Gnome Lambda
The Gnome 7 Lambda was a French designed, seven-cylinder, air-cooled rotary aero engine that was produced under license in Britain and Germany. Powering several World War I era aircraft types it was claimed to produce 80 horsepower (60 kW) from its capacity of 12 litres (720 cubic inches) although recorded figures are lower.[1]
Just under 1,000 units were produced in Britain, the majority (967) by the Daimler Motor Company of Coventry. A 14-cylinder variant was known as the Gnome 14 Lambda-Lambda.
In Germany Motorenfabrik Oberursel license-built the seven-cylinder engine as the Oberursel U.0 and later copied the 14-cylinder design and designated it as the Oberursel U.III.
Variants
- Gnome 7 Lambda
- Seven-cylinder, single-row rotary engine.
- Gnome 7 Lambda (long stroke)
- Increased stroke of 145 mm (5.7 in) to raise the compression ratio to 3.87:1, and total displacement to 12.26 litres.
- Gnome 14 Lambda-Lambda
- 14-cylinder, two-row rotary engine using Lambda cylinders. 160 hp (120 kW).
Applications
List from Lumsden
Gnome 7 Lambda
Gnome 14 Lambda-Lambda
Survivors
An original Gnome 7 Lambda engine is installed in the Sopwith Tabloid replica aircraft on display in the Grahame-White hall of the Royal Air Force Museum London.[2]
Specifications (Gnome 7 Lambda)
Data from Lumsden.[1]
General characteristics
- Type: 7-cylinder, single-row, rotary engine
- Bore: 124 mm (4.9 in)
- Stroke: 140 mm (5.5 in)
- Displacement: 11.8 L (721.2 cu in)
- Length: 112 cm (44 in)
- Diameter: 93 cm (36.6 in)
- Dry weight: 96 kg (212 lb)
Components
- Valvetrain: Automatic centre-piston inlet valve, overhead exhaust valve (one each per cylinder)
- Cooling system: Air-cooled
- Reduction gear: Direct drive, right-hand tractor, left-hand pusher
Performance
- Power output: 50.3 kW (67.5 hp) at 1,250 rpm (maximum power)
- Compression ratio: 3.75:1
See also
- Comparable engines
- Related lists
References
Notes
Bibliography
- Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.
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