Object Details
Manufacturer
Humber Ltd. (Coventry, England)
Designer
W. O. Bentley
Physical Description
Type: Rotary, 9 cylinders, air-cooled
Power rating: 112 kW (150 hp) at 1,250 rpm
Displacement: 17.3 L (1053 cu in.)
Bore and Stroke: 120 mm (4.72 in.) x 170 mm (6.69 in.)
Weight: 184 kg (405 lb)
Summary
Initially asked in 1914 to study an overheating problem in rotary engines, Captain W. O. Bentley, an established car designer, developed a new and more efficient engine, with a weight-saving effect realized by careful design and the use of aluminum wherever possible. Equally important was the lower cost, as compared to the French Clerget, then widely used in British aircraft; and itself considered an improvement over the earlier Gnome
The initials A. R. 1 stood for Admiral Rotary 1, and was later renamed Model B. R. 1 for Bentley Rotary 1. The Humber Company of Coventry, England was the first to build the B. R. 1, and a larger model, known as the B. R. 2, was also manufactured by other firms. The A. R. 1 was used on aircraft such as the Sopwith F.1 Camel, Sopwith 7 F.1 Snipe, and Avro 504K.
Credit Line
Transferred from the U.S. Navy Department, Washington, D.C.
Date
1917
Inventory Number
A19270007000
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
PROPULSION-Reciprocating & Rotary
Dimensions
Diameter 107 cm (42 in.), Length 111 cm (43.5 in.)
Country of Origin
United Kingdom
See more items in
National Air and Space Museum Collection
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nasm_A19270007000