Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone

Last updated

R-2600
Wright R-2600 1.jpg
Wright R-2600 Cyclone radial engine
Type Radial engine
National originUnited States
Manufacturer Wright Aeronautical
First run1935
Major applications
Number built85,374 [1]
Developed from Wright R-1820 Cyclone

The Wright R-2600 Cyclone 14 (also called Twin Cyclone) is an American radial engine developed by Curtiss-Wright, and widely used in aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s.

Contents

History

In 1935, Curtiss-Wright began work on a more powerful version of their successful R-1820 Cyclone 9. The result was the R-2600 Twin Cyclone, with 14 cylinders arranged in two rows. The 1,600  hp (1,200  kW ; 1,600  PS ) R-2600-3 was originally intended for the C-46 Commando (being fitted to the prototype CW-20A). It was also the original engine choice for the F6F Hellcat; a running change (one which would not stop production) for the CW-20A, and one in late April 1942 for the second XF6F-1, led to the adoption of the 2,000 hp (1,500 kW; 2,000 PS) Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp in the R-2600's place for both designs.

The Twin Cyclone went on to power several important American World War II aircraft, including the A-20 Havoc, B-25 Mitchell, TBF Avenger, SB2C Helldiver, and the PBM Mariner.

Over 50,000 R-2600s were built at plants in Paterson, New Jersey, and Cincinnati, Ohio.

Variants

The following is a list of known R-2600 models. Engines would receive a three-part designation from Curtiss-Wright. For example, "R-2600-1;" the "R" indicating a "radial engine," "2600" indicating an engine displacement of 2,600 cu in (43 L), and "1" indicating the internal model number, usually assigned chronologically. Engines accepted by the U.S. government were assigned a separate, three-part governmental designation. For example, the "R-2600-13" was accepted into service as the "GR-2600-B655;" the "GR" indicating a "(geared) radial engine," the "2600" indicating an engine displacement of 2,600 cu in (43 L), and "B655" indicating the governmental model number. The Curtiss-Wright designation is usually utilized more often than the governmental designation, and the U.S. government utilized both designations interchangeably and often together.

The Curtiss-Wright designation will be listed first, followed by the — when known — governmental designation in parentheses (the lack of a governmental designation does not indicate that the model was not accepted into governmental service). Engines known only by their governmental designation will be listed at the bottom.

Applications

Wright R-2600-3 on a B-23 Dragon B-23 Dragon Wright R-2600-3 engine.jpg
Wright R-2600-3 on a B-23 Dragon
Wright R-2600 Cyclone being fitted to a North American B-25 Mitchell, at North American Aviation, Inglewood, California Mounting motor on a Fairfax B-25 bomber, at North American Aviation, Inc., plant in Inglewood, Calif.jpg
Wright R-2600 Cyclone being fitted to a North American B-25 Mitchell, at North American Aviation, Inglewood, California
R-2600 on display at Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB 20-09-105-R 2600.jpg
R-2600 on display at Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB

Specifications (GR-2600-C14BB)

Data fromJane's. [48]

