ThePratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp is an American air-cooledradialaircraft engine. It has 14 cylinders, arranged in two rings of seven. It displaces 1,830 cu in (30.0 L) and its bore and stroke are both 5.5 in (140 mm). The design traces its history to1929 experiments atPratt & Whitney on twin-row designs. Production began in 1932 and it was widely used during the 1930s.
It was selected as the power plant for both the four-enginedConsolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber and the twin-enginedDouglas DC-3 transport, two ofthe most-produced aircraft. The production run of 173,618 R-1830 examples[1] makes it the most-produced aviation engine in history.
A further developed version, theR-2000, was produced starting in 1942. The R-2000 was"bored-out" to 5.75 in (146 mm) and had a number of other minor changes to improvefuel economy and allow it to run at higher power ratings on lower-octane fuel. The primary user of the R-2000 was theDouglas DC-4.
Mostly retired today, the R-1830 is still used on Douglas DC-3 and various museum aircraft andwarbirds seen at airshows. It is not manufactured anymore, but spares are still available and there is still a market for second-hand engines and parts.
Angelucci, Enzo (2006) [1988].Complete Book of World War II Combat Aircraft. VMB Publishers.ISBN978-88-540-0829-8.
Bridgman, Leonard, ed.Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1951–1952. London: Samson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd 1951.
Gunston, Bill.World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines: From the Pioneers to the Present Day. 5th edition, Stroud, UK: Sutton, 2006.ISBN0-7509-4479-X
White, Graham.Allied Aircraft Piston Engines of World War II: History and Development of Frontline Aircraft Piston Engines Produced by Great Britain and the United States During World War II. Warrendale, Pennsylvania: SAE International, 1995.ISBN1-56091-655-9