Aircraft Engines

The Curtiss Museum has an extensive collection of aircraft engines, ranging from 2-cylinder pre-WWI engines to an early jet engine dating from the 1950's. Of special interest is the museum's R-4360 radial engine, which was the largest reciprocating aircraft engine ever manufactured. Eight of these engines were used on Howard Hughes' "Spruce Goose".

Our collection presently consists of:

  •  1910 20 hp "Aero-Sled" - 2-cylinder, opposed
  •  1912 60 hp Curtiss Model "S" - straight six
  •  1914 200 hp Curtiss V2C10 - V8
  •  1916 90 hp Lawrence - 2-cylinder, opposed
  •  1917 100 hp Gnome - 9-cylinder rotary
  •  1917 110 hp LeRhone - 9-cylinder rotary
  •  1918 90 hp Curtiss OX-5 - V8
  •  1918 400 hp Liberty - V12
  •  1918 150 hp Kirkham - straight 6
  •  1923 200 hp Wright J-4B - 9-cylinder radial
  •  1927 170 hp Curtiss Challenger - 6-cylinder radial
  •  1928 55 hp Velie M-5 - 5-cylinder radial
  •  1928 27 hp Henderson - straight 4 - motorcycle conversion
  •  1930 90 hp Warner JR-50 - 5-cylinder radial
  •  1931 40 hp Continental A-40 4-cylinder, opposed
  •  1931 35 hp Ford Model A - Pietenpol conversion
  •  1934 30 hp Harlequin 2-cylinder, opposed
  •  1934 225 hp Jacobs L-4 - 7-cylinder radial
  •  1935 60 hp Franklin 4AC1150 - 4-cylinder, opposed
  •  1936 36 hp Aeronca E-113C - 2-cylinder, opposed
  •  1936 50 hp Menasco M-50 - 4-cylinder, opposed
  •  1937 150 hp Ranger - 6-cylinder, in-line, inverted
  •  1940 3000 hp Allison 3420 - V24
  •  1942 1800 hp Wright R2600 - 14-cylinder radial
  •  1942 2000 hp Pratt & Whitney R2800 - 18-cylinder radial
  •  1945 3800 hp Pratt & Whitney R4360 - 28-cylinder radial
  •  1950 Wright J65W16A "Turbojet"
  •  1960 360 hp Lycoming 540 - 6-cylinder, opposed

Selected items from our aircraft engine collection.

Curtiss-Wright J65W16A "Turbojet" c. 1950 This engine was used un various fighter aircraft of the period such as the Republic F-84. This cutaway version was used for instructional purposes by an aviation school in the Cleveland, OH, area. Donated to the museum by Costa Flying Service, Painted Post, NY.

Curtiss Model S 1912 6-cylinder, in line 60 HP, water-cooled engine. Designed by Charles Kirkham and manufactured by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Owen S. Billman, Mayfield, NY

Lawrance A-3 1916 90 HP, horizontal opposed, air-cooled engine. Donated to the museum by Julius Steubing.

Velie M-5 1928 5-cylinder radial, 55 HP, air-cooled engine built by Velie Motors Corporation. The power plant of the early monocoupes.

Kinner R-540 1941 Cutaway exhibit. 5-cylinder radial, 160 HP air-cooled engine. Manufactured by Kinner Motors.

Pratt & Whitney R4360 1945 3800 hp – 28-cylinder radial. The Pratt and Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major was a large radial piston aircraft engine designed and built during WWII. It was the last of the Wasp family and the culmination of its maker’s piston engine technology, but the war was over before it could power airplanes into combat. It did, however, power the last generation of large, piston-engined planes before the jet engine and turboprop took over. This engine was commonly nicknamed "the Corncob".