Wright R-1820-56 Cyclone :: 3D Printed 1/48 for Eduard FM-2 Wildcat

Description

3D printed Wright R-1820-56 Cyclone radial engine designed specifically for the Eduard FM-2 Wildcat (1/48 scale).

Historical Notes:

The Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 is an American radial engine developed by Curtiss-Wright and extensively used on aircraft from the 1930s to the 1950s. Initially a further development of the Wright P-2 engine from 1925, the R-1820 featured increased displacement and numerous enhancements, entering production in 1931 and continuing into the 1950s. This engine was also produced under various international licenses, including in the Soviet Union as the Shvetsov M-25 and in Spain as the Hispano-Suiza 9V or Hispano-Wright 9V, with manufacturers like Lycoming, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and Studebaker involved, especially during World War II.

Renowned for its role in powering significant aircraft, the R-1820 was central to the operation of the early Douglas airliners such as the DC series and military aircraft like the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Douglas SBD Dauntless. Its variants saw broad applications, even extending to experimental armored vehicles such as the M6 Heavy Tank. As jet engines began to emerge, the R-1820 and similar air-cooled radial engines had already set a high standard in both military and commercial aviation, epitomized by the -97 model's production of over 64,000 units during World War II, the most of any in the R-1820 series.