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Pratt & Whitney Wasp Jr. R-985-AN-14B "Dancing Engine"

Air and Space Museum

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    Object Details

    Manufacturer

    Pratt & Whitney

    Physical Description

    Type: Reciprocating, Radial, 9 cylinders, air cooled
    Power rating: 336 kW (450 hp) at 2,300 rpm
    Displacement: 16.1 L (985 cu in)
    Bore and Stroke: 132 mm (5.2in.) x 132 mm (5.2 in.)
    Weight: 309 kg (682 lb)

    Summary

    Begun in 1925 by former Wright Aeronautical employees as a spinoff from a machine tool company, Pratt & Whitney became one of the world’s largest manufacturers of aircraft engines, and the Wasp Jr. is one of the most successful reciprocating engines ever built. Pratt & Whitney introduced it as a complement to the highly successful Wasp and Hornet families of engines in 1930. The Wasp Jr. was essentially a Wasp of reduced dimensions. Pratt & Whitney and its licensees manufactured over 39,000 versions of the R-985 until 1953 for a wide variety of military and commercial aircraft, including light transports, trainers, sport aircraft, and helicopters.
    The R-985-AN-14B powered the McDonnell XHJH-1 and XHJD-1 Whirlaway helicopters and the Avro Anson V trainer. This Wasp Jr.-aptly nicknamed "The Dancing Engine"- has been sectionalized and motorized to demonstrate the movements of its internal components.

    Credit Line

    Transferred from the Naval Aviation Museum

    Date

    1942

    Inventory Number

    A19761858000

    Restrictions & Rights

    CC0

    Type

    PROPULSION-Reciprocating & Rotary

    Materials

    Overall - aluminum and steel.

    Dimensions

    Height: 117.5 cm (46.25 in.), Width: 117.5 cm (46.25 in.), Depth: 109.4 cm (43.06 in.)

    Country of Origin

    United States of America

    See more items in

    National Air and Space Museum Collection

    Location

    Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA

    Hangar

    Boeing Aviation Hangar

    Data Source

    National Air and Space Museum

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv993a1a3c0-8d6d-4e19-b40f-9ce86dcb17b2

    Record ID

    nasm_A19761858000

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    Propulsion

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    Propulsion

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