Gnome-Rhône 14N

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The 14N was a 14-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial engine designed and manufactured by Gnome-Rhône. A development of the pre-war Gnome-Rhône 14K, the 14N was used on several French and German aircraft of World War II.

1 History
2 Specifications (14N 48/49)
3 Applications
4 See also
5 Sources

[edit] History

Facing criticisms over the 14K's reliability, Gnome-Rhône undertook a major upgrade of its 14-cylinder design, using different materials for the pistons and valves, and enlarging cooling surfaces by 39%.

The new 14N was introduced in 1937 and was quickly adopted on several aircraft models. In 1939, minor improvements allowed Gnome-Rhône to increase the compression ratio from 6.1:1 to 6.8:1, which resulted in increased power for wartime production aircraft.

The 14N was further developed into the Gnome-Rhône 14R featuring a 2-stage supercharger, but this type was not widely used until after World War II as production of improved engines was prohibited by the terms of the armistice with Germany.

[edit] Specifications (14N 48/49)

General characteristics

Type: 14-cylinder two-row air-cooled piston engine
Bore: 146 mm (5.74 in)
Stroke: 165 mm (6.49 in)
Displacement: 38.67 L (2360 in³)
Length: 1.48 m (66 in)
Diameter: 1.29 m (50.8 in)
Height: 1,289 mm (50¾ in)
Dry weight: 620 kg (1,370 lb)

Components

Valvetrain: 2 inlet and 2 exhaust valves per cylinder.
Supercharger: single-stage single-speed
Fuel system: 1 Stromberg Carburetor
Fuel type: 87 octane
Cooling system: Air-cooled

Performance

Power output:
- take-off: 1,180 metric hp (2,650 rpm, 980 mm Hg)
- at sea level: 990 hp (2,400 rpm, 800 mm Hg)
- at 4,800 m: 1,060 hp (2,400 rpm, 800 mm Hg)
Compression ratio: 6.8:1