Sunbeam Cossack
Encyclopedia
The Sunbeam Cossack was a British 12-cylinder aero engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
that was first run in 1916. The Cossack spawned a family of engines from Sunbeam.
Design and development
As the First World War raged through 1914 and 1915, The Admiralty demanded engines with more power for it's existing and future aircraft. The problem was exemplified by the Short Type 184Short Type 184
|-Manufacturers:Source: Barnes and James#Brush Electrical Engineering Co. Ltd. #Frederick Sage & Co. Ltd. #J. Samuel White #Mann, Egerton & Co. Ltd. #Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing Company #Robey & Co. Ltd. #S E Saunders Limited...
seaplanes of the RNAS, powered by Sunbeam Mohawk
Sunbeam Mohawk
Sunbeam, Wolverhampton, England, started to build aircraft engines in 1912. Louis Coatalen joined Sunbeam as chief engineer in 1909, having previously been Chief Engineer at the Humber company works in Coventry. The company quickly became one of the UK's leading engine manufacturers and even...
engines, which could barely lift the standard air-dropped torpedo with crew reduced to two and minimal fuel. An engine with a base rating of at least 300 hp was demanded by the Admiralty. Responses came from Rolls-Royce with the Rolls-Royce Eagle and Sunbeam with the Sunbeam Cossack.
Louis Coatalen designed the Cossack as a twin overhead camshaft 60° V-12, with four valves per cylinder, bore of 110 mm (4 in) and stroke of 130 mm (5 in). Output from the Cossack was 310 hp @ 2,000rpm, with a running weight of 1372.5 lb (623 kg), driving a large diameter propeller through a 2:1 reduction gear. Construction of the Cossack was largely of aluminium alloy with cast-iron cylinder blocks and integral heads in groups of three.
Large orders were placed for the Cossack but deliveries were very slow, with only eleven, largely hand-built, engines delivered from March 1916 to September 1916. The end of Sunbeam Gurkha production in October 1916 freed up factory resources to allow up to thirty engines a month to be delivered until Cossack production ended in December 1917 after 350 deliveries.
Development of the basic engine produced the Sunbeam Cossack II with four magnetos, to counter the unreliability of British contemporary magnetos, and a compressed-air or hand driven starter, rated at 320 hp.
Late in the First World War Britain’s airship aspirations were boosted by the order for the R36, R37
R37
R37 may refer to:* R37 road * R37: Irritating to respiratory system, a risk phrase* R37 expressway R-37 may refer to:* Vympel R-37, a Russian missile...
and R38. All three airships were powered a variety of engines including the Sunbeam Cossack III a derivative of the Cossack with a flywheel, hand or air starter, engine controls and magnetos mounted directly on the engine for access by the engine mechanics. The Cossack 3 was designed with a water-cooled exhaust and speed governor. The overhead camshaft was gear driven from the crankshaft. Only 14 Cossack IIIs were built due to the cancellation of the post-war British airships.
Amazon
In similar fashion to other engine families designed by Coatalen the Cossack spawned a straight-six derivative in the Amazon, in effect half a Cossack, retaining the 110 x 160mm bore/stroke, overhead camshaft, four poppet valves per cylinder and cast-iron cylinder blocks in groups of three. An output of 160 hp from 9.2 l (561 cu in) for a running weight of 747 lb (339 kg) led to a high power to weight ratio. Despite the high output the Amazon was little used in Britain, with only possible use aboard Coastal airships and some supplied to the Imperial Russian Air Service. Amazon production totalled 77 out of an order for 100, 23 of which were cancelled. A non-aviation use version of the Amazon was produced as the Sunbeam Amazon II, fitted with hand and/or compressed-air starters and single magneto ignition system.Saracen
Development paths favoured by Coatalen included increasing the bore and Aluminium alloy cylinder blocks. Aluminium alloy cylinder blocks and the bore increased to 122 mm (5 in), the capacity increased to 11.23 l (685 cu in) to produce the Sunbeam Saracen straight-six. Delivering 200 hp @ 2,000rpm, driving a propeller through a 2:1 reduction gear. When submitted to the Internal Combustion Engine Committee of the National Advisory Committee for AeronauticsNational Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was a U.S. federal agency founded on March 3, 1915 to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958 the agency was dissolved, and its assets and personnel transferred to the newly created National Aeronautics and...
the Saracen faced stiff competition from the BHP 160hp and Hispano-Suiza 8
Hispano-Suiza 8
The Hispano-Suiza 8 was a water-cooled V8 SOHC aero engine introduced by Hispano-Suiza in 1914 and used by a number of Allied aircraft during the First World War...
and did not attract any orders. Only prototypes of the Saracen were built.
