The Mathis Vega 42 was a 42-cylinder 6-bank in-line radial piston engine, designed and built in France, by Société Mathis Aviation in the late 1930s, with development continuing during and after WWII.
| Vega 42 | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Société Mathis Aviation |
| Designer | Émile E. C. Mathis / Raymond Georges |
| First run | 1938 |
Design and development edit
Émile E. C. Mathis had begun designing and producing motor-cars from 1910. Société Mathis Aviation, formed in 1937, began designing aircraft engines, initially with the large and complex Vega.[1]
The Vega (and the similar Vesta) had a 2-piece Aluminium-alloy crankcase, 7 Aluminium-alloy cylinder blocks, with one-piece Aluminium-alloy heads and steel cylinder liners. A 6-throw crankshaft ran in 7 plain bearings.
Development continued after the war, culminating in the 119.4 L (7,290 cu in) 3,700 kW (5,000 hp) Vesta 42, which did not reach the hardware stage before Mathis closed its doors.[1]
Operational history edit
The Vega engines were run on test-beds, and some sources indicate the engine was flown 100 hours in a test bed aircraft during 1939, but no details of flight testing survive.[1]
Variants edit
- Vega 42A
- Initial version of the engine first run in 1938, rated 1,700 kW (2,300 hp) at 3,000 rpm. Two examples and a full-scale mock-up are reported to have been built.[1]
- Vega 42B
- An improved variant, under development in 1940. Completed and unfinished engines were hidden from invading German forces, in the Pyrenees.[1]
- Vega 42D
- An enlarged capacity version which became the Vesta 42.[1]
- Vega 42E
- Post WWII development rated at 2,100 kW (2,800 hp) for take-off.
- Vesta 42
- An enlarged Vega, developed from 1942, with similar configuration, but 158 mm (6.22 in) bore, 145 mm (5.71 in) stroke and 119.4 L (7,290 cu in) displacement, rated at 3,700 kW (5,000 hp).[1][2]
Specifications (42E-00) edit
Data from Old Machine Press: Mathis Vega 42-Cylinder Aircraft Engine,[1] Aircraft engines of the World 1946[2]
General characteristics
- Type: 42 cylinder in-line radial engine (6 7-cylinder banks)
- Bore: 125 mm (4.92 in)
- Stroke: 115 mm (4.53 in)
- Displacement: 59.3 L (3,620 cu in)
- Length: 1,520 mm (59.84 in)
- Diameter: 1,070 mm (42.13 in)
- Dry weight: 1,180 kg (2,600 lb)
- Maximum Brake Mean Effective Power (b.m.e.p.) 13.4 kg/cm2 (191 psi)
Components
- Valvetrain: 1 exhaust and 1 inlet valve per cylinder driven by 7x single overhead camshafts (SOHC)
- Supercharger: Gear-driven single-stage driven at 5.53:1, with automatic boost control.
- Fuel system: 1x Zenith 160 2-barrel downdraught carburetor
- Fuel type: 100/130 Octane aviation gasolene
- Oil system: Pressure feed at 690 kPa (100 psi), dry sump using 25.1 cs (0.00418 min) viscosity oil
- Cooling system: liquid-cooled
- Reduction gear: Epicyclic bevel reduction gear at 0.42:1
Performance
- Power output: Take-off:2,100 kW (2,800 hp) at 3,200 rpm at 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) +8.6lb boost
- Normal:1,700 kW (2,300 hp) at 3,000 rpm at 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
- Cruising:1,300 kW (1,700 hp) at 2,500 rpm at 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
- Specific power: 35 kW/L (0.77 hp/cu in)
- Compression ratio: 6.5
- Specific fuel consumption: 0.292 kg/kW (0.48 lb/hp) per hour, cruising
- Oil consumption: 0.011 kg/kW (0.018 lb/hp) per hour, cruising
- Power-to-weight ratio: 0.57 kg/kW (0.93 lb/hp)
See also edit
References edit
Further reading edit
- Bodemer, Alfred; Laugier, Robert (1987). les Moteurs à pistons aeronautiques français (1900/1960) vol.2 (in French) (1st ed.). Editions lariviere. ISBN 978-2862482279.
- Cuny, Jean; Raymond, Danel (1980). L'Aviation française de bombardement et de renseignement : 1918-1940 (in French). Larivière.
- "The Mathis 42E 00: A New French Six-bank In-line Engine of 4,000-5,000 h.p." Flight. XLVIII (1915): 257. 6 September 1945. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- "Here and There: Mathis Multi". Flight. XLVII (1897). 3 May 1945. Retrieved 5 December 2018.