The Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 is an American radial engine developed by Curtiss-Wright, widely used on aircraft in the 1930s through 1950s. It was produced under license in France as the Hispano-Suiza 9V or Hispano-Wright 9V, and in the Soviet Union as the Shvetsov M-25.

Design and development

The R-1820 Cyclone 9 represented a further development of the Wright P-2 engine dating back to 1925. Featuring a greater displacement and a host of improvements, the R-1820 entered production in 1931. The engine remained in production well into the 1950s.

The R-1820 was built under license by Lycoming, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and also, during World War II, by the Studebaker Corporation. The Soviet Union had purchased a license for the design, and the Shvetsov OKB was formed to metricate the American specification powerplant for Soviet government-factory production as the M-25, with the R-1820's general design features used by the Shvetsov design bureau for many of their future radials for the Soviet air forces through the 1940s and onwards. In Spain the R-1820 was license-built as the Hispano-Suiza 9V or Hispano-Wright 9V.

The R-1820 was at the heart of many famous aircraft including early Douglas airliners (the prototype DC-1, the DC-2, the first civil versions of the DC-3, and the limited-production DC-5), every wartime example of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Douglas SBD Dauntless bombers, the early versions of the Polikarpov I-16 fighter (as the M-25), and the Piasecki H-21 helicopter.

The R-1820 also found limited use in armored vehicles. The G-200 variant developed at 2,300 rpm and powered the strictly experimental M6 Heavy Tank.

D-200 Diesel

The Wright R-1820 was converted to multi-fuel during World War II by Caterpillar Inc. as the D-200 and produced at 2,000 rpm in the M4A6 Sherman.

Variants

Notes: Unit numbers ending with W indicate engine variants fitted with water-methanol emergency power boost systems.

Hispano-Suiza 9V

The Hispano-Suiza 9V is a licence-built version of the R-1820.

;Hispano-Suiza 9Vr:9V with reduction gear

;Hispano-Suiza 9Vb:

;Hispano-Suiza 9Vbr:variant of the 9Vb with reduction gear

  • Fleet Air Arm Museum
  • Delta Flight Museum
  • National Air and Space Museum
  • National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
  • San Diego Air & Space Museum
  • Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum

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File:Engine of Douglas DC-3.jpg|Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 engine of restored Douglas DC-3 "Flagship Knoxville" at American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum

File:2020-09-038-R1820.jpg|Wright R-1820 cutaway at the Museum of Aviation

File:20-09-117-R 1820.jpg|Wright R-1820 at the Museum of Aviation

File:Wright R-1820-82 Cyclone Radial Engine.jpg|Wright R-1820-82 Cyclone Radial Engine at Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum, Horsham, Pennsylvania

File:Cutaway Curtis Wright R-1820 Cyclone.jpg|Curtiss Wright R-1820 Cyclone engine on display at the San Diego Air & Space Museum

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Specifications (GR-1820-G2)

See also

References

Bibliography

  • Bridgman, L, (ed.) (1998) Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. Crescent. .
  • Eden, Paul & Soph Moeng, The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, .
  • Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines: From the Pioneers to the Present Day. 5th edition, Stroud, UK: Sutton, 2006.
  • White, Graham. Allied Aircraft Piston Engines of World War II: History and Development of Frontline Aircraft Piston Engines Produced by Great Britain and the United States During World War II. Warrendale, Pennsylvania: SAE International, 1995.

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