Motori aeronautici a pistoni: libri illustrati di storia e guide

The Merlin: The Engine That Won the Second World War

Il Rolls-Royce Merlin è uno dei motori per aerei più famosi della storia. Ha equipaggiato aerei chiave della Seconda Guerra Mondiale, tra cui lo Spitfire e l'Hurricane, che difesero la Gran Bretagna durante la battaglia d'Inghilterra nel 1940. Ha anche spinto i bombardieri Lancaster e Halifax durante le missioni sulla Germania, così come il Mosquito, noto per i suoi bombardamenti di precisione e missioni di ricognizione.
Negli Stati Uniti, il Merlin è stato usato nel P-51 Mustang, che scortava i bombardieri B-17 e B-29 durante i raid diurni. Il Mustang ha servito anche in Nord Africa, nel Mediterraneo e nel Pacifico. Questo motore ha giocato un ruolo cruciale nella vittoria degli Alleati.

Il Merlin rimane emblematico, e il suo rumore distintivo è ancora udibile in Inghilterra, soprattutto durante le dimostrazioni del Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Recentemente è stato celebrato in occasione del centenario della RAF, con un Lancaster che guidava una formazione di Spitfire e Hurricane.
L'ex pilota Gordon Wilson racconta lo sviluppo e l'utilizzo di questo motore in tempo di guerra, condividendo le testimonianze degli equipaggi che ne dipendevano.

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Powering the Luftwaffe - German Aero Engines of World War II

Aviation technology progressed by leaps and bounds during the late 1930s and early 1940s. Although much of this was due to advances in airframe design, much less appreciated is the role of aero engine development.

This book focuses on this aspect, particularly German piston aero engine design and development, which has been generally under researched and under published compared to Allied piston aero engines. It covers key piston aero engines such as those produced by Daimler-Benz, BMW, and Junkers, as well as less well appreciated engines such as those produced by Siemens, Argus, and Hirth.
It also covers turbojets and rockets, particularly the Junkers Jumo 004 and Walter 109-509 that powered the infamous Messerschmitt Me 262 and Me 163 jet and rocket fighters.
Finally, the book concludes with tables comparing Allied and German piston engines, a glossary of key terms, and a bibliography.

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Powering the World's Airliners : Engine Developments from the Propeller to the Jet Age

From the simple propellers of the first airliners of the 1920s and 1930s, to the turboprops and turbojets of the modern era, the engines used in airliners have undergone dramatic development over a century of remarkable change. These advances are examined in detail by aeronautical engineer and author Reiner Decher, who provides a layman's guide to the engines that have, and continue to, power the aircraft which carry millions of travellers across millions of miles each year.

Reiner Decher also looks at the development of aero engines during the Second World War and how that conflict drove innovation. He also explains the nature of wing design and how they provide lift and of the considerations of airflow over their surfaces, from the early days of the twentieth century to the present.

To enable an easy understanding of this intriguing subject, "Powering the World's Airliners" is profusely illustrated, transporting readers back to the time of each major development and introducing them to the key individuals of the aero industry in each era.
After reading this comprehensive yet engaging story of the machines that power the aircraft in which we fly, no journey will ever seem quite the same again.

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The Secret Horsepower Race - Western Front Fighter Engine Development

Durante la Seconda Guerra Mondiale, i combattimenti aerei furono condotti da caccia a motore a pistoni. I motori a reazione erano in fase di sviluppo, ma non utilizzati in combattimento. La potenza di questi motori era essenziale per ottenere la supremazia aerea.

Questo libro ripercorre la corsa tra il Regno Unito e la Germania per progettare il motore da caccia più performante. Il vincitore di questa competizione tecnica poteva influenzare il corso della guerra. L'opera si interessa al lavoro segreto degli ingegneri e dei servizi di intelligence.

"The Secret Horsepower Race" di Calum E. Douglas si basa su ricerche approfondite negli archivi mondiali e su memorie inedite di progettisti di motori. Mostra come la tecnologia e lo spionaggio abbiano segnato la guerra aerea.

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Allied Aircraft Piston Engines of World War II

This book, now in its second edition, coalesces multiple aspects of war-driven aviation and its amazing technical accomplishments, leading to the allied victory during the second world war. Not by chance, the air battles that took place then defined much of the outcome of one of the bloodiest conflicts in modern history.
Forward-thinking airplane design had to be developed quickly as the war raged on, and the engines that propelled them were indeed the focus of intense cutting-edge engineering efforts. Flying higher, faster, and taking the enemy down before they even noticed your presence became a matter of life or death for the allied forces.

"Allied Aircraft Piston Engines of World War II, Second Edition", addresses British- and American-developed engines. It looks at the piston engines in detail as they supported amazing wins both in the heat of the air battles, and on the ground supplying and giving cover to the troops.
This new edition, fully revised by the original author, Graham White, offers new images and information, in addition to expanded specifications on the Rolls-Royce/ Packard Merlin and the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines.

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Sunbeam Aero Engines

La Sunbeam Motor Car Company, il primo grande produttore britannico di motori per aerei, entrò nell'industria aeronautica nel 1912. Furono tra i primi a comprare un aereo per testare i loro motori, pilotato dal famoso collaudatore Jack Alcock.

Durante la Prima Guerra Mondiale, Sunbeam fu un fornitore cruciale di motori e aerei, in particolare per il Royal Naval Air Service. I motori Sunbeam erano i motori britannici più potenti dell'epoca. Hanno spinto il primo aereo a silurare una nave nemica, l'unico aereo a volare durante la battaglia dello Jutland, e i primi idrovolanti a operare nell'Africa centrale.

Dopo la guerra, i motori Sunbeam hanno spinto dirigibili britannici notevoli come il R.34, il primo aereo a attraversare l'Atlantico da est a ovest e a effettuare un doppio attraversamento, e il R.33, il dirigibile britannico con il maggior numero di ore di volo.

Quando Sunbeam tornò alla produzione di automobili, i loro motori da aerei furono utilizzati in auto che stabilirono record di velocità, inclusa la prima a superare i 150 mph e i 200 mph, ironicamente più veloce di qualsiasi aereo spinto da Sunbeam.

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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.

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Vee's for Victory! - The Story of the Allison V-1710 Aircraft Engine, 1929-1948

Over 60 percent of U.S. Army fighters during World War II were powered by the Allison V-1710 engine, including the P-38, P-39, the lightweight fighters XP-46A and XP-47, as well as the early P-51 Mustangs.
It was a strong and reliable power plant that powered the pre-war generation of 400 mph Army pursuits, and the majority of Army combat fighters on through World War II. Even so, the V-1710 was controversial and often maligned, considered by some to have been a "second-rate" engine. Author Whitney's objective was to find, and tell, the true story of the 70,000 V-1710's and the people who built them.

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Die PS-Schlacht des Zweiten Weltkriegs - Höher, schneller, weiter - Jägermotoren der Westfront

The Second World War was a global air war. The aircraft played a central role in all theaters of war and established itself as a decisive weapon.
Engine development was of crucial importance here. By the end of the war, aircraft engines were more sophisticated than ever before and at their peak performance.

This volume tells the exciting story of the development in the various design offices and of the people behind them in every detail, with countless graphics, design drawings, data sheets and original photos.
A must for every real aviation library!

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