# ABC Wasp

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The **ABC Wasp** was an experimental 170 hp (127 kW) seven-cylinder [radial engine](/source/Radial_engine) designed by the noted British engineer [Granville Bradshaw](/source/Granville_Bradshaw), and primarily built by [ABC Motors Limited](/source/ABC_Motors). An order for twelve experimental ABC Wasp engines was placed with [Guy Motors](/source/Guy_Motors) on 19 April 1918.[1] Eight ABC Wasp engines were made by Crossley Motors Ltd of Manchester, England.[2]

## Design and development

The ABC Wasp was one of the first large [non-rotary](/source/Rotary_engine) [air-cooled radials](/source/Air-cooled_engine). At a weight of 290 pounds (131 kg), it had a reasonable [power-to-weight ratio](/source/Power-to-weight_ratio) at 0.6 horsepower per pound. This [World War I](/source/World_War_I)–era engine is noteworthy because it was one of the first in which the cylinders were coated with [copper](/source/Copper) in an attempt to dissipate heat. The ABC Wasp never evolved beyond the experimental stage, but it was the predecessor of the unsuccessful [Dragonfly](/source/ABC_Dragonfly) engine.[3][4]

## Variants

**Wasp I**- 1918, 160 hp (119 kW) 4.5 by 5.9 in (110 by 150 mm)[5]
**Wasp II**- 1919, 200 hp (149 kW) 4.75 by 6.25 in (121 by 159 mm)[5]

## Applications

**Wasp I**

- [Avro 504K](/source/Avro_504)
- [BAT Bantam](/source/BAT_Bantam)
- [BAT Baboon](/source/BAT_Baboon)
- [Sopwith Snail](/source/Sopwith_Snail)
- [Westland Wagtail](/source/Westland_Wagtail)

**Wasp II**

- [Avro 504K](/source/Avro_504)
- [BAT Bantam](/source/BAT_Bantam)
- [Saunders Kittiwake](/source/Saunders_Kittiwake)
- [Sopwith Snail](/source/Sopwith_Snail)
- [Westland Wagtail](/source/Westland_Wagtail)

## References

### Notes

1. ["Aircraft Component Manufacturers – Guy Motors"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080601141943/http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Transport/planes/components.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Transport/planes/components.htm) on 1 June 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2008.

1. ["Aircraft engine, ABC Wasp No.1"](https://collection.maas.museum/object/213314). *Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210305103456/https://collection.maas.museum/object/213314) 5 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 12 September 2019.

1. ["Fact Sheets : British ABC Wasp : British ABC Wasp"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081229203610/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=816). Archived from [the original](http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=816) on 29 December 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2008.

1. ["OLD RHINEBECK AERODROME – ABC Wasp"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080608024633/http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/collection/engines/ABC%20Wasp.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/collection/engines/ABC%20Wasp.htm) on 8 June 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2008.

1. Angle, Glenn D. (1921). [*Airplane Engine Encyclopedia*](https://archive.org/details/airplaneenginee00anglgoog). Dayton, Ohio: THE OTTERBEIN PRESS.

### Bibliography

- Gunston, Bill (1986). *World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines*. Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens. p. 9.
- Lumsden, Alec. *British Piston Engines and their Aircraft*. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [ABC Wasp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_Wasp) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_Wasp?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.