The Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 is an American radial engine developed by Curtiss-Wright, widely used on aircraft in the 1930s through 1950s. It was produced under license in France as the Hispano-Suiza 9V or Hispano-Wright 9V, and in the Soviet Union as the Shvetsov M-25.

Design and development

The R-1820 Cyclone 9 represented a further development of the Wright P-2 engine dating back to 1925. Featuring a greater displacement and a host of improvements, the R-1820 entered production in 1931. The engine remained in production well into the 1950s.

The R-1820 was built under license by Lycoming, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and also, during World War II, by the Studebaker Corporation. The Soviet Union had purchased a license for the design, and the Shvetsov OKB was formed to metricate the American specification powerplant for Soviet government-factory production as the M-25, with the R-1820's general design features used by the Shvetsov design bureau for many of their future radials for the Soviet air forces through the 1940s and onwards. In Spain the R-1820 was license-built as the Hispano-Suiza 9V or Hispano-Wright 9V.

The R-1820 was at the heart of many famous aircraft including early Douglas airliners (the prototype DC-1, the DC-2, the first civil versions of the DC-3, and the limited-production DC-5), every wartime example of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Douglas SBD Dauntless bombers, the early versions of the Polikarpov I-16 fighter (as the M-25), and the Piasecki H-21 helicopter.

The R-1820 also found limited use in armored vehicles. The G-200 variant developed 900 hp (670 kW) at 2,300 rpm and powered the strictly experimental M6 Heavy Tank.

D-200 Diesel

The Wright R-1820 was converted to multi-fuel during World War II by Caterpillar Inc. as the D-200 and produced 450 hp (340 kW) at 2,000 rpm in the M4A6 Sherman.

Variants

R-1820-04

700 hp (520 kW)

R-1820-1

575 hp (429 kW)

R-1820-4

770 hp (570 kW)

R-1820-19

675 hp (503 kW)

R-1820-21

690 hp (510 kW)

R-1820-22

950 hp (710 kW)

R-1820-25

675 hp (503 kW), 750 hp (560 kW), 775 hp (578 kW)

R-1820-32

1,000 hp (750 kW)

XR-1820-32

800 hp (600 kW)

R-1820-33

775 hp (578 kW)

R-1820-34

940 hp (700 kW), 950 hp (710 kW)

R-1820-34A

1,200 hp (890 kW)

R-1820-40/42

1,100 hp (820 kW), 1,200 hp (890 kW)

R-1820-41

850 hp (630 kW)

R-1820-45

800 hp (600 kW), 930 hp (690 kW)

R-1820-49

975 hp (727 kW)

R-1820-50

850 hp (630 kW)

R-1820-52

1,000 hp (750 kW)

R-1820-53

930 hp (690 kW), 1,000 hp (750 kW)

R-1820-56

1,200 hp (890 kW), 1,350 hp (1,010 kW)

R-1820-57

1,060 hp (790 kW)

R-1820-60

1,200 hp (890 kW)

R-1820-62

1,350 hp (1,010 kW)

R-1820-66

1,200 hp (895 kW), 1,350 hp (1,007 kW)

R-1820-67/69

1,200 hp (890 kW), fitted with turbosupercharger

R-1820-72W

1,350 hp (1,010 kW), 1,425 hp (1,063 kW)

R-1820-74W

1,500 hp (1,100 kW)

R-1820-76A,B,C,D

1,425 hp (1,063 kW)

R-1820-77

1,200 hp (890 kW)

R-1820-78

700 hp (522 kW), 1,100 hp (820 kW)

R-1820-80

700 hp (520 kW), 1,535 hp (1,145 kW)

R-1820-82WA

1,525 hp (1,137 kW)

R-1820-84

1,525 hp (1,137 kW)

R-1820-86

1,425 hp (1,063 kW)

R-1820-97

1,200 hp (890 kW), fitted with turbosupercharger

R-1820-103

1,425 hp (1,063 kW)

SGR-1820-F3

710 hp (530 kW), 720 hp (540 kW)

SGR-1820-F2

720 hp (540 kW)

R-1820-F53

770 hp (570 kW)

R-1820-F56

790 hp (590 kW)

GR-1820-G2

1,000 hp (750 kW)

R-1820-G3

840 hp (630 kW)

R-1820-G5

950 hp (710 kW)

R-1820-G101

1,100 hp (820 kW)

R-1820-G102

775 hp (578 kW)

GR-1820-G102A

1,100 hp (820 kW)

R-1820-G102A

1,100 hp (820 kW)

R-1820-G102A

1,100 hp (820 kW)

R-1820-G202A

1,200 hp (890 kW)

R-1820-G103

1,000 hp (750 kW)

R-1820-G105

1,000 hp (750 kW)

R-1820-G205A

1,200 hp (890 kW)

Notes: Unit numbers ending with W indicate engine variants fitted with water-methanol emergency power boost systems.

Hispano-Suiza 9V

The Hispano-Suiza 9V is a licence-built version of the R-1820.

Hispano-Suiza 9Vr

9V with reduction gear

Hispano-Suiza 9Vb

Hispano-Suiza 9Vbr

variant of the 9Vb with reduction gear

Hispano-Suiza 9Vbrs

variant of the 9Vb with reduction gear and supercharger

Hispano-Suiza 9Vbs

variant of the 9Vb with supercharger

Hispano-Suiza 9Vd

variant of the 9V

Hispano-Suiza 9V-10

429 kW (575 hp) driving fixed-pitch propeller

Hispano-Suiza 9V-11

as -10 but RH rotation

Hispano-Suiza 9V-16

480 kW (650 hp) driving variable-pitch propeller, LH rotation

Hispano-Suiza 9V-17

as -16 but RH rotation

Applications

Vehicles

Engines on display

Preserved Wright R-1820 engines are on display at the following museums:

Specifications (GR-1820-G2)

Data from Jane's.

General characteristics

  • Type: Nine-cylinder single-row supercharged air-cooled radial engine
  • Bore: 6.125 in (155.6 mm)
  • Stroke: 6.875 in (174.6 mm)
  • Displacement: 1,823 cu in (29.87 L)
  • Length: 47.76 in (1,213 mm)
  • Diameter: 54.25 in (1,378 mm)
  • Dry weight: 1,184 lb (537 kg)

Components

Performance

See also

Related development

Comparable engines

Related lists

Bibliography

  • Bridgman, L, (ed.) (1998) Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7.
  • Conners, Chris (2013). . American Fighting Vehicle Database.
  • Eden, Paul & Soph Moeng, The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.
  • Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines: From the Pioneers to the Present Day. 5th edition, Stroud, UK: Sutton, 2006.ISBN 0-7509-4479-X
  • White, Graham. 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, 1995. ISBN 1-56091-655-9
  • Lage, Manual (2004). Hispano Suiza in Aeronautics. Warrendale, USA: SAE International. ISBN 0-7680-0997-9.
  • . Archived from on 2006-10-07.