ABC Wasp
R-7 piston aircraft engine
title: "ABC Wasp" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1910s-aircraft-piston-engines", "abc-aircraft-engines", "aircraft-air-cooled-radial-piston-engines"] description: "R-7 piston aircraft engine" topic_path: "general/1910s-aircraft-piston-engines" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_Wasp" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary R-7 piston aircraft engine ::
::data[format=table title="infobox aero engine"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | ABC Wasp |
| image | British ABC WASP.jpg |
| caption | The WASP engine |
| engine_type | Radial engine |
| national_origin | United Kingdom |
| manufacturer | ABC Motors |
| designer | Granville Bradshaw |
| first_run | 1916 |
| number_built | 56 |
| :: |
|name = ABC Wasp |image = British ABC WASP.jpg |caption = The WASP engine |engine_type = Radial engine |national_origin = United Kingdom |manufacturer = ABC Motors |designer = Granville Bradshaw |first_run =1916 |major_applications = |produced = |number_built = 56 |developed_from = |variants_with_their_own_articles =
The ABC Wasp was an experimental 170 hp (127 kW) seven-cylinder radial engine designed by the noted British engineer Granville Bradshaw, and primarily built by ABC Motors Limited. An order for twelve experimental ABC Wasp engines was placed with Guy Motors on 19 April 1918. Eight ABC Wasp engines were made by Crossley Motors Ltd of Manchester, England.
Design and development
The ABC Wasp was one of the first large non-rotary air-cooled radials. At a weight of 290 pounds (131 kg), it had a reasonable power-to-weight ratio at 0.6 horsepower per pound. This World War I–era engine is noteworthy because it was one of the first in which the cylinders were coated with copper in an attempt to dissipate heat. The ABC Wasp never evolved beyond the experimental stage, but it was the predecessor of the unsuccessful Dragonfly engine.
Variants
;Wasp I :1918, 160 hp (119 kW) 4.5 x ;Wasp II :1919, 200 hp (149 kW) 4.75 x
Applications
;Wasp I
;Wasp II
Specifications (Wasp I)
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/BRITISH_ABC_WASP.jpg" caption="The ABC Wasp on display."] ::
|ref= Lumsden. |type=7-cylinder air-cooled radial |bore=4.53 in (115 mm) |stroke=5.9 in (150 mm) |displacement=667.1 cu in (10.78 L) |length= |diameter=42 in (1,067 mm) |width= |height= |weight=290 lb (131 kg) |valvetrain= |supercharger= |turbocharger= |fuelsystem= 2 Claudel-Hobson Carburettors |fueltype=40–50 octane petrol |oilsystem= |coolingsystem=Air-cooled |power=185 hp (138 kW) at 1,750 rpm |specpower= |compression=4.05:1 |fuelcon= |specfuelcon= |oilcon= |power/weight=0.63 hp/lb (1.05 kW/kg)
References
Notes
Bibliography
- Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. .
References
- "Aircraft Component Manufacturers – Guy Motors".
- "Aircraft engine, ABC Wasp No.1".
- "Fact Sheets : British ABC Wasp : British ABC Wasp".
- "OLD RHINEBECK AERODROME – ABC Wasp".
- (1921). "Airplane Engine Encyclopedia". THE OTTERBEIN PRESS.
- Lumsden 2003, p.52.
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