Different cowlings == different engines?

Okay this might be a dumb question but since that ship sailed for me a long time ago I have no problem asking!

I really like this cowling http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1332515/

Does that mean its a different engine than the standard 540?

Or can you get different cowlings for the same engine?


edit: apparently some are saying it was a Mistral G-300 on a RV-10.. but question still stands.. does different cowl always mean different engine or can you do different cowls on the same engine and just route the air? etc..

I doubt that you could use this type of cowling with a Lycoming, if that is your question. The standard air flow for a Lycoming is over the cylinders and down through the cooling fins.

This is probably a custom cowling, which I'm sure would be quite the project to create. It does look cool though!

There are a number of cowling variants for RV's. The most common ones with the scoop at the bottom are for vertical induction engines. The smooth lower cowl can be used with the horizontal induction engines. Sam James cowl has round inlets and can be set up with a plenum.

You can generally make a cowling shaped to suit you, but making it is not a trivial task. If you have an engine that differs from the one the factory cowl is intended for, you will probably need to make your own.

As for an inlet of this sort, Rutan's Defiant used one with updraft cooling. While it can be done, it will take a lot of actual testing to do it.

Dave

Cowling

Peter Garrison (Technicalities-Flying Mag) has an updraft cowl on his Melmoth 2. Have a read through the Progress section of his website before you fall in love with this look.
http://www.melmoth2.com/

Cowling

That cowl was custom made for the Mistral engine that powers that airplane. I was looking at that engine when I first began building. If I remember correctly, it is a 300hp 3 Rotor rotary engine.

Looked promising but it seems that the websites are gone so I don't know what happened to the company...