U.S. H-Type Piston Engines

[sideshowbob9]

I was reading a book on American fighters last night and turned up something interesting under the Lockheed XP-58 entry. Among the many engines considered for the Chain Lightning was the Continental H-2860. Now I have never heard of this but even my maths-poor brain worked out it was 2 IV-1430s in a H configuration. Does anyone else have any information on this engine?

While we are on the subject can anyone point me in the direction of some references on the other H-type engines, the P & W H-2600, Lycoming H-2470 and the Menasco H-4070?

Slightly off topic, does anyone know what the Engineering Division W-2779 is? Best I can come up with is that someone coupled 2 V-1400s.

[Jschmus]

Pratt & Whitney X-1800, aka XH-2600
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_X-1800

This one is not an H-type engine, but it's derived from Lycoming's work on the H-2470
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycoming_R-7755

Thus far I haven't found anything on the other engines, but I will keep searching.

[apophenia]

ssb9: For a history of the P&W liquid-cooled engines (R-2060, H-3730, etc.) see:
http://www.enginehistory.org/Convention/2006/Presentations/McCutcheonK/PWLC3_1.pdf

In a nutshell, George Mead visited the UK in 1937 and was inspired by Napier to design the X-1800 (XH-2240) which led to the XH-2600 and ultimately the XH-3730 (X-3130/H-3130).

BTW, that 3130 refers to the displacement for the engine P&W proposed to the USN. Originally the proposal was for an air-cooled poppet-valved X-24 engine, hence X-3130. This was first changed to liquid-cooling, then to an H-24 configuration (2,650 hp inspired by the USAAC's X-1800 Hyper engine). Displacement was then increased to 3730 cid (hence the military's XH-3730 designation while P&W retained their now-inaccurate H-3130 designation).

For further searches, also try the know MX- designations. See: Andreas Parsch's MX- listing
http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/mx/1-499.html

There's a few details out there on the big Continental and Lycoming engines. I've yet to find any real details on the Menascos.

Anyway, here's my listing of US H engines (with inverted Vs added for good measure). 
_____________________________

US H-/XH- Engines

Continental XH-2860-1, 2851 cid, 5,000 hp H-24 (twinned O-1430 opposed-12)

Lycoming XH-2470 (MX-211) 2,468 cid (5.24' x 4.75'), 2,200-2,300 hp (XF14C, XP-54)
- twinned 1,275 hp, 1,234 cid O-1230 Hyper opposed-12

Menasco XH-4070-1 (MX-110) 4,071 cid (6' x 6') 3,400 hp, not built

Pratt & Whitney XH-2240 (X-1800) Hyper 2,240 cid, sleeve-valve H, enlarged into XH-2600
Pratt & Whitney XH-2600 (X-1800) Hyper 2,598 cid, sleeve-valve H, 2,000-2,200 hp, 1 built
Pratt & Whitney XH-3730 (X-3130 or H-3130*) Hyper, sleeve-valve H, 3,000 hp

Studebaker XH-9350 (MX-232) 9349 cid (8' x 7.75'), 5,000 hp H-24, not built

Wright XH-4240, 4243 cid (6.125' x 6'), 2,000 hp H-24 (using XIV-2020 cylinders), not built
_________________________________

US I-/IV-/XIV- Inverted V Engines

Chrysler I-2220, 2,219 cid (5.8' x 5.25') V-16, 2,000 hp (2,500 hp projected), for XP-47H
- inverted V-16 (paired V-8s)

Continental XIV-1430, 1425.5 cid (5.5' x 5'), 1,500-1,700 hp V-12, for XP-49/-52/-53/-67
- inverted V-12 derivative of XO-1430/O-1430 opposed-12

Continental IV-1440, (IV-1430 derivative?), for XP-58

Menasco XIV-2020-1 (MX-46), 2035 cid (6' x 6') 2,000 hp, not built

_____________________________________

[sideshowbob9]

Thanks for the info guys.

Wright XH-4240, 4243 cid (6.125' x 6'), 2,000 hp H-24 (using XIV-2020 cylinders), not built

Never heard of this one before. Are you sure it uses 2 Menasco IV-2020s? If so, how does it have a different volume to the Menasco H-4070 which must definately use IV-2020s? The 4240 number is closer to using 2 IV-2220s but even that doesn't quite add up.

I'm not saying it's wrong but it is something of an oddity.

[jcf]

Wright XH-4240, 4243 cid (6.125' x 6'), 2,000 hp H-24 (using XIV-2020 cylinders), not built

Never heard of this one before. Are you sure it uses 2 Menasco IV-2020s? If so, how does it have a different volume to the Menasco H-4070 which must definately use IV-2020s? The 4240 number is closer to using 2 IV-2220s but even that doesn't quite add up.

I'm not saying it's wrong but it is something of an oddity.

Note that evidently the Wright used the IV-2020 cylinders, not complete engines, and that the cylinder bore was increased to 6.125 in, increasing the swept volume of each cylinder to 176.78 in³.

176.78 X 24 = 4242.79 in³.

[sideshowbob9]

Ah, that will be it then. Thanks.

[apophenia]

Yeah, thanks Jon. Obviously I could have made the bit about IV-2020 cylinders a tad clearer.

BTW, if anyone has more on those Menascos, I'd love to hear about them.

[ysi_maniac]

Love BIG piston engines!!!! 

[KJ_Lesnick]

In a nutshell, George Mead visited the UK in 1937 and was inspired by Napier to design the X-1800 (XH-2240) which led to the XH-2600 and ultimately the XH-3730 (X-3130/H-3130).

I thought the 3130/3730 came first?

Anyway, here's my listing of US H engines (with inverted Vs added for good measure). 
_____________________________

US H-/XH- Engines

Continental XH-2860-1, 2851 cid, 5,000 hp H-24 (twinned O-1430 opposed-12)

You know, I never knew they doubled up the XI-1430.  When did they propose doubling up this design?

[jcf]

You know, I never knew they doubled up the XI-1430.  When did they propose doubling up this design?

They didn't, it was two of the original O-1430 design stacked one above the other.
The O-1430 was redesigned into the inverted V-12 XI-1430.

[dogsbody]

What about the Napier Monarch? The US checked it out with a Fairey Battle borrowed from Britain.






Chris

[jcf]

That's the Fairey P.24 Monarch. 

[NARSES2]

Is the radiator on that Monarch retractable ? Could be fun taking off/landing on a bumpy field if it isn't.

[PR19_Kit]

It's the engine that's a Monarch, the aeroplane is a Battle, or it was once anyway. 

Yes, that's one MONSTER radiator for sure. 

[kitnut617]

Looking at the side view of that Battle/Monarch, gave me an idea --- what-if the radiator was modified into a P-51 style radiator duct ---