In aviation , an inline engine is a reciprocating engine with banks of cylinders, one behind another, rather than rows of cylinders, with each bank having any number of cylinders, although more than six is uncommon. The major reciprocating-engine alternative configuration is the radial engine , where the cylinders are placed in a circular or "star" arrangement.
5-669: The ADC Nimbus was a British inline aero engine that first ran in 1926. The Nimbus was developed from the Siddeley Puma aero engine by Frank Halford of the Aircraft Disposal Company , the goal was to develop the Puma to produce its intended power output which Halford eventually achieved. The Nimbus was further developed into an air-cooled version known as the ADC Airsix which did not enter production and
10-404: Is also a coupled engine with two engines arranged back to back on a common axis driving separate co-axial propellers through a common gearbox. An upright engine has the cylinder heads directly above the crankshaft. By contrast an inverted engine has the cylinder heads directly beneath it. In the inverted V layout, the cylinders angle downwards instead of upwards. For an aero engine, advantages of
15-425: The inverted layout include improved access to cylinder heads and manifolds for the ground crew, having the centre of mass of a multi-bank engine lower in the engine and, for engines mounted in the nose, improved visibility for the pilot and placing the widest part of a multi-bank engine closer to the midline of the fuselage, which is typically its widest point. The Hirth HM 60 four-cylinder inverted inline engine
20-453: The straight configuration, such as V, H, or horizontally opposed. Note: Fan engines with single cylinder banks, typically from Anzani, are usually regarded as variants of the Radial engine . Note: There is no theoretical limit to the number banks in an opposed piston engine, limitations include cost, complexity and reliability. Note The BMW 803 is not only an inline radial engine but
25-420: Was not flown. Data from Lumsden Related development Comparable engines Related lists Inline engine (aviation) The term "inline" is used somewhat differently for aircraft engines than automotive engines. For automotive engines, the term ‘inline’ refers only to straight engines (those with a single bank of cylinders). But for aircraft, ‘inline’ can also refer to engines which are not of
#364635