NEW AERO ENGINE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17346, 25 August 1930, Page 12

NEW AERO ENGINE

SECRET TESTS FOR R.A.F. GREAT SPEED ON SMALL POWER LONDON, June 19. An entirely new type of air-cooled aero engine, to be exhibited at the R.A.F. display at Hendon, is described below. Unprecedented speed will be attained with comparativeiy low power. The Air Ministry to-day releases particulars of a new aero engine which during its design, construction, and tests has been on the secret list. This is the first air-cooled engine produced by D. Napier and Son, and it is in marked contrast to the usual radial type of air-cooled aero engine, for its cylinders are arranged in a manner which offers very little resistancearea. . The new engine is fitted in the D.H.77, a new Interceptor Fighter, ■ which, unlike Fighters used in the British service, is a monoplane. This interesting machine will be exhibited among the new and experimental types at the R.A.F. display on June 28, and it will be flown on that day, revealing unprecedented speed for a comparatively low-power type. the engine is one of 300-h.p., whereas new R.A.F. Fighters have engines of 600 to 700-b.p., and vet are very little faster than the D.H.77. The new engine is one of novel arrangement, having four tanks of four cylinders vertically opposed, and looking from the front like a capital “ll.’ Unis only the area of four cylinders is opposed to the air, whereas in the ordinary radial air-cooled types the cylinders are arranged like the petals oi a flower. hence the nickname “chrysanthemum.’ OLD DRAWBACK OVERCOME The air-cooled radial-engined aeroplane has always been at a speed disadvantage as compared with water-cooled engine types of the same power. * The weight of the new engine is 620 lb. It is fitted with a supercharger. The Interceptor Fighter, which lias been designed by the De Havilland Aircraft Co. for it, is a low-wing monoplane with a span of 32ft., length 24ft. 6in., and Height 7ft 6in. The engine was designed by Major F. B. Halford, the racing motorist, who designed the Gypsy, Cirrus, and other engines. Ho has been assisted in the development of the engine bv Mr. Wilkinson, chief engineer of the Napiei Co., whoso work played an important part in securing the British Schneider Trophy victory at Venice in ,1927. The* conception of this arrangement of cylinders in an air-cooled aero encine is u matter of some moment, for there can lie no doubt it will be the startin ■ point of a series which will probably he seen in racing as well as service aircraft.