Wright Cyclone
Encyclopedia
Wright Cyclone was the name given to a family of air-cooled radial piston engine
Radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central crankshaft like the spokes on a wheel...

s designed by Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....

 and used in numerous American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s.

Background

The Wright Aeronautical Corporation was formed in 1919, initially to develop Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza was a Spanish automotive and engineering firm, best known for its luxury cars and aviation engines in the pre-World War II period of the twentieth century. In 1923, its French subsidiary became a semi-autonomous partnership with the parent company and is now part of the French SAFRAN...

 engines under licence. The Corporation’s first indigenous design, the R1, was also the first successful high-powered radial in the USA. Funded by contracts from the US Navy for new air-cooled radials, Wright started a new design (initially called the P2) in 1924. The resignation of Frederick B. Rentschler to join Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA...

, along with several key engineering personnel, seriously affected the development of the P2 and it did not go into production.

Cyclone family

  • Wright R-1300
    Wright R-1300
    |-See also:-External links:...

     Cyclone 7
  • Wright R-1820
    Wright R-1820
    |-See also:-References:* Bridgman, L, Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7* Eden, Paul & Soph Moeng, The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152...

     Cyclone 9
  • Wright R-2600
    Wright R-2600
    |-See also:-Bibliography:* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1998. ISBN 0-517-67964-7-External links:...

     Cyclone 14 (Twin Cyclone)
  • Wright R-3350
    Wright R-3350
    The Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone was one of the most powerful radial aircraft engines produced in the United States. It was a twin row, supercharged, air-cooled, radial engine with 18 cylinders. Power ranged from 2,200 to over 3,700 hp , depending on the model...

     Cyclone 18 (Duplex Cyclone)
  • Wright R-4090 Cyclone 22

R-1750 Cyclone 9

A new design was launched in 1926, known as the R-1750 Cyclone. This was a nine-cylinder radial with a displacement of 1750 cu in and internally cooled exhaust valves. It was type-tested at 500 hp in 1927.

R-1820 Cyclone 9

Wright merged with Curtiss in 1929 and recovered from the loss of Rentschler and other engineering staff. In 1932, the R-1750 was developed to a capacity of 1823 cu in. This was the F model Cyclone, designated R-1820. This engine introduced a forged aluminium crankcase and was developed through the 1930s to reach 890 hp. It used a bought-in General Electric supercharger and Wright concluded that this feature limited the potential power output of the engine. For the next development, the G-Series of 1937, Wright developed its own single-speed supercharger. The G-series was developed to deliver 1200 hp at 2500 rpm and made up the bulk of R-1820 Cyclone production during World War 2. The final phase of development of the single row radial design was the H-Series at 1350 hp.

R-2600 Cyclone 14

Wright went on to develop two-row engines with 14 cylinders in two rows of 7, called the Cyclone 14, R-2600
Wright R-2600
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1998. ISBN 0-517-67964-7-External links:...

. This was installed in the Boeing 314
Boeing 314
The Boeing 314 Clipper was a long-range flying boat produced by the Boeing Airplane Company between 1938 and 1941 and is comparable to the British Short S.26. One of the largest aircraft of the time, it used the massive wing of Boeing’s earlier XB-15 bomber prototype to achieve the range necessary...

,
Grumman TBM/TBF Avenger
TBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....

, North American B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...

, and some models of the Douglas A-20
Douglas DB-7
The Douglas A-20/DB-7 Havoc was a family of American attack, light bomber and night fighter aircraft of World War II, that served with several Allied air forces, principally those of the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and United States. The DB-7 was also used by the air forces of Australia, South...

 Havoc (RAF Boston).

R-3350 Cyclone 18

The final Cyclone development was the 18 cylinder engine R-3350, called the Duplex Cyclone or Cyclone 18. Among other applications, it was installed in the Douglas Skyraider, but the most crucial military application for this engine was the B-29 bomber, whose most memorable exploits were to carry the atomic bomb to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In other commercial applications it stayed in production until 1957.

R-4090 Cyclone 22

Based on the mechanical components of the R-2600 and R-3350, the Cyclone 22 was a two-row 22 cylinder development intended to compete directly with the Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engine, but was not proceeded with.

See also

  • Pratt & Whitney Wasp
    Pratt & Whitney Wasp
    -External links:*...

    - a comparable competing line of engines
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