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French V12 aircraft engine series in use during WW1 and the 1920s From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 World War I and the 1920s.
| 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 |
| Developed from | Renault 8G |
| Variants | Renault 12Fe |
The 12F series was developed from Renault's 8G engines with the two series sharing the same cylinder bore and stoke. 12F series engines were built in Renault's factories in France, Russia and the United Kingdom.
Renault designated early engines in the series by their nominal output of 220 hp (160 kW). The engines were progressively improved with the introduction of aluminum pistons allowing for increased power and reduced weight. These progressive improvements eventually lead to the development of a 320 hp (240 kW) variant which was designated as the 12Fe by the Service Technique de l'Aéronautique while being known, and marketed, as the 300 CV (cheval-vapeur) (French: "horsepower”) by Renault.
In 1914, Renault began building their first water cooled V8 aircraft engines which became known as the 8G series. In 1915, Renault's engineers added two more cylinders to produce a V12 engine with the same bore and stroke angle as the 8Gs. The series became known as the 12F.[1]
Engines in the series are V12s with a 50 degree angle between two rows of cylinders each of which has a single overhead camshaft. 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]
All 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 late 1915 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)).[7] The 12Fe became the standard powerplant for the Breguet 14[8] and accounted for the vast majority of engines built from the series.[7]
12F series engines were exported to the United States[8] and produced in the United Kingdom.[9]
In Russia, Renault 12F engines were assembled from imported parts by the Russian Renault Society in Petrograd.[10][11] 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. In 1921 the 12F was re-designated as the M-3 under a new Soviet numbering system which included the M-1 (RBVZ-6) and the M-2 (Le Rhone 9J).[11]
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 (cheval-vapeur) (French: "horsepower”).[12]
Data from Angle,[3]
Related development
Comparable engines
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