Renault 12F | |
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Renault 12Fe engine on display at the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków | |
Type | Water-cooled V12 aero engine |
National origin | France |
Manufacturer |
Renault Wolseley Motors |
First run | Late 1915 |
Major applications | Breguet 14 |
Number built | 12Fe: >7,000 Others: ~700 |
Variants | Renault 12Fe |
The Renault 12F is a family of liquid-cooled 22 L (1,300 cu in) 50 deg V12 aircraft engines that saw widespread use during WW1 and the 1920s. [1]
Engines in the series are V12s with a 50 degree angle between two rows of cylinders each of which has a single overhead camshafts. The crankshaft is carried on four plain bearings with master-and-slave connecting rods allowing corresponding cylinders in each row to be arranged directly opposite each other. Cylinders have a bore of 125 mm (4.92 in), a stroke of 150 mm (5.91 in) and are built in pairs with water circulated in welded liners. [2] [3]
Engines in the series have ignition systems with 100% redundancy. Two spark plugs per cylinder and four magnetos (two per cylinder bank). [4] [5]
The early 12F engines were often supplied with an aluminium six-cylinder radial pneumatic starter motor which was mounted on the back of the engine. [4] [6] The pneumatic motor allowed the engine to be restarted mid-flight or on the ground without assistance from ground crew. The starter motor was fed from a pressurised vessel with enough air for ten starts. [4] The device was not included in later models. [2] [5] [6]
In 1916 the 220 hp (12Fa) model used cast iron pistons. The engines were progressively improved with the introduction of aluminum pistons allowing for increased power output and reduced weight. [2]
In 1917, the 12Fe model was homologated with a nominal rating of 300 hp (224 kW) (later increased to 320 hp (239 kW)). [1] The 12Fe became the standard powerplant for the Breguet 14 [7] and accounted for the vast majority of engines built from the series. [1]
12F series engines were exported to the United States [7] and produced in the United Kingdom. [8] In Russia, Renault 12F engines were assembled from imported parts by the Russian Renault Society in Petrograd. [9] [10] A total of 98 engines were assembled from July 1916 to September 1917. All the engines assembled were early 12F models with cast iron pistons. [10]
Publications often refer to the 12Fe as the Renault 300 hp with earlier engines in the series referred to as the Renault 220 hp. [6] Post WW1 the 12Fe engine was marketed as the 300 CV / hp (cheval-vapeur / horsepower). [11] There was also a 18 L (1,098 cu in) 220 hp (164 kW) model (today known as the 12Eb) which existed at the same time (c.1916) as the 22 L (1,343 cu in) 220 hp (164 kW) model. [1]
Data from Angle, [3]
Comparable engines
Related lists
Renault 12F | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Renault 12Fe engine on display at the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków | |
Type | Water-cooled V12 aero engine |
National origin | France |
Manufacturer |
Renault Wolseley Motors |
First run | Late 1915 |
Major applications | Breguet 14 |
Number built | 12Fe: >7,000 Others: ~700 |
Variants | Renault 12Fe |
The Renault 12F is a family of liquid-cooled 22 L (1,300 cu in) 50 deg V12 aircraft engines that saw widespread use during WW1 and the 1920s. [1]
Engines in the series are V12s with a 50 degree angle between two rows of cylinders each of which has a single overhead camshafts. The crankshaft is carried on four plain bearings with master-and-slave connecting rods allowing corresponding cylinders in each row to be arranged directly opposite each other. Cylinders have a bore of 125 mm (4.92 in), a stroke of 150 mm (5.91 in) and are built in pairs with water circulated in welded liners. [2] [3]
Engines in the series have ignition systems with 100% redundancy. Two spark plugs per cylinder and four magnetos (two per cylinder bank). [4] [5]
The early 12F engines were often supplied with an aluminium six-cylinder radial pneumatic starter motor which was mounted on the back of the engine. [4] [6] The pneumatic motor allowed the engine to be restarted mid-flight or on the ground without assistance from ground crew. The starter motor was fed from a pressurised vessel with enough air for ten starts. [4] The device was not included in later models. [2] [5] [6]
In 1916 the 220 hp (12Fa) model used cast iron pistons. The engines were progressively improved with the introduction of aluminum pistons allowing for increased power output and reduced weight. [2]
In 1917, the 12Fe model was homologated with a nominal rating of 300 hp (224 kW) (later increased to 320 hp (239 kW)). [1] The 12Fe became the standard powerplant for the Breguet 14 [7] and accounted for the vast majority of engines built from the series. [1]
12F series engines were exported to the United States [7] and produced in the United Kingdom. [8] In Russia, Renault 12F engines were assembled from imported parts by the Russian Renault Society in Petrograd. [9] [10] A total of 98 engines were assembled from July 1916 to September 1917. All the engines assembled were early 12F models with cast iron pistons. [10]
Publications often refer to the 12Fe as the Renault 300 hp with earlier engines in the series referred to as the Renault 220 hp. [6] Post WW1 the 12Fe engine was marketed as the 300 CV / hp (cheval-vapeur / horsepower). [11] There was also a 18 L (1,098 cu in) 220 hp (164 kW) model (today known as the 12Eb) which existed at the same time (c.1916) as the 22 L (1,343 cu in) 220 hp (164 kW) model. [1]
Data from Angle, [3]
Comparable engines
Related lists