LeBlond Aircraft Engine Corporation
Encyclopedia
LeBlond Aircraft Engine Corporation was a small engine manufacturer incorporated on April 11, 1928 and located on the northwest corner of Madison and Edwards Roads in Norwood, Ohio
as a subsidiary of the R. K. LeBlond Machine Tool Company
in Cincinnati, Ohio
, a well known manufacturer of machinist lathes.
's automaker Rickenbacker
owned by World War I
pilot and ace Eddie Rickenbacker
and the engineer, Glenn D. Angle. and their 5-cylinder Air Cat engine. LeBlond employed the company's designer and previous co-owner, Glenn D. Angle, to improve the design for further production and development. The LeBlond line was continually refined and improved through late 1937.
In December 1937, in order to offset a large tax liability incurred by the LeBlond Tool company, the subsidiary, LeBlond Engines, was sold at a significant loss to Raymond A. Rearwin of Rearwin Airplanes. The purchase was a perfect fit for Rearwin as his company was one of the largest users of LeBlond engines and gave Rearwin a well accepted radial engine to use on his designs. Rearwin renamed the company Ken-Royce Motors after his two sons Ken and Royce Rearwin and continued production of the line until World War Two.
Production of the LeBlond designs never resumed, as the design was not economical compared to the newer flat engines of the post-war era. LeBlond/Ken-Royce engine parts were provided during the 1950s by Air Associates and in the 1960s the remaining parts were sold to the Antique Airplane Association
of Blakesburg, Iowa
.
LeBlond 70-5DE
LeBlond 85-5DF
LeBlond 70-5E
LeBlond 80-5F
LeBlond 85-5DF
LeBlond 90-5F
LeBlond 90-5G
LeBlond 110-7DF
LeBlond 110-7F
LeBlond 120-7
Parts interchangeable between the 5 and 7-cylinder models of the LeBlond and later Ken-Royce engines include the cylinder assemblies, gear case and oil pump. As the engine is modular in design, the gear case can be removed intact. The oil pump, being a single unit, can be removed from the bottom of the gear case for overhaul or replacement.
The Stromberg NAR-3 carburetor contains a built-in "primer" which acts like a choke by leaking gasoline into the intake stream when activated, in order to prime the engine.
The valve springs used on LeBlond's and Ken-Royce engines are of the volute spring
type which is wound in a beehive shape out of strip steel. Unlike most engines, which have nested coil springs wound from round wire. This type of spring was inherited from the original Detroit Air-Cat as at the time of the Air-Cat design in the late twenties, round wire springs had resonance and fatigue problems. The volute design eliminated the resonance and lasted longer.
Norwood, Ohio
Norwood is the second most populous city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The city is an enclave of the larger city of Cincinnati. The population was 21,675 at the 2000 census. Originally settled as an early suburb of Cincinnati in the wooded countryside north of the city, the area is...
as a subsidiary of the R. K. LeBlond Machine Tool Company
R. K. LeBlond Machine Tool Company
In 1887, R. K. LeBlond founded the R. K. LeBlond Machine Tool Company to manufacture metal cutting lathes. As a result of a joint venture with Makino Milling Machine, LeBlond Makino Machine Tool Company was formed in 1981. In 1996, LeBlond Makino Machine Tool Company changed its name to Makino...
in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, a well known manufacturer of machinist lathes.
History
In 1928 Richard K. LeBlond purchased Detroit Aircraft Engineering Corporation, then a subsidiary of DetroitDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
's automaker Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker (car)
Rickenbacker Motor Company was a US automobile manufacturer based in Detroit, Michigan from 1922 until 1928.The company was established by Eddie Rickenbacker , America's leading fighter ace during World War I. He used his World War I 94th Fighter Squadron emblem depicting a top hat inside a ring...
owned by 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...
pilot and ace Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
and the engineer, Glenn D. Angle. and their 5-cylinder Air Cat engine. LeBlond employed the company's designer and previous co-owner, Glenn D. Angle, to improve the design for further production and development. The LeBlond line was continually refined and improved through late 1937.
In December 1937, in order to offset a large tax liability incurred by the LeBlond Tool company, the subsidiary, LeBlond Engines, was sold at a significant loss to Raymond A. Rearwin of Rearwin Airplanes. The purchase was a perfect fit for Rearwin as his company was one of the largest users of LeBlond engines and gave Rearwin a well accepted radial engine to use on his designs. Rearwin renamed the company Ken-Royce Motors after his two sons Ken and Royce Rearwin and continued production of the line until World War Two.
