The French Le Rhône rotary aircraft engine is one of the most important engineering designs of early aviation and provided air power for the Allies during World War I. This air-cooled engine provided better power-to-weight ratio than in-line liquid-cooled engines.
Early aircraft engines suffered greatly from overheating. What makes the Le Rhône an engineering marvel is the entire engine block rotated along with the propeller around a fixed crankshaft. The rotating engine design for the most part solved the overheating issue. Of interest, the torque created by the rotating engine caused the aircraft to want to “roll” with the engine, making it difficult and dangerous to fly. Learn more.
Early aircraft engines suffered greatly from overheating. What makes the Le Rhône an engineering marvel is the entire engine block rotated along with the propeller around a fixed crankshaft. The rotating engine design for the most part solved the overheating issue. Of interest, the torque created by the rotating engine caused the aircraft to want to “roll” with the engine, making it difficult and dangerous to fly. Learn more.