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 Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
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