FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0084.PDF
FLIGHT, JANUARY 25, 1934 THE "GIPSY SIX" The latest type of De Havilland engine has a number of parts in common with the " Gipsy Major," but has six cylinders instead of four and develops a normal power of 184 b.h.p. at 2,100 r.p.m. Like the " Gipsy Major " the " Gipsy Six " is a direct-drive engine. 1 HE de Havilland Aircraft Co., Ltd., has estab-lished something of a record in the produc-tion of the " Gipsy Six " engine which was introduced to repre-sentatives of the Press on January 19. The firm has for many years followed the policy that one cannot consider too care-Eully the details and characteristics of a new type of aircraft or anew type of engine. But once the directors have taken thedecision that a certain new type is to be produced, no time is lostin translating the plans into reality. One could not have amuch better example of this policy than the " Gipsy Six "engine. The decision to produce the new six-cylinder engine wastaken some time in July of last year. Major F. B. Halford, whodesigned the engine in close collaboration with Capt. G. de Havilland, at once got busy, and his drawing office sentthe first drawing to the works on July 24. Mr. R. Hutchinson, who is works manager of the de HavillandEngine Department, was " all set " to start work, and THE " GIPSY SIX " : Induction side, showing two Claudel Hobson carburettors, Autoklean filter, and mounting brackets. Note the absence of accessories on the back of the engine. It may be argued that as the " Gipsy Six " has anumber of parts in common with the " Gipsy Major," the task of producing and perfecting the new engine was arelatively light one. But it must be remembered that many new important parts had to be designed and made. things moved to such good purpose at Stag Lane that The crankcase is an electron casting, and had to be very- „„ ^__,___,__.. nn ,,__ r. — . =__ J- rigjd to ensure free runmng of the long six-throw crank- shaft. In order to avoid too long an engine, the usualdrives, etc., were removed from the back of the engine to positions where the drive is taken from the front endof the crankshaft. The effect of this has been to shorten by 7.30 a.m. on September 29 the first engine was readyto be run. Then followed a little over 3 weeks for developmentwork, and on October 22 Mr. Hutchinson had four engines ready for installation in aeroplanes and one engine prepared for type tests. The Air Ministry type tests were the overall length to such an extent that the " Gipsy completed on December 19. Six " is only the equivalent of about one cylinder longer CLEANNESS : These side and front views show how remarkably neat the " Gipsy Six " is, with no external pipes, The frontal area is very small. 84
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
