Originally Posted by
rickair7777
Those were technically called rotary engines (nothing to do with the mazda wankel rotary). The purpose was to use the engine itself as a flywheel to dampen vibrations...although the flywheel effect also provided plenty of precesion for the entire airplane when turning or pitching
I can not imagine what the torque must have been like on the old rotary engines - must have been a challenge on take-off keeping them straight.