FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1943
1943 - 0834.PDF
34O FLIGHT APRIL IST, 1943 ENGINE PROGRESS, 1918-194 3 substantiated. By this con- centrated attention British de- signers and research engineers succeeded in keeping the com- paratively small engine in- dustry in the van of progress. In 1928 Rolls-Royce tested an exhaust-driven turbo super- charger with two stages for the compressor on a 12-cylinder Condor of 650 h.p., but finally adopted a geared centrifugal blower driven from the crank- shaft. The Napier Lion, Bristol and Liberty engines were also tested with exhaust-driven superchargers many years ago. A notable design of this era was the Napier 16-cylinder X type Cub engine. Royal Air Force pilots or ex-pilots had over a period set up many world's records, Capt. John Alcock and Lt. Whit- ten Brown making the first direct crossing of the Atlantic by air in June, 1919, on a Vickers-Vimy biplane with two Rolls-Royce Eagle engines. In 1933 a Fairey monoplane with a Napier Lion engine flew from Cranwell to Walvis Bay, a distance of 5,341 miles, in J52hrs. 25 min., in the hands of Sqn. Ldr, O. R, Gayford and Fit. Lt. G. E. Nicholetts. Altitude records were achieved and broken again as engine development proceeded, until Fit. Lt. M. J. Adam attained 53,937ft. in 1937 on a Bristol Pegasus- engined monoplane. In 1938 long-distance records were achieved by a trio of Vickers-Wellesley monoplanes with special Bristol Pegasus XXII engines, which flew from Ismailia to Darwin non-stop, a distance of 7,162 miles. That remarkable record of endurance has never been broken. (Top left) The broad arrowNapier Lion of 450 h.p. in 1920. It had a reduction gear for theairscrew. (Top right) The superchargedracing type Lion produced for the Schneider Trophy of 1929.It developed 1,320 b.h.p. (Below) The H type 24-cylinderDagger was the precursor of the Napier Sabre. 700 b.h.p. at 3,500r.p.m. A spell of activity with diesel type engines, both air- and liquid-cooled, brought forth no revolutionary engine, but at one time the altitude record was held by a Westland biplane fitted with a Bristol Phoenix diesel engine. The advent of petrol of 87 and later 100 octane ratings offset many of the advantages that a C.I. oil engine offered, par- ticularly for Service flying. Actually fuel improvements and supercharger progress permitting higher boost and cylinder working pressure, constitute the major advances of the period. These developments set problems for the metallurgical industry and plug manufacturers which were successfully surmounted by research and experiment. Names prominent in the development of aircraft engines over the years include E. W. Hives and A. G. Elliott (Rolls- Royce) ; Sir Roy H. Fedden and L. F. Butler (Bristol); Frank B. Halford (de Havilland and Napier), and H. R. Ricardo, the noted research engineer. In the development of special fuels of high octane rating Grp. Capt. F. R. Banks played a leading part durijj term with the Ethyl Corporation. Less than ten years ago the production of aircraft engines was mainly centred around tt Rolls-Royce, Bristol and Napier. Trainer type eilfJUR! were manufactured by Armstrong Siddeley, de Havilland and 1922 28 34 36 38 I94O1930 32 YEAR (Above) Showing the steady increase in piston speed, 1922to 1940. The dotted line illustrates the effect of dynamic loading for any given stroke, showing how engines havedeveloped in the capacity of their moving parts, bearing surfaces, lubrication, etc.(Right) Showing increase with time in the theoretical full throttle potential power at sea level of standardised engines. The curve is plotted on the basis of horse power per square inch of piston area. POTENTIAL H.R AT SEA LEVEL 1922 24 1930 32 YtAR 840
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