Production of the LeBlond designs never resumed, as the design was not economical compared to the newer flat engines of the post-war era. LeBlond/Ken-Royce engine parts were provided during the 1950s by Air Associates and in the 1960s the remaining parts were sold to the Antique Airplane Association
Antique Airplane Association
The Antique Airplane Association, Inc. ' is the oldest antique airplane association in the world. The AAA formed in August of 1953 by Robert L...
of Blakesburg, Iowa
Blakesburg, Iowa
Blakesburg is a city in Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 374 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Blakesburg's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 40.962817, -92.636044....
.
Products
The LeBlond 5D was the first engine introduced by LeBlond in 1928. The 5D engine design was in essence, a 1925 Detroit Air Cat with minor improvements.LeBlond 5 Variants
LeBlond 60-5D- Introduced in 1928, the 60-5D was a 60 hp (45 kw) 5-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine with a displacement of 234 cubic inches (3.8 litres). This model used iron cylinder heads and was a direct development of the Detroit Air Cat.
LeBlond 70-5DE
- Introduced in 1930, the 70-5F was a 70 hp (52 kw) 5-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine using iron cylinder heads and two bearings.
LeBlond 85-5DF
- Introduced in 1930, the 85-5F was a 85 hp (63 kw) 5-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine using aluminum cylinder heads and three bearings.
LeBlond 70-5E
- Introduced in 1930, the 70-5E was a 70 hp (52 kw) 5-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine. Production of the 5E continued in production under Ken-Royce as the Rearwin Ken-Royce 5E.
LeBlond 80-5F
- Introduced in 1930, the 80-5F was an 80 hp (60 kw) 5-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine with a displacement of 266 cubic inches (4.4 litres) Using three bearings as developed for the earlier 5DF series, the LeBlond 5F was introduced in 1930. When aircraft powered with the 5F were commandeered by the U.S. Army, the engine was re-designated the R-265. This engine was the last of the so-called 'greasers'. Production of the 5F continued under Ken-Royce as the Rearwin Ken-Royce 5G.
LeBlond 85-5DF
- Introduced in 1930, the 85-5F was an 85 hp (63 kw) 5-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine with a displacement of 266 cubic inches (4.4 litres)
LeBlond 90-5F
- Introduced in 1930, the 90-5F was a 90 hp (68 kw) 5-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine with a displacement of 266 cubic inches (4.4 litres)
LeBlond 90-5G
- Introduced in 1930, the 90-5G was a 90 hp (68 kw) 5-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine with a displacement of 266 cubic inches (4.4 litres) Production of the 5G continued under Ken-Royce as the Rearwin Ken-Royce 5G.
LeBlond 7 Variants
LeBlond 90-7D- Introduced in 1929, the 90-7D was a 90 hp (68 kw) 7-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine using iron heads.
LeBlond 110-7DF
- Introduced in 1930, the 110-7DF was a 110 hp (82 kw) 7-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine using aluminum heads.
LeBlond 110-7F
- A 110 hp (82 kw) 7-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine using aluminum cylinder heads and three bearings. As with the 5F, the 7F continued in production under Ken-Royce as the Rearwin Ken-Royce 7G.
LeBlond 120-7
- Introduced in 1929, the 120-7 was a 120 hp (89 kw) 7-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engine.
Parts interchangeable between the 5 and 7-cylinder models of the LeBlond and later Ken-Royce engines include the cylinder assemblies, gear case and oil pump. As the engine is modular in design, the gear case can be removed intact. The oil pump, being a single unit, can be removed from the bottom of the gear case for overhaul or replacement.
The Stromberg NAR-3 carburetor contains a built-in "primer" which acts like a choke by leaking gasoline into the intake stream when activated, in order to prime the engine.
The valve springs used on LeBlond's and Ken-Royce engines are of the volute spring
Volute spring
A Volute spring is a compression spring in the form of a cone . Under compression, the coils slide past each other, thus enabling the spring to be compressed to a very short length in comparison to what would be possible with a more conventional helix spring.The shape of the initial spring steel ...
type which is wound in a beehive shape out of strip steel. Unlike most engines, which have nested coil springs wound from round wire. This type of spring was inherited from the original Detroit Air-Cat as at the time of the Air-Cat design in the late twenties, round wire springs had resonance and fatigue problems. The volute design eliminated the resonance and lasted longer.