Nelson H-44

Nelson H-44
Type Two-stroke aircraft engine
National origin United States
Manufacturer Nelson Engine Company
Designed by Ted Nelson
Major applications Bowlus/Nelson Dragonfly
Produced circa 1947


The Nelson H-44 is an American single ignition, four-cylinder, horizontally opposed, direct drive, two-stroke aircraft engine that was developed by the Nelson Engine Company for use in motorgliders.[1]

Design and development

The H-44 was designed in the period following the Second World War and a specially designed motor glider was created by Hawley Bowlus to utilize the engine, the Bowlus/Nelson Dragonfly.[1]

The engine was not certified. Under the CAR 5 regulations then in place in the USA for gliders, a certified auxiliary power glider could be flown with a non-certified engine and propeller. The engine is instead described on the Dragonfly type certificate.[1]

The four-cylinder engine runs on a 12:1 mixture of 80 octane gasoline and SAE 30 oil. It is equipped with a single Carter WA1 carburetor and a recoil starter.[1]

Operational history

Employed in the Dragonfly the H-44 proved underpowered, which lead to the design of the H-49 version. The engine family was not a success and few were produced.[2][3]

Variants

H-44
Original design with a 2.25 in (57 mm) bore and 2.75 in (70 mm) stroke, producing 25 hp (19 kW) at 3900 rpm.[1]
H-49
Upgraded design with E-225 cylinders giving a 2.375 in (60 mm) bore and 2.75 in (70 mm) stroke, producing 28 hp (21 kW) at 4000 rpm.[1]

Applications

Specifications (H-44)

Data from FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet[1]

General characteristics

Components

Performance

See also


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Federal Aviation Administration (April 1947). "Aircraft Type Certificate Data Sheet GTC19". Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Activate Media (2006). "Dragonfly Bowlus Nelson". Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 118. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920