The Blackburn Cirrus Major started life as a continued evolution of the original Cirrus and Hermes series of aircraft engines which had been in production for the last decade. C. S. Napier, son of engine designer Montague Napier, was Technical Director and Chief Designer for Cirrus-Hermes Engineering when he began work on two new engines, the Cirrus minor and the larger Cirrus Major. The engines were still under development when the company was bought by the Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company, moved to a new factory at Brough in Yorkshire and renamed Cirrus Hermes Engineering.[1][2]
Like all the Cirrus engines, the Major was an air-cooled inverted four-cylinder inline design. Aimed at the same market for a robust, reliable and affordable light aircraft engine, it retained many proven design features of the originals while making many improvements. Cylinder barrels were of forged steel while the individual heads were of light alloy. Unlike the Minor, the Major retained the established long bolts which passed through the barrels to secure the heads to the crank case, as well as the general layout of the heads from the Hermes IV A, which remained in production alongside. Pistons and con-rods were of light alloys, with a steel crankshaft. Direct drive to the propeller, without reduction gearing, helped to keep engine revs low and reliability high. The single carburettor was a Claudel Hobson AV.48D.[1]
In 1935 the Cirrus Minor entered production and the Major followed soon afterwards. Two years later, with its product range now rationalised and the new engines settled in the marketplace, the company was brought into its parent as the Cirrus Engines Division of Blackburn Aircraft.
Variants
Cirrus Major III showing Cirrus logo cast into crankcase
Cirrus Major I
135 hp
Cirrus Major II
148 hp variant.
Cirrus Major III
Higher compression engine with an increase in output to 150 hp (116kW).
Gunston, Bill (1986). World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens. p. 40.
Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN1-85310-294-6.
February 04, 2023
blackburn, cirrus, major, british, inline, four, aircraft, engine, that, developed, late, 1930s, cirrus, majorright, side, view, cirrus, major, installed, auster, 5gtype, cooled, cylinder, inline, piston, enginenational, origin, united, kingdommanufacturer, bl. The Blackburn Cirrus Major is a British inline four aircraft engine that was developed in the late 1930s Cirrus MajorRight side view of a Cirrus Major III installed in an Auster J 5GType Air cooled 4 cylinder inline piston engineNational origin United KingdomManufacturer Blackburn AircraftFirst run 1936Number built c 700 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Variants 3 Applications 4 Specifications Cirrus Major I 4 1 General characteristics 4 2 Components 4 3 Performance 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 BibliographyDesign and development EditThe Blackburn Cirrus Major started life as a continued evolution of the original Cirrus and Hermes series of aircraft engines which had been in production for the last decade C S Napier son of engine designer Montague Napier was Technical Director and Chief Designer for Cirrus Hermes Engineering when he began work on two new engines the Cirrus minor and the larger Cirrus Major The engines were still under development when the company was bought by the Blackburn Aeroplane amp Motor Company moved to a new factory at Brough in Yorkshire and renamed Cirrus Hermes Engineering 1 2 Like all the Cirrus engines the Major was an air cooled inverted four cylinder inline design Aimed at the same market for a robust reliable and affordable light aircraft engine it retained many proven design features of the originals while making many improvements Cylinder barrels were of forged steel while the individual heads were of light alloy Unlike the Minor the Major retained the established long bolts which passed through the barrels to secure the heads to the crank case as well as the general layout of the heads from the Hermes IV A which remained in production alongside Pistons and con rods were of light alloys with a steel crankshaft Direct drive to the propeller without reduction gearing helped to keep engine revs low and reliability high The single carburettor was a Claudel Hobson AV 48D 1 In 1935 the Cirrus Minor entered production and the Major followed soon afterwards Two years later with its product range now rationalised and the new engines settled in the marketplace the company was brought into its parent as the Cirrus Engines Division of Blackburn Aircraft Variants Edit Cirrus Major III showing Cirrus logo cast into crankcase Cirrus Major I 135 hp Cirrus Major II 148 hp variant Cirrus Major III Higher compression engine with an increase in output to 150 hp 116kW Applications EditAuster Aiglet Auster Autocar Blackburn B 2 Chrislea Skyjeep de Havilland DH 60 Moth Fairey Primer Foster Wikner Wicko General Aircraft Cygnet General Aircraft Owlet HAL HT 2 Hendy 302 I Ae 31 Colibri I Ae 32 Chingolo Miles Aerovan Miles Aries Miles Gemini Miles Hawk Major Miles Hawk Trainer Miles Mercury Miles Messenger Portsmouth Aerocar Major Simmonds Spartan Stampe SV 4Specifications Cirrus Major I EditData from Lumsden 3 General characteristics Type Inline air cooled inverted 4 cylinder Bore 4 72 in 120 mm Stroke 5 51 in 140 mm Displacement 385 64 cu in 6 31 L Length 50 in 1270 mm Width 17 5 in 444 mm Height 30 in 762 mm Dry weight 310 lb 141 kg Components Valvetrain 1 inlet and 1 exhaust valve per cylinder Fuel system 1 Claudel Hobson carburettor Fuel type 73 octane petrol Cooling system Air cooledPerformance Power output 135 hp 101 kW at 2 350 rpm Compression ratio 5 1 1 Power to weight ratio 0 43 hp lb 0 71 kW kg See also EditADC CirrusRelated development Blackburn Cirrus MinorComparable engines Alfa Romeo 110 de Havilland Gipsy Major Hirth HM 504 Menasco C4Related lists List of aircraft enginesReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Blackburn Cirrus Major Notes Edit a b The Cirrus Major Flight 13 June 1935 Supplement A New Small Engine Flight 28 February 1935 pp 218 9 Lumsden 2003 p 89 Bibliography Edit Oldengine org Gunston Bill 1986 World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines Wellingborough Patrick Stephens p 40 Lumsden Alec British Piston Engines and their Aircraft Marlborough Wiltshire Airlife Publishing 2003 ISBN 1 85310 294 6 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blackburn Cirrus Major amp oldid 1018263472, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
