Wright Cyclone series
R-1300, R-1820, R-2600 and R-3350
Type	Radial engine series
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Wright Aeronautical

Wright Cyclone was the name given to a family of air-cooled radial piston engines designed by the Wright Aeronautical Corporation and used in numerous American aircraft in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.

Background [ edit ]

The Wright Aeronautical Corporation was formed in 1919, initially to develop liquid-cooled Hispano-Suiza V8 engines under license. ^[1] In 1923 the Wright purchased the Lawrance Aero Engine Company , and with the purchase Charles Lawrance came to Wright as the Vice-President. ^[1] Later that year the US Navy awarded Wright a contract to develop two new air-cooled radial engines. The first, called the P-1, was a 9-cylinder single row design of 1,652 cu in (27.07 L) displacement that was derived from an earlier Lawrence design, it produced 400 hp (300 kW). ^[2] The second, the P-2, had the same 1,652 cu in (27.07 L) displacement as the P-1, but was an improved design that produced 435 hp (324 kW). ^[2] Neither engine entered production, with the Navy selecting the superior Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp , so in 1926 work started on the improved 1,750 cu in (28.7 L) design, which became the R-1750 Cyclone. ^[3]

Cyclone family [ edit ]

R-1300 Cyclone 7 (1942) ^{[4] [5]}

• 7-cylinder single row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6 + 1 ⁄ 8  in ×  6 + 5 ⁄ 16  in (156 mm × 160 mm)
• Displacement: 1,301 cu in (21.32 L)
• Power output: 800 hp (600 kW)

R-1750 Cyclone (1926) ^{[2] [6] [3]}

• 9-cylinder single row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6 in ×  6 + 7 ⁄ 8  in (152 mm × 175 mm)
• Displacement: 1,750 cu in (28.7 L)
• Power output: 500?525 hp (373?391 kW)

R-1820 Cyclone (1932) ^{[7] [8] [9]}

• 9-cylinder single row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6 + 1 ⁄ 8  in ×  6 + 7 ⁄ 8  in (156 mm × 175 mm)
• Displacement: 1,823 cu in (29.87 L)
• Power output: 575?1,525 hp (429?1,137 kW)

R-2600 Cyclone 14 (Twin Cyclone) (1935) ^{[10] [11]}

• 14-cylinder two row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6 + 1 ⁄ 8  in ×  6 + 5 ⁄ 16  in (156 mm × 160 mm)
• Displacement: 2,603 cu in (42.66 L)
• Power output: 1,400?1,900 hp (1,000?1,400 kW)

R-3350 Cyclone 18 (Duplex Cyclone) (1937) ^{[10] [12]}

• 18-cylinder two row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6 + 1 ⁄ 8  in ×  6 + 5 ⁄ 16  in (156 mm × 160 mm)
• Displacement: 3,347 cu in (54.85 L)
• Power output: 1,800?2,800 hp (1,300?2,100 kW)

R-4090 Cyclone 22 ^[13]

• 22-cylinder two row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6 + 1 ⁄ 8  in ×  6 + 5 ⁄ 16  in (156 mm × 160 mm)
• Displacement: 4,090 cu in (67.0 L)

Note: the designations refer to the engine configurations as follows: "R" = Radial , followed by the approximate displacement in cubic inches .

See also [ edit ]

• Pratt & Whitney Wasp series ? contemporary competing line of engines
• Wright Whirlwind series ? contemporary smaller displacement line of engines

References [ edit ]

Citations [ edit ]

Bibliography [ edit ]