Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone

Uncommon card · No. 120066

The Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone is an American twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled, radial aircraft engine with 18 cylinders displacing nearly 3,350 cubic inches (54.9 L). Power ranged from 2,200 to 3,700 hp (1,640 to 2,760 kW), depending on model. Developed before World War II, the R-3350's design required a long time to mature, and was still experiencing problems with reliability when used to power the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. After the war, the engine had matured sufficiently to be used in many civilian airliners, notably in its turbo-compound forms, and remained in use in the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation airliners into the 1950s. Its main rival was the 4,360 in3 (71.4 L), 3,000 to 4,300 hp (2,200 to 3,200 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major, which first ran some four years after the Duplex-Cyclone. The engine is commonly used on Hawker Sea Fury and Grumman F8F Bearcat Unlimited Class Racers at the Reno Air Races.

Read on Wikipedia · Image Alf van Beem, CC0