Renault 12Fe
| Company type | Aircraft engine |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1917 |
| Headquarters | Boulogne-Billancourt and Vélizy-Villacoublay , France, United Kingdom |
| Products | Water-cooled V12 aircraft engine (300 CV) |
| Parent | Renault |
The Renault 12Fe, also known as the 300 CV, is a water-cooled V12 aircraft engine and stands as Renault's most extensively manufactured aviation powerplant. It powered numerous French aircraft throughout World War I and the subsequent decade.
Evolving from successive enhancements within the Renault 12F lineup, the 12Fe maintained its original cylinder configuration and displacement but was marketed independently under the name 300 CV. Production took place in Renault’s factories across France and the United Kingdom, with manufacturing licenses granted to other French and British companies.
By the conclusion of World War I, the 12Fe had become the primary engine for the majority of France’s bomber aircraft. Following the war, it saw widespread use among early commercial airlines and airmail operators. During the 1920s, turbocharged versions of this engine established notable endurance and altitude records, highlighting its dependable performance.
Design and development
Beginning in 1915, Renault developed water-cooled V12 engines with a 50° bank angle, gradually improving them by incorporating aluminium pistons to increase power output while reducing weight. The 1917-approved 12Fe model delivered 300 hp initially, later upgraded to 320 hp, becoming the main production variant.
The crankshaft of the 12Fe is supported by four plain bearings, with a master-and-slave rod arrangement aligning cylinders opposite one another. Each cylinder was cast separately but paired with a single welded liner per pair. Cooling was facilitated by a single centrifugal pump featuring two outlets.
Its ignition system ensured full redundancy through two spark plugs per cylinder and four magnetos—two assigned to each bank. The valve timing included a 13-degree overlap, where the inlet valve closed 6 degrees after top dead center and the exhaust valve closed 19 degrees late, optimizing cylinder scavenging efficiency.
Production
With approximately 5,300 units produced during World War I, the Renault 12Fe remains Renault’s most widely manufactured aero engine. Production persisted into the postwar period at a reduced rate, reaching around 7,000 units by the mid-1920s. Although classified within the 12F series by the Service Technique de l'Aéronautique (STAe), Renault marketed it as a distinct model under the name 300 CV (cheval-vapeur, French for "horsepower").
In France, manufacturing took place at Renault’s plants located in Boulogne-Billancourt and Vélizy-Villacoublay. Licensed production was also carried out by French companies such as Bellanger and Darracq.
In Britain, Renault’s subsidiary along with Wolseley Motors produced the 12Fe under license.
Operational history
The 12Fe primarily powered bomber aircraft during World War I and became the standard engine for the Breguet 14 by the war's end, replacing less reliable powerplants like the Peugeot 8Aa used on Voisin bombers. After hostilities ceased, it continued in military service and was adopted by early commercial airliners and mail carriers.
Throughout the early 1920s, aircraft equipped with this engine set multiple records related to range, endurance, and operational reliability. Demonstrating outstanding durability, in early 1923 Aéropostale aircraft powered by the 12Fe accumulated extensive flight hours without any engine failures. In 1924, an Aéropostale plane achieved a world safety record by completing a long-distance flight free from engine malfunctions.
Rateau Turbochargers
Beginning in 1918, Renault 12Fe powerplants, installed in Breguet 14 aircraft, underwent trials with experimental turbocharger units developed by Auguste Rateau. These turbocharged 12Fe engines enabled aircraft to establish new altitude benchmarks in 1919, 1922, and 1923. Despite these achievements, the French Airforce ultimately dismissed these engines due to concerns regarding their dependability.
The initial Rateau turbochargers supplied air at approximately twice the normal atmospheric pressure while maintaining power consumption below . During 1918 evaluations on a Breguet 14 equipped with a turbocharged Renault 12Fe engine, notable performance enhancements were recorded:
| Test | Naturally aspirated | Turbocharged | % Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed at 6,500 m (21,300 ft) | 101 km/h (63 mph) | 113 km/h (70 mph) | 12% |
| Speed at 4,200 m (13,800 ft) | 167 km/h (104 mph) | 194 km/h (121 mph) | 16% |
| Engine revolutions at 4,200 m (13,800 ft) | 1,380 rpm | 1,590 rpm | 15% |
| Climb rate between 3,500–4,000 m (11,500–13,100 ft) | 2.0 m/s (6.6 ft/s) | 2.3 m/s (7.5 ft/s) | 15% |
Applications
- Breguet 14
- Breguet 16
- Caudron C.91
- Farman F.60 Goliath
- Farman F.70
- Georges Levy G.L.40
- Hanriot HD.18
- Latécoère 14
- Latécoère 17
- Lioré et Olivier LeO 8
- Lioré et Olivier LeO H-13
- Paul Schmitt P.S.10
- Potez XV
- Voisin X
- Airco DH.4
- Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.7
- Short Type 184
Engines on Display
An experimental Rateau turbocharged Renault 12Fe engine is on exhibit at the Musée de l'air et de l'espace, displayed alongside another unit installed within a Voisin X pusher aircraft nacelle.
Additionally, a Renault 12Fe engine is part of the collection at the Polish Aviation Museum located in Kraków.
See Also
- List of aircraft engines
- Galloway Atlantic
- Liberty L-12
- Peugeot 8Aa
- Rolls-Royce Eagle
- Sunbeam Matabele
External Links
- Moteur d'aviation 300 chevaux – Engine manual