Curtiss L
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| Model "L" | |
|---|---|
 Curtiss Model "L" aircraft engine | |
| Type | V-8 piston engine |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company |
| First run | 1910 |
| Major applications | Curtiss Model D Curtiss Model E |
| Developed into | Curtiss O |
The Curtiss L is the first in a series of 503 cu in (8.2 L) water-cooled V8 engines, produced by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company.[1][a]
Early Curtiss engines were air-cooled, but in pursuit of greater power, Curtiss began developing liquid-cooled designs. Historical records indicate a Model L engine was fitted to a Curtiss built monoplane which was displayed, but not flown, at the 1910 Gordon Bennett race at Belmont Park, New York. It is also likely that a Model L engine powered the aircraft that crashed in Macon, Georgia, in 1912, resulting in the death of the aviator Eugene Burton Ely.[3]
Continued development of Curtiss's 503 cu in (8.2 L) V8 series eventual lead to the commercially successful Curtiss OX-5 engines which were built in large numbers during World War I.[1]
Source:[3]
Specifications
Data from the Smithsonian[3]
General characteristics
- Type: 8-cylinder water-cooled Vee piston engine
- Bore: 4 in (102 mm)
- Stroke: 5 in (127 mm)
- Displacement: 503 cu in (8.2 L)
- Length: 43 in (1,092 mm)
- Width: 31.75 in (806 mm)
- Height: 35.5 in (902 mm)
- Dry weight: 285 lb (129 kg)
Components
- Valvetrain: One intake and one exhaust valve per cylinder, pushrod-actuated
- Cooling system: Water-cooled
Performance
- Power output: 65 hp (48 kW) at 1,150 rpm