Aircraft piston engines: books - history (3/3)

The Engines of Pratt & Whitney - A Technical History as Told by the Engineers Who Made the History

Describes the evolution from piston engines to gas turbines by the engineers who created those engines. Included are hundreds of archival photographs, as well as over a dozen tables listing specifications and applications. The story starts with the founding of the company in the 1920s to provide reliable air-cooled piston engines to the military and to help create coast-to-coast commercial flight service.
Pratt & Whitney quickly dominated commercial and military flight in the 1930s, ultimately providing half the horsepower of American engines during World War II.

Jack Connors explains how Pratt & Whitney came from behind the competition in developing gas turbines after the war with the debut of the J57, which powered the B-52 in 1952 and later the Air Force Century Series fighters (F-100, F-101, and F-102) and the Navy A-3D, F-4D, and F-8 airplanes.
Also covered is the development of the J58, which powered the Mach 3+ YF-12 and SR-71 aircraft and subsequent military engines; the F100 in the F-15 and F-16; the F119 in the F-22; and, the F135 in the F-35 series.Pratt & Whitney's contribution to the luxury commercial jet era travel is also detailed, with its JT3, JT3D, JT4, JT8D, JT9D, PW2000, PW4000, and PW6000 in Boeing, Douglas, and Airbus aircraft.

This history of Pratt & Whitney's role in the evolution of aircraft engines from 1925 to the present day offers young engineers a wealth of insights about design, development, marketing, and product support for commercial and military customers.

R-4360 - Pratt & Whitney's Major Miracle

Pratt & Whitney's R-4360, or "Wasp Major" as it was known in the commercial marketplace, was a very large engine, displacing 4,360 cubic inches. Somewhat akin to the steam age when triple-expansion engines the size of cathedrals ruled the waves, the R-4360 at one time represented the largest and most sophisticated of its breed. Nothing else in the late-1940s marketplace could boast what the R-4360 did - 3,000 to 4,000 hp. By the end of the piston-engine era Pratt & Whitney had placed into mass production the largest and most powerful engine ever built in quantity.

This book provides a detailed account of the inner workings of the R-4360. Also covered is the engine's development history, variations, and its military, commercial, and racing applications.

Rolls-Royce Aero Engine Advertisements (Volume One) 1917-1949

This compilation of British aviation industry advertisements comprises the listings for Rolls-Royce Aero Engines from 1917 to 1949. It is one of a series of compilations providing a unique source of reference for researchers, enthusiasts and anyone interested in the timelines of British aviation industry companies.
The advertisement images are reproduced at one per page and without any accompanying narrative. Each item includes the source title and original date of publication.

Sunbeam Aero Engines

The first great British aircraft engine manufacturer, the Sunbeam Motor Car Company turned to the sunrise industry of aviation in 1912, and was among the first to buy an aircraft to test their engines, flown by a full-time test pilot, the famous Jack Alcock.
Through the First World War Sunbeam was a vital supplier, of both engines and aircraft, particularly to the Royal Naval Air Service. Consistently Sunbeams were the most powerful British engines available, and they were fitted to the first aircraft to torpedo an enemy ship, the only aircraft to fly at the Battle of Jutland, and the first seaplanes to operate in the heart of Africa.

After the War they powered the greatest of British Airships the R.34, the first aircraft to fly the Atlantic east to west, and the first to make the double crossing, and the R.33, the British dirigible with the highest flying hours.
As Sunbeam reverted to car manufacture their aero engines were fitted to a succession of land speed record-breaking cars, including the first to exceed 150 mph and the first to exceed 200 mph, ironically, faster than any Sunbeam-powered aircraft.