Curtiss OXX-6, V-8 Engine

Display Status:

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.

Among the most successful early engines marketed in the United States were those designed and built by aviation pioneer and inventor Glenn Curtiss. Early Curtiss engines were designed to power motorcycles. The first Curtiss aircraft engines were air cooled but, to achieve higher power, Curtiss began to develop liquid-cooled engines.

With the advent of World War I, Curtiss concentrated its production on the famous 67 kW (90 hp) OX-5 engine which powered the JN-4D “Jenny” trainer aircraft. The OXX-6 engine was an improved version of the OX-5. Differences from the OX-5 included two magnetos (instead of one) for greater dependability and a slightly larger cylinder bore giving an additional 7.5 kW (10 horsepower). During World War I, the OXX-6 was used on such Curtiss aircraft as the Model N9 hydroplane. Together, the OX-5 and OXX-6 were the most extensively used American-built engines during World War I and in the following decade.

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National Air and Space Museum Collection

Date

Circa 1916

Inventory Number

A19710916000

Physical Description

Type: Reciprocating, 8 cylinders, V-type, water cooled

Power rating: 75 kW (100 hp) at 1,400 rpm

Displacement: 9.3 L (567 cu in.)

Bore and Stroke: 108 mm (4.3 in.) x 127 mm (5 in.)

Weight: 181.9 kg (401 lb)

Credit Line

Transferred from the U.S. Navy

Manufacturer

Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company

Country of Origin

United States of America

Materials

steel, Aluminum, copper, Rubber, Wood, Phenolic, Ceramic, brass, Textile

Dimensions

Length: 144.1 cm (56.75 in.), Height: 93.3 cm (36.75 in.), Width: 75.6 cm (29.75 in.)

Data Source

National Air and Space Museum

Restrictions & Rights

Open Access (CCO)
For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use.

Type

PROPULSION-Reciprocating & Rotary