General characteristics

Components

Performance

See also

Related development

Comparable engines

Related lists

References

Notes

  1. "SUMMARY OF WRIGHT ENGINE SHIPMENTS 1920 – 1930" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-10-10. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
  2. Friedman, Norman (30 October 2016). Fighters Over the Fleet Naval Air Defence from Biplanes to the Cold War (1 ed.). Pen & Sword Books. p. 61. ISBN   9781848324060. The prototype R-2600-2, rated at 1,500hp for take-off ...
  3. "Teesside Aviation News" (PDF) (Press release). Teesside, UK: Teesside Aviation Society. 1982-11-01. Retrieved 2021-04-06. ... for the RAF, 19 were experimentally fitted with R-2600-4-53 Cyclones ... engines of 1650 hp.
  4. Bingham, Victor (1998). Major Piston Aero-engines of World War II. United Kingdom: Airlife. p. 147. ISBN   9781840370126. Archived from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025. [...] the R-2600-5 (or -A79) is of interest as it introduced a three-speed supercharger.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Parts Catalog; Models R-2600-8, 8A, 12, 13, 20, 22, 29, 31; T.O. 2R-R2600-4 (Formerly AN 02A-35H-4) (Report). Marion, Indiana, USA: Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics via Central Press, Inc. 1951-09-13.
  6. Robert J. Koenig and Helmuth W. Engelman (February 1945). National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Wartime Report "A Cooling Correlation of the Wright R-2600-8 Engine" (PDF) (Report). Cleveland, Ohio: Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory via NACA. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-04-05.
  7. Donald, David (2000). American Warplanes of World War II. United States: Barnes & Noble. p. 37. ISBN   9780760722749. Archived from the original on 2025-03-29.
  8. Stemp, P. D. (2016-11-20). Kites, Birds & Stuff - Aircraft of the U.S.A. - North American Aircraft. ISBN   9781326828158. Archived from the original on 2025-03-31. Powered by two 1,700 hp. Wright R-2600-9 Cyclone radial engines.
  9. Francillon, Renè (1989). Grumman Aircraft Since 1929. Putnam Aeronautical. p. 196. ISBN   9780851778358 . Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  10. Grossnick, Roy (1995). "Appendix 1: Aircraft Data—Technical Information and Drawings" (PDF). TBF/TBM Avenger. Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons. Vol. I: The History of VA, VAH, VAK, VAL, VAP, and VFA Squadrons. Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. p. 512. ISBN   0-945274-29-7 . Retrieved 2021-04-03 via Naval History and Heritage Command.
  11. United States Civil Aeronautics Administration Aircraft Listing. United States Civil Aeronautics Administration. 1949. p. 68. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  12. "Wright Cyclone R-2600-13 (GR-2600-B655), 2-Row, Radial 14 Engine". National Air and Space Museum. Archived from the original on 2024-08-16. ...GR-2600-B655...
  13. "Wright Cyclone R-2600-13 (GR-2600-B655), 2-Row, Radial 14 Engine". National Air and Space Museum. Archived from the original on 2024-08-16. R-2600-13... Power rating: 1,268 kW (1,700 hp) at 2,600 rpm...
  14. Mary F. Loughlin, Samuel Loring Morison, Robert J. Devlin, Everett Gordon Bowen-Hassell, John M. Patton, James L. Mooney, U.S. Naval Historical Center, United States Naval History Division (1970). Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Volume 5. Navy Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History Division. p. 589. Archived from the original on 2025-05-29. ...Wright R-2600-13, 1700 h.p....{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. "Wright Cyclone R-2600-13 (GR-2600-B655), 2-Row, Radial 14 Engine". National Air and Space Museum. Archived from the original on 2024-08-16. R-2600-13 powered the: Brewster SB2A-4; Curtiss P-37; Douglas A-24A/B/C; Martin A-30A/B; North American XB-25E/F/G, B-25C/D/G/H/J, CB-25J, TB-25J, and F-10; Northrop A-35; Lockheed B-37; Short Brothers Stirling; Vega O-56; and Vultee A-31A, Vultee XA-35A, A-35A/B.
