Ranger L-440

Last updated
L-440
Air Zoo December 2019 151 (Ranger I-6-440-C-5).jpg
A Ranger 6-440C-5 on display at the Air Zoo museum, Portage, Michigan
Type Piston aero-engine
Manufacturer Ranger Aircraft Engine Division
Major applications Fairchild PT-19/PT-26
Grumman Widgeon

The Ranger L-440 (company designation 6-440C) are six-cylinder inline inverted air-cooled aero-engines produced by the Ranger Aircraft Engine Division of the Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation of Farmingdale, New York, United States. The engine was mainly produced for Fairchild's family of training aircraft in the mid-1930s.

Contents

Ranger L-440-1 Model 6.444C-2 engine plate Ranger L-440-1 engine plate.jpg
Ranger L-440-1 Model 6.444C-2 engine plate

Design

According to H. L. Puckett, “Ranger developed a system of air-cooling that kept all cylinders at a high degree of uniformity. The system used pressurized air admitted through an opening in the front of the engine cowling, which then traveled through a tunnel connected to the air scoop.” The tunnel, with one side fitted with corrugations, directed the air against the cylinders at relatively equal pressure and volume. Baffles between the cylinders directed the air past machined cooling fins around the cylinder barrels and heads. This gave remarkably balanced temperature range in level flight..." [1]

The Chromoly crankshaft with moveable counterweights on the rear to control torsional vibration. According to Puckett, "All main journals and crankpins are hollow for lightness and so that they may serve as oil reservoirs. Oil passages from the main bearings to the connecting rod bearings are drilled in each crankcheck so that each rod bearing is fed by two oil passages. The crankshaft is drilled so that excess oil from the main bearings is forced into the hollow journal and thence through tubes in the crankchecks to hollow crank pins." The crankcase is made of aluminum alloy. [1]

Ranger manufactured the cylinder barrels from rough alloy steel forgings, while the pistons were machined from aluminum alloy castings, and the connecting rods were machined from chromoly steel forgings. The alloy steel forging camshaft was bolted to the cylinder heads, and driven by a vertical drive shaft. [1]

Oil pumps, scavenge and pressure, were provided for engine oil distribution and return, as well as an oil cooler. Two Bendix-Scintilla magnetos were standard, with the left one incorporating impulse coupling. Also standard was a Stromberg carburetor, and either an electric or manual starter. Generators were either made by Ranger or Bendix, though the PT-26 used a wind driven generator. [1]

Variants

Company

6-440C-2
175hp variant with a 6:1 compression ratio. [2]
6-440C-3
180hp variant with a 6.2:1 compression ratio. [2]
6-440C-4
190hp variant with a 6.8:1 compression ratio. [2]
6-440C-5
200hp variant with a 7.5:1 compression ratio. [2]

Military

L-440-1
Military designation of the 6-440C-2 [3]
L-440-2
Military designation of the 6-440C-5 [3]
L-440-3
Military designation of the 6-440C-5 [3]
L-440-5
Military designation of the 6-440C-5 [3]
L-440-7
Military designation of the 6-440C-5 [3]
L-440-9
Military designation of the 6-440C-2 [3]
L-440-11
Military designation of the 6-440C-5 [3]

Applications

Specifications (6-440C-2)

A 6-440C cutaway Fairchild-Ranger6-440C.jpg
A 6-440C cutaway
L-440 on display at Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB 20-09-049-L440.jpg
L-440 on display at Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB

Data from [2]

General characteristics

Components

Performance

See also

Comparable engines

Related lists

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Puckett, H.L. (1980). Sherman Fairchild's PT-19: Cradle of Heroes. Flambeau Lith Corporation. p. 57-70,83.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Bridgman 1988
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ranger Overhaul Manual. Farmingdale, New York: Ranger Aircraft Engines, Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation. August 1944. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 23 October 2025.

Bibliography

  • Bridgman, Leonard (1988). Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. New York: Crescent Books. ISBN   0-517-67964-7.


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