Rolls-Royce Buzzard V-2240-56 (Model H.XIV) V-12 Engine
date: label: Date
content: Circa 1928
name: label: Manufacturer
content: Rolls-Royce Ltd. (Derby, U.K.)
notes: label: Physical Description
content: Type: Reciprocating, 12 cylinders, V-type, overhead cam, liquid cooled, supercharged
label: Physical Description
content: Power rating: 615 kW (825 hp) at 2,000 rpm
label: Physical Description
content: Displacement: 36.7 L (2,240 cu in)
label: Physical Description
content: Bore and Stroke: 152 mm (6 in.) x 165 mm (6.5 in.)
label: Physical Description
content: Weight (dry): 657 kg (1,448 lb)
label: Summary
content: Following its success as an automobile manufacturer, Rolls-Royce began design and development of aircraft engines at the request of the British Admiralty at the beginning of World War I. In June 1927, Rolls-Royce began designing a scaled-up version of its supercharged Kestrel to power large flying boats. Later known as the Buzzard, the prototype was completed in 1928 and installed experimentally in large aircraft, both flying boats and land planes. Rolls-Royce sold less than 50 production engines, 32 of them to the Japanese. Even though Rolls-Royce abandoned the Buzzard within a few years, the development work on it proved important; serving as the basis for the R engine, which won the Schneider Trophy in 1929 and 1931.
label: Summary
content: Designated V-2240-56, this engine was performance tested by the U.S. Navy Aeronautical Engine Laboratory in the early 1930s. The H.XIV model powered the Blackburn B.3, Handley Page H.P.46, Hawker Horsley, Short S.14 Sarafand R.6/28, and Vickers 207 M.1/30.
place: label: Country of Origin
content: United Kingdom
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: A19710924000
objectType: label: Type
content: PROPULSION-Reciprocating & Rotary
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Materials
content: Steel, Aluminum, Paint., Rubber, Stainless Steel, Wood, Preservative coating, Copper
label: Dimensions
content: Height 111.8 cm (44 in.), Width 77.7 cm (30.56 in.), Depth 223 cm (87.81 cm)