The Wright Cyclone series began in 1924 with a U.S. Navy contract for a nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine having approximately the same displacement as the water-cooled World War I era Liberty engine. By 1930 the Cyclone displacement had grown considerably, and the R-1820 played a major role in establishing scheduled airline operation in the U.S. and abroad, particularly with the highly successful Douglas DC-3.

With a gearbox between the engine and propeller, the GR-1820 allowed the propeller to rotate at a slower, more efficient speed than possible with a direct drive. In 1936, the Cyclone G series, rated at 746 kW (1,000 hp), was introduced.

Besides the DC-3, the Wright Cyclone GR-1820-G102 through -G109 series powered a number of aircraft, including the: Boeing 307/B, Brewster 339E/B (F2A), Curtiss-Wright 75Q/H/AH, Dornier DO24K2/DO24, Douglas DC-5, Lockheed C-56, Lockheed 14/14M2/B-14L/414-40/214-40, Lockheed 18, Lockheed XR50-1/R-50-1/R50-3, Martin 139WH, NAA O47B, Republic 2PA-BX, and Vultee V-12-C.