Pratt & Whitney R-2800

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The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp was an aircraft engine, and part of the long-lived Wasp family. It was a two-row, 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial design. Displacement was 2,804 cubic inches (46 liters); bore and stroke were 5.75" and 6".

The R-2800 is considered one of the premier radial piston engines ever designed. It became legendary when used in several aircraft during World War II, notably the F4U Corsair, P-47 Thunderbolt, and the Grumman F6F Hellcat. During the war years, Pratt & Whitney were always coming up with new ideas to upgrade this already powerful workhorse, most notably water injection to give emergency power in combat.

After World War II, the engine was used in the Korean War, and surplus World War II aircraft powered with the Double-Wasp served with other countries well past the Korean War, some being retired as late as the latter part of the 1960s when the aircraft were replaced. The R-2800 also powered post-war propliners from Douglas, Lockheed and Martin. Today, more than 60 years after the first Double Wasp was built, it is still used in many restored vintage aircraft in air shows.

Contents 1 Models 2 Specifications (R-2800-54) 3 Aircraft usage 4 Related contents 5 Reference 6 External links

[edit] Models

• R-2800-9: 2,000 hp (1,491 kW)
• R-2800-10W: 2,000 hp (1,491 kW)
• R-2800-27: 2,000 hp (1,491 kW)
• R-2800-31: 2,000 hp (1,491 kW)
• R-2800-34W: 2,100 hp (1,567 kW)
• R-2800-43: 2,000 hp (1,491 kW)
• R-2800-54: 2,100 hp (1,567 kW)

[edit] Specifications (R-2800-54)

General characteristics

• Type: 18-cylinder air-cooled two-row radial engine with water injection
• Bore: 5.75 in (146 mm)
• Stroke: 6 in (152 mm)
• Displacement: 2,804 in³ (46 L)
• Diameter: 52.8 in (1342 mm)
• Dry weight: 2,360 lb (1,073 kg)

Components

• Valvetrain: Poppet, two valves per cylinder
• Supercharger: Variable-speed (in F8F-2, unified with throttle via AEC automatic engine control), single stage single speed centrifugal type supercharger
• Fuel system: One Stromberg injection carburetor
• Fuel type: 100/130 octane gasoline
• Cooling system: Air-cooled

Performance

• Power output: 2,100 hp (1,567 kW)
• Specific power: 0.75 hp/in³ (34.1 kW/L)
• Power-to-weight ratio: 0.89 hp/lb (1.46 kW/kg)

[edit] Aircraft usage

A partial list of aircraft that were powered by the R-2800 (and a few prototypes that utilized it at one point) includes the AJ Savage/A-2 Savage, AF Guardian, B-26 Marauder, C-46 Commando, C-82 Packet, C-123 Provider, CH-37 Mojave, Canadair CL-215, Convair 240, 340 and 440, Douglas A-26 Invader, Douglas DC-6, F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat, F7F Tigercat, F8F Bearcat, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-61 Black Widow, Lockheed Ventura/B-34 Lexington/PV-1 Ventura/PV-2 Harpoon, SB2A-1 Buccaneer/A-32/Bermuda, TBY Sea Wolf, Vickers Warwick, Vultee XA-19B, XB-28 Dragon, XF-15C-1, XP-56 Black Bullet, and the XP-60.

[edit] Related contents

Related development

• Pratt & Whitney Wasp series
• R-1340 Wasp
• R-985 Wasp Junior
• R-1830 Twin Wasp
• R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior
• R-4360 Wasp Major

Comparable engines

• Bristol Centaurus
• Wright R-3350

[edit] Reference

Bridgman, Leonard, ed. Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft 1951-1952. London: Samson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd 1951.

[edit] External links

• http://www.pratt-whitney.com/about_history_classic_r2800.asp
• http://www.enginehistory.org/r-2800.htm