Wright Cyclone series

Background

The Wright Aeronautical Corporation was formed in 1919, initially to develop liquid-cooled Hispano-Suiza V8 engines under license. In 1923 the Wright purchased the Lawrance Aero Engine Company, and with the purchase Charles Lawrance came to Wright as the Vice-President. 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 1652 cuin displacement that was derived from an earlier Lawrence design, it produced 400 hp. The second, the P-2, had the same 1652 cuin displacement as the P-1, but was an improved design that produced 435 hp. Neither engine entered production, with the Navy selecting the superior Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp, so in 1926 work started on the improved 1750 cuin design, which became the R-1750 Cyclone.

Cyclone family

R-1300 Cyclone 7 (1942)

• 7-cylinder single row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6+1/8 x
• Displacement: 1301 cuin
• Power output: 800 hp

R-1750 Cyclone (1926)

• 9-cylinder single row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6 x
• Displacement: 1750 cuin
• Power output: 500 -

R-1820 Cyclone (1932)

• 9-cylinder single row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6+1/8 x
• Displacement: 1823 cuin
• Power output: 575 -

R-2600 Cyclone 14 (Twin Cyclone) (1935)

• 14-cylinder two row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6+1/8 x
• Displacement: 2603 cuin
• Power output: 1400 -

R-3350 Cyclone 18 (Duplex Cyclone) (1937)

• 18-cylinder two row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6+1/8 x
• Displacement: 3347 cuin
• Power output: 1800 -

R-4090 Cyclone 22

• 22-cylinder two row air cooled radial
• Bore x stroke: 6+1/8 x
• Displacement: 4090 cuin

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

References

Citations

Bibliography