The Navy's interest in air-cooled radial engines encouraged Frederick Rentschler to establish the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company in 1925. The first Wasp was completed and tested in December of that year, and a second Wasp first flew in May 1926 in a Wright F3W-1 Apache aircraft. Two hundred production engines were delivered before the end of 1926.

The Boeing F2B-1 was the first operational aircraft to use the Wasp, which became known for its reliability, and was dominant in Navy and Army Air Corps fighter planes. It also made commercial air transportation profitable in the Boeing 40A. The Wasp R-1340 remained in production until 1960, later models producing up to 447 kW (600 shp).

The Wasp R-1340 SC1 powered the Bellanca Model F-2 and CH-400; Boeing Alpha 4-A; Boeing 4E; Curtiss 6000A; Detroit DL1; Douglas Dolphin 8-114; Fairchild FC-2-W2 and C-96; Laird CL-RW-450; Lockheed Model 5C, 10C, and C-101; Sikorsky S-36BS, S-38B, and S-38C.

Display Status

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

Object Details

Date

Circa 1943

Country of Origin

United States of America

Type

PROPULSION-Reciprocating & Rotary

Manufacturer

Pratt & Whitney

Physical Description

Type: Reciprocating, 9 cylinders, radial, air-cooled
Power rating: 410 kW (550 hp) at 2,200 rpm
Displacement: 22.2 L (1,344 cu in)
Bore and Stroke: 146 mm (5.8 in.) X 146 mm (5.8 in.)
Weight: 426 kg (938 lb)

Dimensions

Approximate: 137.2 × 127 × 124.5cm (4 ft. 6 in. × 4 ft. 2 in. × 4 ft. 1 in.)

Materials

Aluminum Alloy
Ferrous Alloy
Rubber
Paint
Plastic
Copper Alloy
Adhesive Tape

Inventory Number

A19860278000

Credit Line

Gift of San Jose State University

Data Source

National Air and Space Museum

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