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The Evolution of Piston Aircraft Engines: Development, Performance Indicators, and Technological Advancements

Jakub Pełczyński

Jakub Pełczyński

Poznań University of Technology, Faculty of Civil and Transport EngineeringPoznań, Poland
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Pełczyński, Jakub
  
Mar 31, 2025
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Published Online: Mar 31, 2025
Page range: 1 - 26
Received: Sep 18, 2024
Accepted: Jan 18, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/tar-2025-0001
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© 2025 Jakub Pełczyński, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1.

Changes in the power [hp] of aircraft engines in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].
Changes in the power [hp] of aircraft engines in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].

Fig. 2.

Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].
Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].

Fig. 3.

Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].
Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].

Fig. 4.

Changes in maximum revolutions per minute of the crankshaft [rpm] of aircraft engines in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].
Changes in maximum revolutions per minute of the crankshaft [rpm] of aircraft engines in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].

Fig. 5.

Changes in power [hp] of radial and inline engines in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].
Changes in power [hp] of radial and inline engines in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].

Fig. 6.

Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].
Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].

Fig. 7.

Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].
Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1903–1918 [7, 12, 15, 26, 29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42].

Fig. 8.

Changes in power [hp] of aircraft engines in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10– 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].
Changes in power [hp] of aircraft engines in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10– 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].

Fig. 9.

Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].
Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].

Fig. 10.

Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].
Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].

Fig. 11.

Changes in maximum revolutions per minute of the crankshaft [rpm] of aircraft engines in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].
Changes in maximum revolutions per minute of the crankshaft [rpm] of aircraft engines in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].

Fig. 12.

Changes in power [hp] of radial and inline engines in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].
Changes in power [hp] of radial and inline engines in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].

Fig. 13.

Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].
Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].

Fig. 14.

Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].
Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].

Fig. 15.

Changes in maximum revolutions per minute of the crankshaft [rpm] of radial and inline engines in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].
Changes in maximum revolutions per minute of the crankshaft [rpm] of radial and inline engines in the period 1918–1939 [1,2,3,4, 10, 13,14,15,16,17, 27,28,29,30,31, 49, 51, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68].

Fig. 16.

Changes in power [hp] of aircraft engines in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].
Changes in power [hp] of aircraft engines in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].

Fig. 17.

Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].
Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].

Fig. 18.

Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].
Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].

Fig. 19.

Changes in maximum revolutions per minute of the crankshaft [rpm] of aircraft engines in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].
Changes in maximum revolutions per minute of the crankshaft [rpm] of aircraft engines in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].

Fig. 20.

Changes in power [hp] of radial and inline engines in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].
Changes in power [hp] of radial and inline engines in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].

Fig. 21.

Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].
Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].

Fig. 22.

Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].
Changes in the ratio of radial and inline engines’ power to their weight [hp/kg] in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].

Fig. 23.

Changes in maximum revolutions per minute of the crankshaft [rpm] of radial and inline engines in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].
Changes in maximum revolutions per minute of the crankshaft [rpm] of radial and inline engines in the period 1939–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 29, 45, 49,50,51,52, 58, 66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].

Fig. 24.

Changes in power [hp] of aircraft engines in the years 1903–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 7, 10, 12,13,14,15,16,17, 21, 24, 26,27,28,29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42, 45, 49,50,51,52, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].
Changes in power [hp] of aircraft engines in the years 1903–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 7, 10, 12,13,14,15,16,17, 21, 24, 26,27,28,29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42, 45, 49,50,51,52, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].

Fig. 25.

Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the years 1903–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 7, 10, 12,13,14,15,16,17, 21, 24, 26,27,28,29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42, 45, 49,50,51,52, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].
Changes in the ratio of aircraft engines’ power to their displacement volume [hp/dm3] in the years 1903–1945 [1,2,3,4,5, 7, 10, 12,13,14,15,16,17, 21, 24, 26,27,28,29,30,31, 33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42, 45, 49,50,51,52, 54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70, 73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89].

Comparison of the Manly-Balzer and Wright Flyer I engines [1, 14, 16, 19–20]_

Name Manly-Balzer Wright Flyer I
Power [hp] 52 16
Weight [kg] 62 81.4
Displacement [dm3] 8.85 3.28
Revolutions per minute [rpm] 950 1025
Power-to-weight ratio [hp/kg] 0.839 0.197
Power-to-displacement ratio [hp/dm3] 5.876 4.878
Weight of 1 dm3 of displacement [kg/dm3] 7.006 24.817
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