Viking
To extract more power from the Cossack lineage Coatalen designed a W-18 version known as the Sunbeam Viking. This engine used Cossack blocks in a W arrangement with 60° between banks having a capacity of 33.6 l (2,049 cu in) giving 450 hp @ a propeller speed of 900rpm. Orders for 50 engines were received, intended to power the large AD Seaplane Type 1000AD Seaplane Type 1000
-References:NotesBibliography*Goodall, Mike. "Wight Elephants: Murray Sueter's Quest for a Large Military Aircraft". Air Enthusiast, No. 73, January/February 1998. Stamford, Lincs, UK:Key Publishing. ISSN 0143 5450. pp.14-19....
aircraft, but most of the nine engines produced were fitted to motor boats, the remaining 41 being cancelled.
Matabele
The final fling of the Cossack family was the Sunbeam Matabele, retaining the Aluminium alloy blocks and 122 mm (5 in) bore of the Saracen the V-12 Matabele delivered 420 hp at 2,000rpm through a 1.63:1 reduction gear from 9.2 l (561 cu in). Developed in two versions, the Sunbeam Matabele I, for aviation use, was fitted with four magnetos to provide redundancy for the dual ignition system, whilst the Sunbeam Matabele II was only fitted with two magnetos supplying a single ignition system for non-aviation use. Used mainly in Airco DH.4 bombers, the Matabele also found favour as a power-boat and speed-record car engine. No Matabeles were built during the First World War, but prototypes and at least eight production engines were built after the war for various applications.Sunbeam 1000 hpSunbeam 1000 hpThe Sunbeam 1000 HP Mystery, or "The Slug", is a land speed record-breaking car built by the Sunbeam car company of Wolverhampton that was powered by two aircraft engines. It was the first car to travel at over 200 mph. The car's last run was a demonstration circuit at Brooklands, running at...
The Matabele engine is best known today for powering the Sunbeam 1000 hpSunbeam 1000 hp
The Sunbeam 1000 HP Mystery, or "The Slug", is a land speed record-breaking car built by the Sunbeam car company of Wolverhampton that was powered by two aircraft engines. It was the first car to travel at over 200 mph. The car's last run was a demonstration circuit at Brooklands, running at...
land speed record car, the first car to exceed 200 mph.
After taking the land speed record at 152.33 mph (245 km/h) with the Sunbeam Tiger
Sunbeam Tiger (1925)
The Sunbeam Tiger was a racing car of the 1920s, built by Sunbeam of Wolverhampton. It was the last car to be competitive both as a land speed record holder, and as a circuit-racing car.- Design and engine :...
, Segrave
Henry Segrave
-External links:* * * * *...
realised that his small, lightweight racing car would be inadequate to hold the record against the aero-engined leviathan
Leviathan
Leviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Bible. In Demonology, Leviathan is one of the seven princes of Hell and its gatekeeper . The word has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
s now appearing in the contest. The Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq team was short of funds and so little new development was possible.
A pair of Matabele engines were found in the Sunbeam works at Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, previously from the ill-fated Maple Leaf VII powerboat. As the Sunbeam 1000 HP is reported as having 4 magnetos per engine, these would appear to be Matabele I, rather than Matabele II engines.
On 29 March 1927, the Sunbeam became the first car to exceed 200 mph. Although loudly trumpeted as the "1000 HP" Sunbeam, the actual power was somewhere around 900 bhp.
The installation of these engines was somewhat unorthodox, necessitated by the limited funds for new work. The rear engine was started first by compressed air, then the front engine was started through a mechanical friction clutch. Once synchronised, they were locked together with a dog clutch for the record attempt. The car's last run was a demonstration circuit at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
, running at slow speed on only one engine, with this dog clutch disconnected.
Variants
Cossack I- The basic production V-12 engine with cast-iron blocks, 110 mm (4 in) bore and single ignition system fed by two magnetos. Rated at 310 hp at 2,000rpm.
