The
largest production aircraft
piston engine in the world. The
R-4360 was the
end of an era. Developed in the mid 1940's when
jet engines were being developed that would eventually
surpass it.
Nonetheless it managed to make a
niche for itself and remains
dear to many hearts, mine included.
It is a
28 cylinder radial engine,
4 banks of
7 cylinders each in a
helix configuration for
cooling purposes. It was first run in
1941 and first flew in
1942.
It's specs and
features:
Displacement:
4363
cubic inches (71.5 liters) ~156cid per
cylinder.
Horsepower ratings:
Takeoff (With
water injection) - 3500 @ 2700rpm
Takeoff (without
water injection) - 3250 @ 2700rpm
Normal Cruise - 2650 @ 2550rpm
Max Cruise - 2800 @ 2550rpm
These are normal ratings, later ratings got up to
4,300 horspeower under
special circumstances.
Compression Ratio:
6.7:1
ignition:
4
Bendix low tension
dual magnetos (1 for each bank of 7 cylinders).
Spark Plugs:
2 18mm per cylinder with one
booster coil each for a total of 56 plugs/coils per engine.
Supercharging:
Integral single speed gear driven 6.374:1
blower ratio or integral
single stage variable speed hydraulically driven
supercharger.
Provisions for optional
Turbosupercharger,
Turbo compound, or
Variable Discharge Turbine (
VDT).
Notable aircraft that used the R-4360:
Convair
B-36 Peacemaker (6 R-4360-53 with
fuel injection produced 3,800 horsepower)
Boeing B-50 Superfortress (4 R-4360-35)
Boeing KC/C-97 Stratotanker (4 R-4360-59)
Fairchild C-119 (2 R-4360-?)
Hughes H-1 Hercules (8 R-4360-?)
Goodyear F2G Super Corsair (1 R-4360-?)