Douglas DC-3 and C-47
Engines
All links on this page are listed purely for interest's sake and should not be construed as a recommendation.
The Internet provides a huge database detailing the types of engines used by the Douglas DC-3 and C-47 aircraft so there is little point in going into the engine details on this website when the manufactueres themselves have fabulous and informative websites detailing the various engines used.
Some information is provided below to assist with searching for engine information.
The DC-3 and C-47 aircraft were mostly powered by Pratt & Whitney or Wright engines.
The original civilian DC-3 aircraft used Curtiss-Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines.
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Curtiss-Wright R-1820
Curtiss-Wright's first decade, 1929-1938, saw the seeds of its corporate evolution being sown. The Company made advances in aircraft engines. In its engine development of the 1930's, Curtiss-Wright pioneered such innovations as forged aluminum pistons, the dynamic damper which absorbed crankshaft vibration, finned cylinder heads for cooling, and nitrided cylinder barrels, a metallurgical process which gave vastly improved wear resistance and life. Curtiss-Wright pioneered the concepts of air-cooled engines as well as the radial engine. By the end of the decade, Curtiss-Wright engineers had pushed output per engine above the 1,000 horsepower mark. The Cyclone Engine powered the venerable Douglas DC-3 transport, a potent combination that opened up the United States Airline Transportation System before World War II.
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Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp
In the early 1930s, work started on twin-row configurations of the three Pratt & Whitney radial piston engines then in production. By Pratt & Whitney's tenth anniversary, it was making engines that were making history.
The Twin Wasp was the first twin-row design. Displacing 1,830 cubic inches, it delivered up to 1,350 horsepower and featured a new multilayered master rod bearing to withstand stresses at higher ratings. It performed magnificently and was selected to power fighters, bombers and transports. Partly due to the urgency of World War II, 173,618 engines were produced.
Displacement: 1,830 cubic inches
Revolutions per minute: 2,400-2,700
Weight: 1,162-1,467 pounds
First run: 1931
First flight: 1931
Production years: 1932-1951
Engines produced: 173,618
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Some examples of other engines used are:
Pratt & Whitney R-2000 radial
Rolls-Royce Dart turbine Armstrong Siddeley Mamba turbine (The Mamba was the first turboprop engine to power the DC-3) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turbine
Some companies specialising in the DC-3/C-47 Turbo Prop conversion:
Some Radial Engine overhaul companies
Aero Accessories, Inc. San Antonio, Texas
Aero Recip Canada Winnipeg, Canada
Anderson Aeromotive North Central Idaho
Covington Aircraft Engines, Inc. Okmulgee, Oklahoma
Holloway Engineering Quincy, California
J & R Engine Service Miami, Florida
Phoebus Apollo Johannesburg, South Africa
Poole Industries Avon Park, Florida
Precision Engines Everett, Washington
Radial Engine Specialities Fredericksburg, Texas
Radial Engines Limited Guthrie, Oklahoma
Superior Millennium Aircraft Engines Johannesburg, South Africa
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