Tuesday, June 6, 2017

28-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-4360. It powered many aircraft in the 40s and 50s, including the Hughes Spruce Goose


The largest displacement aviation engine to be mass produced in the US.

But then there's this:  Although mechanically reliable in flight, it developed an unenviable reputation for in-flight fires, particularly in its Boeing Stratocruiserapplication, and in addition the Wasp Major was maintenance-intensive. Improper starting technique could foul all 56 spark plugs; requiring hours to clean or replace.

Wasp Majors were produced between 1944 and 1955; 18,697 were built.  Yep, I'd call that mass production.


3 comments:

  1. How would you like to safety wire the cylinder base nuts on that monster ?? You wouldn't have any skin left on your knuckles me thinks

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  2. http://www.pratt-whitney.com/R4360_Wasp_Major_Engine

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  3. The cylinder base nuts had no safety wire, they had pal nuts ( a thin stamped lock nut on top of the cylinder base nut that keeps them from backing off)

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