Curtiss Ricardo R-6, In-line 6 Engine
date: label: Date
content: Circa 1921
name: label: Manufacturer
content: Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
notes: label: Physical Description
content: Type: Reciprocating, 6 cylinders, In-line, Liquid-cooled
label: Physical Description
content: Power rating: 298 kW (400 hp) at 1,450 rpm
label: Physical Description
content: Displacement: 30.2 L (1,847.26 cu. in.)
label: Physical Description
content: Bore and Stroke: 178 mm (7 in.) x 203 mm (8 in.)
label: Physical Description
content: Weight: 544 kg (1,200 lb)
label: Summary
content: Among the most successful early engines marketed in the United States were those designed and built by aviation pioneer and inventor Glenn Curtiss in his factory at Hammondsport, New York. Early Curtiss engines powered motorcycles, and were air cooled. Later, to achieve higher power, Curtiss began to develop liquid-cooled engines. Curtiss built this engine for the U.S. Navy in 1921 for experimental purposes. It incorporated the Ricardo supercharging system, designed to increase engine power at high altitude and decrease fuel consumption.
label: Summary
content: The piston and cylinder assembly were designed so the underside of the piston compressed air on the intake stroke of the piston. The compressed air then passed through an intercooler back into the cylinder above the piston during the compression stroke. The Navy did not consider the experiment successful, as the improvements that resulted did not offset the increased weight and mechanical complexity.
place: label: Country of Origin
content: United States of America
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Air and Space Museum Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Transferred from the U.S. Navy
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Air and Space Museum
identifier: label: Inventory Number
content: A19710936000
objectType: label: Type
content: PROPULSION-Reciprocating & Rotary
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Materials
content: Steel, Preservative coating, Wood, Rubber, Textile, Aluminum, Paint, Phonolic, Copper
label: Dimensions
content: Height 119.4 cm (47 in.), Width 55.9 cm (22 in.), Depth 233.7 cm (92 in.)