Green Engine Co
Encyclopedia
The Green Engine Co was an early British
aero engine manufacturer. It was founded by Gustavus Green
in Bexhill
to produce engines of his design during the first two decades of the 20th century. Actual manufacturing was carried out at the Aster Engineering Company
of Wembley
. The firm produced a range of water-cooled, mostly inline engine
s up to about 1915.
Green engines powered many pioneering British aircraft, including those of Alliott Verdon Roe
(Avro
founder), Samuel Cody
and the Short Brothers
. Up to 1912 Green's were the only source of all-British aircraft engines capable of producing 60 hp, so when prizes were offered for flights or races for all-British aircraft, the Green was the only choice. The best known example is that of Moore-Brabazon
in his Green D.4
powered Short No.2, winning the £1,000 Daily Mail prize in 1910 for a circular 1 mile flight by a British pilot in an all-British aeroplane.
Green's engines had several advanced and common features. They had cast steel single piece cylinders and cylinder heads, two valves per cylinder driven by an overhead camshaft, white metal crankshaft bearings and copper, rubber sealed water jackets.
In 1909 the Green C.4
was the only entrant to complete the tests for the Patrick Alexander Competition. Because the rules called for a 35 hp engine and the C.4 only averaged 31.5 hp the prize of £1,000, rather controversially, was not awarded. The competition was re-run the following year for more powerful engines; this time Green's gained the prize with the D.4. In 1914 the company was awarded a £5,000 prize by the Army Council in a Naval and Military Aeroplane Engine Competition. The later prize was for the Green 100 hp water-cooled engine No. 1 which had the highest number of attributes that was desirable for an aeroplane engine.
In World War I
, the well made, reliable but heavy (450 lbs or 204 kg) 82 hp Green inline engine was produced for fast boats rather than aircraft.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
aero engine manufacturer. It was founded by Gustavus Green
Gustavus Green
Gustavus Green was a British engineer who made significant contributions to the design of early aircraft engines. Born in Hounslow on 11 March 1865 Green opened a bicycle factory in Bexhill-on-Sea, and in 1905 built his first lightweight, water-cooled aircraft engine and soon established the Green...
in Bexhill
Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea is a town and seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the District of Rother. It has a population of approximately 40,000...
to produce engines of his design during the first two decades of the 20th century. Actual manufacturing was carried out at the Aster Engineering Company
Aster (automobile)
The Aster was an English automobile manufactured from 1922 to 1930. The companies car roots can be traced to 1899 when Begbie Manufacturing of Wembley, in north London became British licensees of the French Aster company making mainly stationary engines...
of Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
. The firm produced a range of water-cooled, mostly inline engine
Inline engine (aviation)
In aviation, an inline engine means any reciprocating engine with banks rather than rows of cylinders, including straight engines, flat engines, V engines and H engines, but excluding radial engines and rotary engines....
s up to about 1915.
Green engines powered many pioneering British aircraft, including those of Alliott Verdon Roe
Alliott Verdon Roe
Sir Edwin Alliott Verdon Roe OBE, FRAeS was a pioneer English pilot and aircraft manufacturer, and founder in 1910 of the Avro company...
(Avro
Avro
Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's...
founder), Samuel Cody
Samuel Cody
Samuel Franklin Cowdery was born in Birdville, Texas, USA. He was an early pioneer of manned flight, most famous for his work on the large kites known as Cody War-Kites that were used in World War I as a smaller alternative to balloons for artillery spotting...
and the Short Brothers
Short Brothers
Short Brothers plc is a British aerospace company, usually referred to simply as Shorts, that is now based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded in 1908, Shorts was the first company in the world to make production aircraft and was a manufacturer of flying boats during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s...
. Up to 1912 Green's were the only source of all-British aircraft engines capable of producing 60 hp, so when prizes were offered for flights or races for all-British aircraft, the Green was the only choice. The best known example is that of Moore-Brabazon
John Moore-Brabazon, 1st Baron Brabazon of Tara
John Theodore Cuthbert Moore-Brabazon, 1st Baron Brabazon of Tara, GBE, MC, PC was an English aviation pioneer and Conservative politician...
in his Green D.4
Green D.4
|-References:...
powered Short No.2, winning the £1,000 Daily Mail prize in 1910 for a circular 1 mile flight by a British pilot in an all-British aeroplane.
Green's engines had several advanced and common features. They had cast steel single piece cylinders and cylinder heads, two valves per cylinder driven by an overhead camshaft, white metal crankshaft bearings and copper, rubber sealed water jackets.
In 1909 the Green C.4
Green C.4
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
was the only entrant to complete the tests for the Patrick Alexander Competition. Because the rules called for a 35 hp engine and the C.4 only averaged 31.5 hp the prize of £1,000, rather controversially, was not awarded. The competition was re-run the following year for more powerful engines; this time Green's gained the prize with the D.4. In 1914 the company was awarded a £5,000 prize by the Army Council in a Naval and Military Aeroplane Engine Competition. The later prize was for the Green 100 hp water-cooled engine No. 1 which had the highest number of attributes that was desirable for an aeroplane engine.
Aircraft engines
Data from and- V-8, 100 hp (1908–1909)
- Green C.4Green C.4|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
4-cylinder inline, 105 mm bore × 120mm stroke, 30-35 hp (1908–1910) - Green D.4Green D.4|-References:...
4-cylinder inline, 140 mm bore × 146 mm stroke, 50-60 hp (1909–1910) - 6-cylinder inline, 140 mm bore × 146 mm stroke, 82 hp (1912–1916)
- Green E.6Green E.6|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
6-cylinder inline, 140 mm bore × 152 mm stroke, 90-100 hp (1912–1916) - 6-cylinder inline, E.6 development, 140 mm bore × 152 mm stroke, 120 hp
- V-12, 275 hp (1914–1915)
Aeroplanes
Airships
Boats
The Defender II a 1909 racing boat owned by Fred May was powered by a 60 hp Green aeroplane engine.In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the well made, reliable but heavy (450 lbs or 204 kg) 82 hp Green inline engine was produced for fast boats rather than aircraft.