The RAF 3 is a British liquid-cooled, V-12 engine developed for aircraft use during World War I. Based on the eight–cylinder RAF 1 it was designed by the Royal Aircraft Factory but produced by the two British companies of Armstrong Whitworth and Napier & Son. The RAF 7 was a high compression version of the same engine.[1]
| RAF 3 | |
|---|---|
| |
| RAF 3a on display at the Polish Aviation Museum | |
| Type | Piston inline aero engine |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Royal Aircraft Factory |
| First run | September 1914 |
| Major applications | Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.7 |
| Number built | 289 |
| Developed from | RAF 1 |
| Developed into | RAF 4 |
Variants
edit- RAF 3
- 1914 - Prototype engine, 200 horsepower (150 kW).
- RAF 3a
- 1914 - Main production variant, increased bore, 260 horsepower (194 kW). 29 built by Armstrong Whitworth, 260 built by Napier & Son.
- RAF 7
- 300 horsepower (224 kW) high compression version with high-lift camshafts.
Applications
editSpecifications (RAF 3a)
editData from Lumsden[2]
General characteristics
- Type: 12-cylinder, upright, 60-degree Vee engine
- Bore: 4.5 in (114.3 mm)
- Stroke: 5.5 in (140 mm)
- Displacement: 1,049.4 cu in (17.24 L)
- Dry weight: 780 lb (354 kg)
Components
- Valvetrain: Overhead valve, both valves operated by a single pushrod
- Cooling system: Liquid-cooled
- Reduction gear: 0.5:1, left-hand tractor
Performance
- Power output: 260 hp (194 kW) at 1,750 rpm (takeoff power)
- Specific power: 0.25 hp/cu in (11.25 kW/L)
- Compression ratio: 5.3:1
- Power-to-weight ratio: 0.33 hp/lb (0.54 kW/kg)
See also
editRelated development
Comparable engines
Related lists
References
editNotes
editBibliography
edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to RAF 3.
- Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9
- Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.