Liberty aircraft engines

[Shooter]

For those of you like Dan-San who have extensive libraries, I wonder if anyone has some stats on the a/c power plants known as Liberty engines. If I have not been misled, these engines were used in DH-4's and JN-2's, perhaps some other a/c of the period, however I have heard unbelievable figures involving horsepower ratings. Some sources have made claims of 300, 400, and even 500 HP.

The only other question I have on Liberty engines is the actual numbers of power plants that reached Europe. Equally unbelievable are the numbers I have heard....tens of thousands?

Were these engines that powerful? If so, why were they not used in more a/c?

Semper Fi,

Shooter sends

The current issue of WWI Aero (#173) contains an article called "The Unknown Liberty Engines". While the article chiefly deals with rare test and experimental Liberyt engines, it does give the following horsepower figures for the 12 cylinder Liberty engine: 495hp @ 1800rpm, and 527hp @ 2200rpm. The article also has a test report on an experimental X24 engine which was essentially 2-V12 engines bolted together at the crankcase, with 4 pistons sharing each articulated connecting rod. This engine developed 577hp @ 1218rpm and 740hp @ 1782rpm. Apparently, poor airflow to the lower carburetor prevented the engine from developing closer to double the horsepower of the V12 engine. The 24 cylinder engine broke down during testing, and was apparently never rebuilt.

Mike

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Shooter:
The V-12 Liberty engine was rated @ 400 hp for USAS use and 320 Hp for U.S. Navy use There were a succession of aircraft that were delivered with the V-12 Liberty Engine, most notable the US built DH-4, the USDH9 and RAF DH 9A, Vickers VIMY, Handley-Page 0/400, The US Navy F5L, HS-1L and Hs-2L. And a whole slew of aircraft between the wars and wound up in Russian tanks during early WW2.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Ira_Silverman]

Shooter, Dan-San:

A few years ago at a wooden boat show in Southern California, there was a gorgeous runabout powered by a Liberty V-12, chromed heads and pipes - absolutely immaculate - engine and hull.

As nice as the Chris-Crafts were, that baby really put them to shame.

Best,

Ira

[Shooter]

Guys, was there an application for scouts using this engine?

Semper Fi,

Shooter sends

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Shooter;
The Liberty was too heavy, it's dry weight was 844 lbs added to that, was the battery, switch, voltage regulator, 13 lbs,and adding water in the Liberty, 45 lbs, for a total weight of 902 lbs. The Curtiss Aeroplane Company received a contract to build Bristol Fighters with the Liberty engines, which turned out to be a disaster. Curtiss had received a contract to build I believe a 1000 Liberty Bristol Fighters, it was canceled after a series of delays in marrying the engine to the airframe and some crashes. (I think, this is from memory, Barrett are you out there?) There was an article about this fiasco, I think in an issue of the AAHS Journal several years ago.(Maybe 25 years ago?)
Blue skies,
Dan-San

Dan San:
Obviously, you didn't read G-8 and his Battle Aces during the early to mid 1940's.
Our hero, G-8 and his large observer and co-conspirator, named Sika, built a two seater from crashed planes they found "in the shadow of the Vosages mountains" and installed a Liberty engine as a powerplant. The weight of Sika seemed sufficient to counterbalance the extra weight of the Liberty engine.
Another of his ad-lib squadron's pilots, named (appropriately) "Battle" served as camp cookie.
Cripes! was I really so hard up for WW-I flying stories that I read this claptrap? I guess so.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

John L.:
Oh yes, Daredevil Aces, Flying Aces and whatever else I could buy for 10 cents. I learned to budget at a very early age. I got 35 cents allowance a week. I bought a pint can of model airplane glue for 50 cents, had to save. During the period of drought, I would draw my plans, did my own, could not afford the good $2.50 Cleveland Kits, they were the very best, came with glue, clear and colored dope. One a month I would buy Model Airplane News. Then I would figure out what sizes of strip wood and how many sheets of 1/32 and 1/16. After I had aquired all the materials I would built my own 1/16 scale model. Cleveland had influenced me on the scale. Every month "Popular Aviation" would come out with very 1/16 scale drawing as a feature. I made a Vought Corsair one time from their drawings, but I converted it to the float plane version. The kid across the street, his Dad was fairly well of, and his Dad would get all the good kits, even from England and Italy, he subscribed to most of the modeling magazines. Those were fun days. 8)
Blue skies,
Dan-San

I also saw, at the Maritime Museum in Philadelphia, a version of the Liberty that was used to power PT Boats. Quite a workhorse!
DD

[leo]

The Curtis Jennies used an OX5 v8 engine of 90 HP.

There was a projected Liberty V8 to be used for scouts. It was supposed to develop 300 HP.

I don't think it ever made production.

leo