Cossack II
- An improved Cossack with dual ignition system and hand / compressed air starter. Rated at 320 hp at 2,000rpm.
Cossack 3
- Built for airship use. Produced 350 hp at 2,000 rpm and weighed 1200 lb (544.3 kg) dry.
Amazon
- A straight six version of the Cossack retaining the dual ignition system, bore and stroke and cast-iron blocks in groups of three. Rated at 160 hp at 2,000rpm.
Amazon II
- A non-aviation use version of the Amazon with single ignition system. Rated at 160 hp at 2,000 rpm.
Saracen
- In the Saracen, Coatalen increased the bore to 122 mm (5 in) and changed construction to Aluminium alloy blocks. Rated at 160 hp at 2,000 rpm the Saracen failed to gain any orders, only prototypes being built.
Viking
- The Viking was a W-18 utilising the blocks of the Cossack and retaining its attributes. Intended for the AD.1000AD Seaplane Type 1000-References:NotesBibliography*Goodall, Mike. "Wight Elephants: Murray Sueter's Quest for a Large Military Aircraft". Air Enthusiast, No. 73, January/February 1998. Stamford, Lincs, UK:Key Publishing. ISSN 0143 5450. pp.14-19....
floatplane for the RNAS. Production of the 50 ordered was halted after nine had been built; those not used in the sole AD.1000 built were fitted to motor-boats.
Matabele I
- The Matabele I was a v-12 engine with similar aluminium alloy blocks to the Saracen, as well as the larger bore of 122 mm (5 in), rated at 160 hp at 2,000 rpm. Intended for general aviation use the Matabele I had a dual ignition system with four magnetos.
Matabele II
- For non-aviation use the Matabele II had a single ignition system and compressed-air / hand starters. This engine found favour powering motor-boats.
Applications
- AD Seaplane Type 1000AD Seaplane Type 1000-References:NotesBibliography*Goodall, Mike. "Wight Elephants: Murray Sueter's Quest for a Large Military Aircraft". Air Enthusiast, No. 73, January/February 1998. Stamford, Lincs, UK:Key Publishing. ISSN 0143 5450. pp.14-19....
(Cossack and Viking) - Short Type 310 (Cossack)
- Porte Baby FB.2 (Cossack)
- Felixstowe F.3Felixstowe F.3-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bruce, J.M. "". Flight, 2 December 1955, pp.842—846.* Bruce, J.M. "". Flight, 16 December 1955, pp.895—898.* Bruce, J.M. "". Flight, 23 December 1955, pp. 929—932....
(Cossack) - Handley Page Type O/400 (Cossack)
- Tellier Flying boat (Cossack)
- HM Airship R36 (Cossack III)
- HM Airship R37 (Cossack III) Airship scrapped when 95% complete
- HM Airship R38 (Cossack III) (R38 class discontinued)
- Coastal class blimpCoastal class blimpThe Coastal Class were a class of blimp used by the Royal Naval Air Service during World War I. The C class blimp operated by the United States Navy after the war was a completely unrelated design. In total 35 Coastals were built, all at RNAS Kingsnorth, Kent...
C-14 (Amazon?) - Thorneycroft Coastal motor-boats (Viking)
- Airco DH.4 (Matabele II)
- Sunbeam Despujois I - motor boat (Matabele II)
- Sunbeam Despujois II - motor boat (Matabele II)
- Sunbeam Despujois IV - motor boat (Matabele II)
- Sunbeam Despujois V - motor boat (Matabele II)
- Maple Leaf VII - Sir Edward Mackay EdgarEdward Mackay EdgarSir Edward Mackay Edgar, 1st Baronet was a Canadian-British banker.Mackay Edgar was born in Montreal and educated at McGill University. He became a member of the Montreal Stock Exchange...
's 1921 Saunders- built motor boat (Matabele II) - Sunbeam 1000 hpSunbeam 1000 hpThe Sunbeam 1000 HP Mystery, or "The Slug", is a land speed record-breaking car built by the Sunbeam car company of Wolverhampton that was powered by two aircraft engines. It was the first car to travel at over 200 mph. The car's last run was a demonstration circuit at Brooklands, running at...
- speed record breaking car (Matabele I)