VL Myrsky has crank starter

Suomeksi

The Twin Wasp engine of the VL Myrsky II is started by an inertial starter. Normally, the starter is powered by an electric motor. When the starter has enough revs, the pilot pull the starter on and the engine will - hopefully - start.

But the revs can be made by a crank starter, too. The extension rod of the crank starter is located to right side of the aircraft near the leading edge of the wing.

The location of the joint of the extension rod and the crank starter handle is not easy to find in the photos. Most of the photos present the left side of the aircraft. And the camouflage painting is dark just there.

Left photo: Finnish Air Force Museum, right: Finnish Aviation Museum.

When the aircraft has not coverings, the location is easier to find. The joint is supported by three tubes from three direction. The crank starter handle is located in the cockpit. It has place on the left side at the back of the tail wheel switch.

The crank starter handle of the MY-14 has disappeared as well as MY-5´s and MY-9´s. The brackets have been spared. Luckily, an original crank starter handle of the VL Myrsky has been found from the storages of the Finnish Air Force Museum. Only cleaning was needed.

MY-14 got brackets from the MY-5 since they were in better condition. They were disassembled, blasted, painted and fixed. After that, the crank starter handle found an appropriate place.