Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp 28 cylinder radial engine
Since we've seen so many radial engines here on The Kneeslider, the Rotec radials used in the bikes by Jesse James and JRL Cycles, plus the radial being built by Russell Sutton, I thought it might be worth mentioning the Pratt & Whitney R-4360, a 28 cylinder radial built in 4 banks of 7, each slightly offset for cooling purposes. The first version had an output of about 3000 horsepower but the last supercharged AND twin turbocharged version had about 4300 horsepower. This was pretty much the end of the line for radial development before jets took over but what an engine!
A bit too late for duty in WWII, it was used in quite a few later well known planes, including the C-119 Flying Boxcar, the C-124 Globemaster, the 6 prop engine plus 4 jet engine B-36 and Howard Hughes' famous Spruce Goose.
I saw one for sale on eBay and just thought it was worth bringing to your attention. There are quite a few pilots among our readers but any motorhead has to appreciate what a thing of beauty this engine is.
Link: auction has ended
{ 17 comments… add yours below ... }
lovely bit of engineering. I used to work for Pratt & Whitney, but well after they worked on these beauties.
If you want more pictures:
http://www.enginehistory.org/r-4360.htm
Wow, i can officially say i’m scared. Check out this video of the internals in motion, especially the final gear reduction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqegDeHgERw
I would hate to be the mechanics tasked with overhauling that sucker.
What would happen if she threw a rod?
For anyone in the San Diego, CA area; there are a number of radials on display at the Air & Space Museum located at Balboa Park. They have a rotating cutaway of a radial that was worth the cost of admission for this gearhead.
If you think that’s scary, check out the Napier Sabre engine! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier_Sabre
Steve
I remember reading somewhere that full overhauls on the next model down in the Wasp line cost around a quarter of a million dollars each these days. If this guy’s reserve is anything less than half a million, that engine is a tremendous bargain. Running Wasp Majors are damn near impossible to find now.
cl
This makes you stop and really contemplate what can be done when people are focused on a task.
All of those moving parts (large and small) working together reliably enough that people confidently took to the air is a true testament to the skill of part suppliers, engineers & mechanics
I saw a video of that thing running on the test stand. Awesome!
This monster was also found on the Chance-Vought F4G Corsair (the G stands for Goodyear).
They all went away with the demise of 130 octane avgas. It took 40 gallons of 130 octane to taxi an F2G to the end of the runway and do a full power check. If you opened the throttle suddenly it could flip the plane on it’s back from the torque.
I remember one sitting forlorn on a grass strip outside Ft Pierce,Fla in 1969.
Hey Paul B, thanks for recommending the San Diego Air & Space Museum and glad you enjoyed our cutaway. We actually have 6 radial engines on display, 2 of which are Pratt & Whitney. We have other radial engines but they are in our basement and at our Gillespie Field Annex.
Ah! The beauty of modular construction & desparate immagination! Better than the 5 X Dodge flathead 6 that powered some Shermans!
rafe03
There’s one on e-bay right now for $3,000.00
There is a 42 (!) cylinder Wright engine on display at the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum in Teterboro, NJ. There were three made…6 rows of seven!
Way cool stuff….
There is an awesome article about Frank Walker and the development of water / alcohol injection on the Pratt and Whitney R-2800 series engines. I think they were making somewhere in the neighborhood of 3000hp.
Found the article: http://www.enginehistory.org/Frank%20WalkerWeb1.pdf
120 “cylinder” radial engine (with animation)
http://new4stroke1.123guestbook.com/gb.php?id=new4stroke1&page=1
Kenny of 3/18/09: re: “throwing a rod” Somewhere in the back of my mind I THINK I recall reading something about “that was the beauty of radials — if they threw a rod or cracked a cylinder, they just kept on turning. Not so w/ the in-line fighter plane engines. In combat the radials could take more flak/bullet punishment.” I’m sure there are still some WWII P-47 and P-51 engine mechanics that could comment on the validity of my memory.
I was trained for radial engine mechanic at Shephard AFB in Witichata Falls TX in 1955. Five months of nothing but radial engine hands on training on radial engines.
I spent the rest of my three years at Alexandria LA’s England AFB as a mechanic first on the KB 29 with 18 cylinders and 3350 CI and later on the KB 50 with the 28 cylinder 4360 CI engine. Both are Pratt and Whitney.
I did every kind of repair and maintenence on both engines and in the last year there was in the engine build up shop where the basic engine came in an air tight vacuum sealed cannister that we unbolted and removed the engine from and then added all the accessories and components. Wireing and fuel. Everything electrical or fuel related and of course the exhaust and turbo chargers etc.
I have flown in these planes many times and I can tell you it’s an experiance. A scary one! Especially when you know that everything on the engines you put together.
I am still a mechanic but not on avaition machines. Everything else I have fixed over the years and still do every day. I’m 74 years old now and not quiet as vigerous as I once was but can still fix stuff that everybody else has given up on. My AF training has served me well.
Zane
The Kneeslider does not endorse nor imply agreement with any particular comment just because we let it stand, but, you already knew that.
Comments should be closely related to post content. Personal attacks, personal grievances and profanity will be removed. Please read the entire post and check for included links before commenting or asking questions. We're looking for your interesting thoughts and ideas that add to the conversation. Thank you.