Sunbeam Crusader
| Company type | Aero engine |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace engineering |
| Founded | 1913 |
| Founder | Louis Coatalen |
| Products | V-8 aero engines |
The Sunbeam Crusader, originally marketed under names such as the Sunbeam 150 hp, 110 hp, or 100 hp—with some variants occasionally identified as 120 hp or 135 hp—was among the pioneering British V-8 aero engines featuring side-valve technology and water cooling, first introduced in 1913.
Design and development
Conceived by Louis Coatalen, the initial model was a water-cooled V-8 engine equipped with side-valve cylinders measuring 80mm in bore and 150mm in stroke, delivering an output of 110 hp. Subsequent iterations expanded the bore to 90mm, reaching a power rating of 150 hp before being rebranded as the Crusader in 1917. The earlier 80mm bore variants were produced in limited quantities primarily for civilian applications, whereas more than 226 units of the military-grade 90mm bore engines were manufactured.
Production versions provided 150 hp (112 kW) at 2,000 rpm, featured two valves per cylinder, and weighed approximately 480 lb (220 kg) dry. The Crusader found use in several British military aircraft during the early years of World War I, most notably powering the Short Admiralty Type 827 seaplane. Initial orders included six units, followed by an additional 107 of enhanced power models.
The evolution of the Crusader led to the development of the Sunbeam Zulu and the V-12 engines known as the Sunbeam Mohawk and Gurkha. The Gurkha engine preserved at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, represents the sole surviving example of a Sunbeam side-valve engine within the United Kingdom. It is installed in Short 184 aircraft number 8359, which was flown by Flight Lieutenant Frederick Rutland, famously dubbed "Rutland of Jutland," during the Battle of Jutland in May 1916.
Variants
- 110 hp
- Early V-8 side-valve models with an 80mm bore, rated between 100hp and 120hp.
- 150 hp
- Introduced near the end of 1914 featuring a 90mm bore and rated at either 135hp or 150hp.
- 160 hp
- Original classification for the Sunbeam Zulu with a 100mm bore, developed from the Crusader design.
- 200 hp
- The initial V-12 Mohawk powered by an 80mm bore delivering 200hp. Designed by Coatalen to satisfy Admiralty requirements for more potent engines than the Crusader, it utilized a 60-degree V-12 configuration composed of three-cylinder blocks.
- 225 hp
- Production Mohawk engines with a 90mm bore rated at 225hp. Commonly referred to as "225s" when installed in short seaplanes and renamed Mohawk in 1917.
- Crusader
- Designation assigned after production began in 1917, specifically referring to the later '150hp' variant.
- Zulu
- Developed in 1915 with an enlarged bore of 100mm and equipped with a reduction gear ratio of 1.86:1, producing 160hp at 2000 rpm. A total of 75 units were manufactured.
- Mohawk
- The new name given to the Sunbeam 225hp engine.
- Gurkha
- Successor to the Mohawk featuring a 100mm bore and a reduced gear ratio (1.86:1), delivering 240hp at 2000 rpm. Produced until October 1916, with 74 examples powering Royal Naval Air Service Short 184 seaplanes.
Applications
Information sourced from:- Sunbeam Aero-Engines
See also
Bibliography
- Brew, Alec. Sunbeam Aero-Engines. Airlife Publishing. Shrewsbury.
Further reading
- Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Patrick Stephens, Wellingborough, 1986. pp.160.
External links
- Sunbeam Side Valve Engines – Archive from Wolverhampton Museum of Industry
- Sunbeam Aircraft and Aero Engines – Archived content from Wolverhampton Museum of Industry