Gnome Omega

Omega

Gnome 7 Omega on display at the Royal Air Force Museum London
Type	Rotary aero engine
Manufacturer	Gnome Engine Company
First run	1908
Major applications	Blériot XI Bristol Boxkite
Number built	4,000 until 1914^[1] (more later)
Unit cost	£520 in 1909^[1]

The Gnome 7 Omega (commonly called Gnome 50 hp) is a French designed seven-cylinder, air-cooled aero engine.^[2] Its introduction revolutionized the aviation industry,^[3] in 1908 becoming the world's first^[1] rotary engine produced in quantity, and powering many early aircraft. It produced 50 horsepower (37 kW) from its capacity of 8 litres (488 cubic inches).^[4] A Gnome Omega engine powers the 1912 Blackburn Monoplane, owned and operated by the Shuttleworth Collection, the oldest known airworthy British-designed aeroplane worldwide.^[5] A two-row version of the same engine existed, known as the Gnome 14 Omega-Omega. The prototype Omega engine still exists, and is on display at the United States' National Air and Space Museum.

1 Variants
2 Applications
- 2.1 Gnome 7 Omega
- 2.2 Gnome 14 Omega-Omega
3 Engines on display
4 Specifications (7 Omega)
5 See also
6 References
- 6.1 Notes
- 6.2 Bibliography

Variants

Gnome 14 Omega-Omega: Two-row, 14-cylinder version using Omega cylinders. It produced 100 hp (75 kW).

Applications

List from Lumsden.

Gnome 7 Omega

Grahame-White School Biplane
Nieuport Monoplane
Paulhan Biplane
Pemberton-Billing P.B.9
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.3
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.4
Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2
Short S.26 Pusher Biplane
Short SD.27 Tandem Twin
Short S.33 Pusher Biplane
Short S.34 Long Range Biplane
Short S.35 Pusher Biplane
Short S.37 Tractor Monoplane

Short S.38 Long Range Biplane
Short S.39 Triple Twin
Short S.43 Biplane
Short S.44 Biplane
Short S.47 Triple Tractor
Short S.62
Sopwith Bee
Sopwith Sparrow
Valkyrie Type B
Vickers No.6 Monoplane
Vickers No.7 Monoplane
Vickers Boxkite School Biplane

Gnome 14 Omega-Omega

Bristol Gordon England G.E.2
Coventry Ordnance Works Biplane 10
Nieuport Monoplane
Short S.41 Tractor Biplane
Short S.57 Seaplane
Short S.64 Folder Seaplane
Short S.74 Admiralty Seaplane

Engines on display

A preserved Gnome 7 Omega engine is on public display at the Royal Air Force Museum London.
Another example, the very first Gnome rotary engine ever built, is on display at the National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.^[2]

Specifications (7 Omega)

Data from Lumsden.^[4]

General characteristics

Type: 7-cylinder, single-row, rotary engine
Bore: 110 mm (4.3 in)
Stroke: 120 mm (4.7 in)
Displacement: 8 L (488.5 cu in)
Length: 79 cm (31 in)
Diameter: 84 cm (33 in)
Dry weight: 75 kg (165 lb)

Components

Valvetrain: pressure-driven inlet valves were located on the pistons^[1]
Oil system: Total loss, castor oil
Cooling system: Air-cooled
Reduction gear: Direct drive, right-hand tractor, left-hand pusher

Performance

Power output: 37 kW (50 hp) at 1,200 rpm

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Nahum, Andrew (1999). The rotary aero engine. London: Science Museum. pp. 12–14. ISBN 190074712X. http://books.google.com/books?id=gRzsTSKAlDAC&lpg=PA5&dq=first%20rotary%20engine%201908&pg=PA13#v=onepage&q&f=false.
^ ^a ^b ^c National Air and Space Museum - Gnome Omega Retrieved: 11 November 2010.
^ ^a ^b Murphy, Justin D. (2005). Military aircraft, origins to 1918 : an illustrated history of their impact. Santa Barbara, Calif. [u.a.]: ABC-CLIO. pp. 32–33. ISBN 1851094881. http://books.google.com/books?id=7pS1QpH8FRgC&lpg=PA32&dq=first%20rotary%20engine%201908%20Omega&pg=PA32#v=onepage&q&f=false.
^ ^a ^b Lumsden 2003, p. 152.
^ Shuttleworth Collection - Blackburn Monoplane Retrieved: 5 November 2010.

Bibliography

Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.

Gnome-Rhône aircraft engines

Gnome rotary engines	Delta · Gamma · Gamma-Gamma · Monosoupape 7 · Monosoupape 9 · Omega · Omega-Omega · Lambda · Lambda-Lambda

Le Rhône rotary engines	7 · 9C · 9J · 9R

Gnome et Rhône radial engines	5K · 7K · 9A · 9K · 14K · 14M · 14N · 14R · 18L

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