Kirkham, Vertically-Opposed 6 Engine, Experimantal
date: label: Date
content: 1929
name: label: Manufacturer
content: Kirkham
notes: label: Physical Description
content: Type: Reciprocating, 6 cylinders, Vertically-opposed, supercharged, air cooled
label: Physical Description
content: Power rating: Unknown
label: Physical Description
content: Displacement: Unknown
label: Physical Description
content: Bore and Stroke: Unknown
label: Physical Description
content: Weight: 272 kg (600 lb)
label: Summary
content: Charles B. Kirkham of Savona, N.Y., one of the earliest and best known airplane engine designers and builders, originally built motorcycle engines, and did casting and machining for Glenn Curtiss, whose Hammondsport factory was nearby. Between 1910 and 1912, Kirkham designed and built his own engines. From 1915 to 1919, he was Chief Engineer for the Curtiss Airplane and Motor Corporation; later founding his own company.
label: Summary
content: Kirkham designed, tooled up, and built this engine in 1929. It is believed to be the first vertically-opposed air-cooled engine. It was an experimental design and was equipped with a supercharger. Although it may have been a good engine, there apparently were no suitable airplanes for its unconventional shape.
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: Gift of Charles B. Kirkham
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Air and Space Museum
identifier: label: Inventory Number
content: A19640001000
objectType: label: Type
content: PROPULSION-Reciprocating & Rotary
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Materials
content: Aluminum, Steel, Paint, Ceramic, Copper, Phenolic, Rubber
label: Dimensions
content: Overall: 46 x 15 x 54 in. (116.8 x 38.1 x 137.2cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Approximate (Weighed with stand): 370.1kg (816lb.)
label: Dimensions
content: Height 116.8 cm (46 in.), Width 38.1 cm (15 in.), Depth 137.2 cm (54 in.)