  16. Mary F. Loughlin, Samuel Loring Morison, Robert J. Devlin, Everett Gordon Bowen-Hassell, John M. Patton, James L. Mooney, U.S. Naval Historical Center, United States Naval History Division (1970). Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Volume 5. Navy Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History Division. p. 589. Archived from the original on 2025-05-29. Data For: PBJ-1D... Power Plant: Two Wright R-2600-13, 1700 h.p....{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. "Wright Cyclone R-2600-13 (GR-2600-B655), 2-Row, Radial 14 Engine". National Air and Space Museum. Archived from the original on 2024-08-16. R-2600-13 powered the: Brewster SB2A-4; Curtiss P-37; Douglas A-24A/B/C; Martin A-30A/B; North American XB-25E/F/G, B-25C/D/G/H/J, CB-25J, TB-25J, and F-10; Northrop A-35; Lockheed B-37; Short Brothers Stirling; Vega O-56; and Vultee A-31A, Vultee XA-35A, A-35A/B. A total of 13,494 R-2600-13 engines were built between April 1941 and January 1944... Power rating: 1,268 kW (1,700 hp) at 2,600 rpm...
  18. Hal Andrews (1998). "Naval Aircraft; F7F Tigercat" (PDF). Naval Aircraft. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-11-29. Both the Army and Navy planned to use Wright R-2600 engines with advanced supercharging... XF7F-1 engineering design began in late spring 1942, with mockup inspection in September. By summer 1943, production was being negotiated and a major engine change from Wright's R-2600 to the Pratt and Whitney R-2800 eliminated supporting an engine model unique to the F7F...
  19. Andrade 1979, p 51
  20. Thruelsen 1976, p 193
  21. White, Graham (2001). R-2800: Pratt & Whitney's Dependable Masterpiece. Warrendale, Pennsylvania, United States: Society of Automotive Engineers. p. 508. ISBN   9780768002720. Archived from the original on 2025-04-01. XF6F-2*... This designation was used twice... Intended to be powered by turbocharged version of Wright R-2600-16, instead re-engined with R-2800.
  22. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aviation. Vol. 20. United States: Marshall Cavendish Corporation. 1979. p. 2304. Archived from the original on 2025-04-01. ...clean design was maintained in the Vengeance, though the cranked wing panton made some observers think (wrongly) that the aircraft's centre of gravity had given problems. Power was provided by a 1,600hp Cyclone R-2600-9 or 1,700hp R-2600-17.
  23. Grossnick, Roy (1995). "Appendix 1: Aircraft Data—Technical Information and Drawings" (PDF). TBF/TBM Avenger. Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons. Vol. I: The History of VA, VAH, VAK, VAL, VAP, and VFA Squadrons. Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. p. 512. ISBN   0-945274-29-7 . Retrieved 2025-03-22 via Naval History and Heritage Command.
  24. Kinzey, Bert; Roszak, Rock (2018). U. S. Navy and Marine Carrier-Based Aircraft of World War II. N.p.: Detail & Scale. p. 82. ISBN   9780999195901. ...the XSB2C-6 was an attempt to solve this problem. Wright developed the R-2600-22 which developed 2,100 horsepower for takeoff...
  25. Prince, William R. (1946-01-01). Ground-stand Cooling Investigation of an R-2600-22 Engine in a PBM-3D Nacelle (Report). NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics). NACA-WR-L-754, NACA-MR-L5L18. Retrieved 2013-08-16.
  26. Johnson, E.R. (2016). American Flying Boats and Amphibious Aircraft: An Illustrated History. United Kingdom: McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. p. 182. ISBN   9780786457083. An upgrade to 1,900hp R-2600-22 engines...
  27. Dorr, Robert F. (1997). "Variant Briefing: Martin Flying Boats: Mariner, Mars and Marlin". Wings of Fame. 7. London: Aerospace Publishing: 125. ISBN   1-874023-97-2.
  28. Kinzey, Bert; Roszak, Rock (2018). U. S. Navy and Marine Carrier-Based Aircraft of World War II. N.p.: Detail & Scale. p. 82. ISBN   9780999195901. ...the XSB2C-6 was an attempt to solve this problem. Wright developed the R-2600-22 which developed 2,100 horsepower for takeoff...
  29. Kammen, Michael G. (1959). Operational History of the Flying Boat: Open Sea and Seadrome Aspects: Selected campaigns, World War II. United States: Office of the Scientific Historian, Bureau of Aeronautics. p. 71. Engine take-off horse power [sic]... 2,100... Engine...R-2600-22
  30. Aircraft Listing: July 1, 1949 (Report). United States: U.S. Department of Commerce, Civil Aeronautics Administration. 1949-07-01. p. 68. Archived from the original on 2025-03-30. R-2600-23... 91 Octane... Sea level... 1600 hp...
  31. Johnson, E.R. (2012). American Attack Aircraft Since 1926. United States: McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. p. 67. ISBN   9780786471621. Archived from the original on 2025-03-30. The A-20G was the most widely produced version of the series, a total of 2,850 being built at Douglas's Santa Monica plant in 1943 and 1944. Influenced largely by Pacific-based A-20As and Cs, the G model introduced a solid nose equipped initially with four fixed 20-mm and two .50-caliber machine guns, along with R-2600-23 engines uprated to 1,675-hp.
