Pobjoy Niagara

Quality 0.50 · 1 view · Updated 2 months ago

title: "Pobjoy Niagara" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["pobjoy-aircraft-engines", "1930s-aircraft-piston-engines", "aircraft-air-cooled-radial-piston-engines"] topic_path: "general/pobjoy-aircraft-engines" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pobjoy_Niagara" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="infobox aero engine"]

FieldValue
nameNiagara
imagePobjoy Niagara Science Museum London.JPG
captionPobjoy Niagara on display at the Science Museum, London
engine_typePiston radial aero engine
manufacturerPobjoy Airmotors
first_run1934
::

|name=Niagara |image=Pobjoy Niagara Science Museum London.JPG |caption= Pobjoy Niagara on display at the Science Museum, London |engine_type=Piston radial aero engine |manufacturer=Pobjoy Airmotors |first_run=1934 |major_applications=

The Pobjoy Niagara is a British seven-cylinder, air-cooled, radial, aero-engine first produced in 1934. The design ran at higher speeds than conventional engines, and used reduction gearing to lower the speed of the propeller. This led to a noticeable off-centre mounting for the propeller. The Niagara was a popular engine for light and experimental aircraft, well regarded due to its small diameter, smooth operation, low noise and innovative engineering.

Variants

;Niagara I :Bore/stroke 77 x 87 mm (3.03 x 3.43 in), swept volume 2,835 cc (173 cu in). Compression 6.25:1, gearing 0.47:1. Normal continuous power 84 hp (63 kW) at 3,200 rpm at sea level.

;Niagara II :Bore/stroke 77 x 87 mm (3.03x3.43 in), swept volume 2,835 cc (173 cu in). Compression 6.0:1, gearing 0.39:1. Normal continuous power 84 hp (63 kW) at 3,200 rpm at sea level.

;Niagara III :Bore/stroke 77 x 87 mm (3.03x3.43 in), swept volume 2,835 cc (173 cu in). Gearing 0.47:1. Normal continuous power 88 hp (66 kW) at 3,300 rpm at sea level.

;Niagara IV :Similar to Niagara III but with a higher operating rpm. Normal continuous power 98 hp (73 kW) at 3,500 rpm at sea level.

;Niagara V :Larger version of the basic Niagara. Bore/stroke 81 x 87 mm (3.19 x 3.43 in), swept volume 3,138 cc (191.5 cu in). Compression 8.0:1, gearing 0.47:1. Normal continuous power 125 hp (93 kW) at 4,000 rpm at sea level.

;Cataract I-III :De-rated, uncowled versions of Niagara I-III with simple inter-cylinder baffles for cooling and trickle-down lubrication for lower exhaust rockers. Compression 5.7:1, gearing 0.47:1.

;Cascade :Direct drive version of Cataract I. Normal continuous power 66 hp (49 kW) at 2,100 rpm.

Applications

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Pobjoy_Niagara.jpg" caption="Airworthy Pobjoy Niagara installed in a [[Comper Swift]] at the [[Shuttleworth Collection"] ::

Niagara

Cataract

Cascade

Surviving engines

A Pobjoy Niagara powered Comper Swift G-ACTF that is owned and operated by The Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden remains airworthy in 2017 and displays to the public at home airshows during the flying season.

Engines on display

A preserved Pobjoy Niagara engine is on public display at the Science Museum (London) and one is also held at the Museum of Transport and Technology (New Zealand).

Specifications (Pobjoy Niagara IV)

| and start a new, fully-formatted line with -- |ref=Lumsden. |type=7-cylinder, air-cooled, radial engine |bore=3.03 in (77 mm) |stroke=3.43 in (87 mm) |displacement=173 cu in (2.8 L) |length= |diameter=26.5 in (673 mm) |width= |height= |weight=130 lb (59 kg) |valvetrain=1 inlet and 1 exhaust valve per cylinder |supercharger= |turbocharger= |fuelsystem=1 Claudel-Hobson carburettor |fueltype=70 octane |oilsystem= |coolingsystem=Air-cooled |power= at 3,625 rpm maximum at sea level |specpower= |compression=6:1 |fuelcon= |specfuelcon= |oilcon= |power/weight=0.75 hp/lb

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989.
  • Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. .

References

  1. Gunston 1989, p.111.
  2. Jane's All the World's Aircraft p.26d
  3. Ord-Hume p.589
  4. [http://www.shuttleworth.org/collection/comperswift/ www.shuttleworth.org] Retrieved: 28 February 2017.
  5. Lumsden 2003, p.179.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

pobjoy-aircraft-engines1930s-aircraft-piston-enginesaircraft-air-cooled-radial-piston-engines