Talk:Pratt & Whitney

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Contents 1 Pratt & Whitney 2 Pratt & Whitney Aircraft was founded by Frederick Rentschler 3 P&W / PWC 4 P&W History 5 Marine Service 6 Involvement in motorsport 7 P&W Tool as a seperate article?

[edit] Pratt & Whitney

Visit the history section at www.prattandwhitney.com

They have a copy of the book "Accuracy for Seventy Years 1860 - 1930" available for download at the bottom of the history page.

[edit] Pratt & Whitney Aircraft was founded by Frederick Rentschler

Pratt & Whitney, the jet engine manufacturer was founded by Frederick Rentschler in 1925. See here:

http://www.pratt-whitney.com/about_history.asp

He got funding from "Pratt & Whitney" (the well known machine tool maker which started in 1860) and was allowed to use their name. Also see here:

http://www.prattandwhitney.com/history.htm

and here for history pictures:

http://www.prattandwhitney.com/pratt_whitney_history_pic1.htm

[edit] P&W / PWC

Both the P&W and PWC pages are somewhat vague as to what defines a "small" aircraft engine. Someone who is much more familiar with the two companies should probably help to sort this out. For instance, User:GreatWhiteNortherner pointed out to me that the PT-6 is actually made by PWC. How small is "small," though? Does PWC actually manufacture any turbofans, or do they make turboprops exclusively?

First of all, PWC is NOT the Canadian branch plant of P&W. The two companies are siblings, not parent and child. Both companies report to their common parent, United Technologies. PWC does all its own R&D, marketing, etc. and within its own sector is markedly more successful than its American sibling (waves Canadian flag).

PWC produces both both turbofans and turboprops. For example, its new PW600[1] comes in both flavours. GreatWhiteNortherner 04:28, Jun 12, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] P&W History

I found some great historical information here:

http://www.h-net.org/~business/bhcweb/publications/BEHprint/v027n1/p0162-p0172.pdf

Page 166 explains how the aircraft company was started.

[edit] Marine Service

The Hamilton class (378') of Coast Guard cutters included pairs of FT4A-6s to attain 29 knots for "sprint" rescue or ASW, although operations at Navy fleet speed requires extended turbine operation (normal running is on Fairbanks-Morse diesels, cruising at 18 knots). These engines are said to be adapted from a 1950s era design used on the 707 [[2]], and engineers' legend is if these ships had been made fifty feet longer they could have achieved five to ten additional knots with the power available. A dozen of these ships were built mid-60s to early 70s and all remain in service today (despite neither engine remaining in manufacture). I think this is noteworthy, but don't know where best to fit it into the article. Jeffreykopp 11:32, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Involvement in motorsport

I recently added information to this article regarding the use of Pratt & Whitney engines in top-line motorsport (USAC racing and Formula 1). The information has twice been removed by 69.0.125.101. The second time, 69.0.125.101 suggested that the motorsport information belongs in the "History" section. With respect, I disagree; I think the History section neatly describes the origins and development of the company, and that the motorsport information is better described in a separate section. I'd be interested in the views of others. -- DH85868993 13:24, 7 April 2007 (UTC)

Forgot to check the talk page before editing. Added back in as a subheading under history; best of both worlds, as it is techinically history now? Marimvibe 09:19, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

Actually seeing it in the article, it looks OK. Thanks, Marimvibe. DH85868993 10:52, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] P&W Tool as a seperate article?

It seems to me like the P&W tool company should have its own article; could just cut the extra information from this article and make a new one. The only real significance is the original funding and factory space, and the origin of the name. Marimvibe (talk) 03:53, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

• Looks like just 2 paragraphs here are specific to P&W Machine Tool. Doesn't seem like enough for a separate article. But if you have sources for more info go for it. -Fnlayson (talk) 04:37, 2 April 2008 (UTC)
  • Concur, at least until we get better sources. As a small company, PWMTC probably gets better coverage being parked in with the big company than on their own article, so they probably don't mind being in with the bigger upstart! - BillCJ (talk) 05:40, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

The original P&W is definitely notable as a well-known machine tool firm in the period of 1860-1920, which period is very interesting from a history of technology perspective. So it definitely deserves more WP coverage eventually, when any of us gets around to it. I agree that right now there's not enough info here to split them up into separate articles (such as original P&W, P&W Aircraft, and P&W Measurement Systems), but eventually there could be. — ¾-10 12:41, 3 April 2008 (UTC)