  32. Griffiths, Harold (1944). Mathematics for Aircraft Engine Mechanics. United Kingdom: McGraw-Hill. p. 317. R-2600-25 has a 100 per cent normal rated hp. of 1,350 at 2,300 r.p.m. with a manifold pressure of 37.0 "Hg at 5,800' altitude...
  33. "North American B-25 Mitchell". Classic Warbirds. Archived from the original on 2024-11-10. ...the 2,000-hp Pratt & Whitney R-2600-27 engine.
  34. Aircraft Engine Listing, May 15, 1950 (Report). United States: U.S. Department of Commerce, Civil Aeronautics Administration. 1950-05-15. p. 42. R-2600-29... Take-off... HP... 1700...
  35. E.R. Johnson and Lloyd S. Jones (2018-04-17). United States Marine Corps Aircraft Since 1913. McFarland & Company. pp. 146–147. ISBN   9781476663470. Archived from the original on 2025-05-28. ...1,700hp Wright R-2600 29...
  36. Kittel; Graf; Mantelli; Brown (2017). B-24 Liberator - B-25 Mitchell - B-26 Marauder. REI (Rifreddo). p. 72. ISBN   9782372973243. R-2600-29 — 1.850 hp (1.380 kW)
  37. Mantelli; Brown; Kittel; Graf (2015). North American B-25 Mitchell. Edizioni R.E.I. p. 19. ISBN   9782372971997. R-2600-29 — 1,850 hp (1,380 kW)
  38. E.R. Johnson and Lloyd S. Jones (2018-04-17). United States Marine Corps Aircraft Since 1913. McFarland & Company. pp. 146–147. ISBN   9781476663470. Archived from the original on 2025-05-28. PBJ-1J... Powerplants: Two 1,700hp Wright R-2600 29...
  39. Department of Defense Appropriations for 1959: Hearings Before the Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate, Eighty-fifth Congress, Second Session, on H.R. 12738, Making Appropriations for the Department of Defense for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1959, and for Other Purposes (Report). United States: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1958. R-2600-29A/35
  40. NASM staff (2017). National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files: Propulsion (PDF) (Report). Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-07-22. ...R-2600-33...
  41. Wilson, Stewart (1998). Aircraft of WWII. United Kingdom: Aerospace Publications. p. 116. ISBN   9781875671359. PBM-5 — two 2100hp (1566kW) R-2600-34; four-bladed propellers.
  42. Aircraft Engine Listing, May 15, 1950 (Report). United States: U.S. Department of Commerce, Civil Aeronautics Administration. 1950-05-15. p. 42. R-2600-29... Take-off... HP... 1700...
  43. Kittel; Graf; Mantelli; Brown (2017). B-24 Liberator - B-25 Mitchell - B-26 Marauder. REI (Rifreddo). p. 72. ISBN   9782372973243. R-2600-29 — 1.850 hp (1.380 kW)
  44. Mantelli; Brown; Kittel; Graf (2015). North American B-25 Mitchell. Edizioni R.E.I. p. 19. ISBN   9782372971997. R-2600-29 — 1,850 hp (1,380 kW)
  45. Department of Defense Appropriations for 1959: Hearings Before the Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate, Eighty-fifth Congress, Second Session, on H.R. 12738, Making Appropriations for the Department of Defense for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1959, and for Other Purposes (Report). United States: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1958. R-2600-29A/35
  46. 1 2 Stemp, P. D. (2016-11-20). Kites, Birds & Stuff - Aircraft of the U.S.A. - North American Aircraft. ISBN   9781326828158. Archived from the original on 2025-03-31. NA-40-2/B - The engines were replaced by two 1,340 hp. Wright GR-2600-A71 Cyclone radial engines.
  47. Wilson, Stewart (1998). Aircraft of WWII. United Kingdom: Aerospace Publications. p. 116. ISBN   9781875671359. PBM-5 — two 2100hp (1566kW) R-2600-34; four-bladed propellers.
  48. Jane's 1998, p. 317.
  49. Liss, Witold (1967). The Lavochkin La 5 & 7. Aircraft Profiles. Vol. 149. Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications. p. 3.

Bibliography

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  • Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1998). Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London: Studio Editions Ltd. ISBN   0-517-67964-7.
  • Gunston, Bill (2006). World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines: From the Pioneers to the Present Day (5th ed.). Stroud, UK: Sutton. ISBN   0-7509-4479-X.
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  • White, Graham (1995). 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. ISBN   1-56091-655-9.

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