Question for the group

[Mick G]

What is the largest piston engine still manufactured and what aircraft are they in? Are they all opposing cylinders, inline's, V's? or are their any radials still being made in the world?

[Matt Gunsch]

The largest I know of recently is the Lycoming 720 series, 8 cylinder horizontally opposed.

[Dan K]

What is the largest piston engine still manufactured and what aircraft are they in? Are they all opposing cylinders, inline's, V's? or are their any radials still being made in the world?

To answer the radial question:

It seems that variations of the Vedeneyev M-14P, as well as VMP's "newer" M9F and M9FS radials, deliver horsepower in the area of 420-450 hp (although displacement is smaller than the Lycoming IO-720).

It would be a stretch to claim that the M-14P series is still being "manufactured". And the supply of M9F seems to be sporadic at best.

Here's some interesting history and recent status on both M-14P and M9F:

http://www.russianaeros.com/vedeneyev/v ... v-engines/


And VMP's current website "info" (LOL):

http://vmzvrn.ru/eng/products-and-servi ... roduction/

[DB2]

I believe the Chinese still have the HS-5 in production. The HS-5 is a development of the Russian Ash-82, which was a knock-off of the R-1820.

The HS-5 is used in the Chinese version of the AN-2...which is a mainstay of the North Korean Air Force.

[Dan K]

I believe the Chinese still have the HS-5 in production. The HS-5 is a development of the Russian Ash-82, which was a knock-off of the R-1820.

[/img]

Well, this is getting fun. I haven't found anything that verifies the Chinese are still producing the HS5, but I did find this outfit in Poland that offers new and rebuilt ASz-621R (Ash-62 copy), as well as a future fuel-injected upgrade offering even higher horsepower.

http://asz-62ir.pl.tl/


WSK website:

http://www.wsk.kalisz.pl/en

[A68-1001]

just for interest "v12 (650-1000hp) clean sheet design engines"
planned that is ,
http://www.heavy-fuel-engines.com/heavy-fuel-engine/

[JimH]

Warner Radials are going back in to production for new build Clipped Wing Monocoupes...Which is really cool, I hope they find a market for them. This is a notoriously squirrely airplane.

http://www.monocoupe.com/warner.html


Jim

[Pogo]

Jim, thanks for that! But can you say a bit about the "notoriously squirrely" nature of the airplane? For whatever reason the Monocoupe 110 has fascinated me ever since I was a kid, although that isn't to say I ever learned much about 'em. The "rebirth" of the type is exciting, hope it pans out.

[Mick G]

just for interest "v12 (650-1000hp) clean sheet design engines"
planned that is ,
http://www.heavy-fuel-engines.com/heavy-fuel-engine/

Thanks everyone so far for all of the info, I find this very interesting.

On this V12 example, providing it actually gets put into production, what kind of aircraft might it be used in? Seems awful large !

[A68-1001]

just for interest "v12 (650-1000hp) clean sheet design engines"
planned that is ,
http://www.heavy-fuel-engines.com/heavy-fuel-engine/

Thanks everyone so far for all of the info, I find this very interesting.

On this V12 example, providing it actually gets put into production, what kind of aircraft might it be used in? Seems awful large !

it says on this page http://www.heavy-fuel-engines.com/desig ... -complete/"The first customers in this project will be installing this engine into a 80% P51 project"

[JimH]

@Pogo...Sure! The original Clipped Wing was born out of Johnny Livingston's need to go faster during the heyday of the National Air Races. The Clipped Wing 110 was born...although Monocoupe only built 7. All of which were destroyed or groundlooped at some point during their life. The narrow gear and lack of good visibility really hampered operations. Guys like Woody Edmundson, John McCulloch, and a few others operated them successfully for years, which opens the question of pilot ability and training. It is a hot airplane and you cannot be behind the curve. Ruth Barron was lost in Johnny Livingston's original. This airplane is being rebuilt in Yolo, CA after this mishap below, (I'm not sure who to give credit to this photo) which is probably on its third incarnation.

Jim

[Pogo]

Thanks Jim! My goodness, that picture might be titled "The busiest pilot in the world (at that particular moment in time)".

Such a beautiful a/c...!

[DH82EH]

That pic sure shows off some huge ailerons.
The fabric on the right hand one looks like it's working for all that it is worth!

Andy

[Baldeagle]

I flew Bud Dake's Clipwing a couple of times, and while you do have to be on your game, a big part of the challenge in landing is just that it's very blind and what little view you do have is asymmetric. If you put it down straight it will tend to stay straight. I did only fly it off of grass though. Once airborne of course it's a thrill, and fairly well behaved.


Here is the unfortunate result of the landing pictured in Jim's post:



-

[Pogo]

Ouch.

But as long as everyone walked away from it...