Actually, if I understand correctly. Rotary engines, like used in WWI actually spin around a fixed crankshaft. Radial engines like those used in WWII the engine is fixed and the crankshaft turns.

 

Plenty of left rudder...

 

It meant that turning was much much faster in kne direction compared to the other. The Sopwith Camel was famous for it

 

The doors on the fuselage was a bit small on the JU-52 which determined the exit strategy of the fallschirmjagers. They had to crouch down at the door before jumping, then launch themselves out just like the guys in the pic jumping into the pool. Their parachutes had only one riser that was on the back of the pack tray as opposed to two risers attached to the upper chest of British and American parachute harnesses. The one riser in the back of the German parachute harness also determined the PLF (parachute landing fall) of the fallschirmjager when he hit the ground. They had to roll forward as opposed to Allied paratroopers landing supposedly landing and rolling backwards or to the sides, according to theory anyways. In other words, everyone did the same thing differently.

 

I was reading a book about Italians serving with the Allies (after Italy changed sides, obviously!), and apparently the Italian technique for paras was to leap vigourously from the aircraft, while the British & American was to almost just step out of the door

 

I must confess to being a big fan of Warhammer, and the artwork thereof: