Liberty L-8

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The Liberty L-8 engine was a prototype of the Liberty L-12 engine. Although it did not see mass production several were built. The pictured example is the first of them built. Manufactured by Packard Motor Car Company in Detroit, Michigan around 1917, it now resides in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

[edit] Specifications (Liberty L-8)

General characteristics

• Type: 8-cylinder liquid-cooled Vee aircraft piston engine
• Bore: 5 in (127 mm)
• Stroke: 7 in (178 mm)
• Displacement: 1,099 in³ (18 L)
• Dry weight: 640 lb (290 kg)

Components

• Valvetrain: One intake and one exhaust valves per cylinder actuated via a single overhead camshaft per cylinder bank.
• Cooling system: Liquid-cooled

Performance

• Power output: 290 hp (215 kW) at 1,700 rpm
• Specific power: 0.26 hp/in³ (11.9 kW/L)
• Power-to-weight ratio: 0.45 hp/lb (0.74 kW/kg)