SNECMA Régnier 4L

{{short description|1940s French piston aircraft engine}}  {{infobox aero engine | name=SNECMA-Régnier 4L | image=File:Espace Air Passion - SNECMA-Régnier 4L08 -1.jpg | caption=SNECMA-Régnier 4L08 |engine_type=4 cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line |manufacturer=SNECMA |designer= |national_origin=France |first_run={{circa|1945}} |major_applications=Nord NC.856A |produced= |number_built= |developed_from=1936 R.4 |variants_with_their_own_articles= }}

The '''SNECMA-Régnier 4L''' is a French four cylinder air-cooled inverted inline piston engine, introduced shortly after the end of World War II.

==Design and development== Régnier Motor Company's introduction to aircraft engine production came after acquisition of licences to build the de Havilland Gipsy Major and Gipsy Six. Though they remained influenced by de Havilland practice their products began to diverge and eventually contained original designs.<ref name=Gunston/><ref name=JAWA38/> By the mid-1930s they had several four cylinder air-cooled inverted inline engines on offer, including the '''R.4L-02''' displayed at the 1936 Paris Air Show.<ref name=Flight/> Though it shared a name with a post-war model, the two engines were very different: the 1936 engine produced {{convert|85-90|hp|kW|abbr=on|0|order=flip}} from about 4 litres and with a dry weight near {{convert|200|lb|kg|abbr=on|0|order=flip}},<ref name=JAWA38/><ref name=Flight/> the later reached {{convert|170|hp|kW|abbr=on|0|order=flip}} from 6.3 litres at a weight of {{convert|155|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}}.<ref name=JAWA56/>

During the Occupation of France and in the years shortly after World War II, Régnier designed and produced a set of three simplified four-cylinder inverted air-cooled inline engines of increasing capacity and power, the 4J, 4K and 4L. The specifications of the post-war 4L engine are similar, though not identical to, those of the pre-war R.4, whilst those of the pre-war R.4L specifications are closer to that of the post-war 4K.<ref name=Flight/><ref name=JAWA48/> In 1946<ref name=JAWA56/> or 1947,<ref name=Gunston/> Régnier, now nationalised, was absorbed into SNECMA and the 4L engines, the most widely used member of the series,<ref name=Gunston/> became the '''SNECMA-Régnier 4L'''. Notable constructional features, shared with the 4J and 4K engines,<ref name=JAWA48/> included machined steel cylinder barrels with external baked-on anti-corrosion varnish and separate cylinder heads with unusual metallo-plastic seals, held to the crankcase by long bolts. Screwed-in plug bushes and valve seats were made from aluminium-bronze. The 4L's five-bearing steel crankshaft was forged, as were the duralumin connecting rods which had split, steel backed, bronze bearings. The crankcase was cast from aluminium alloy.<ref name=Gunston/><ref name=JAWA56/>

SNECMA continued to produce the 4L series until at least 1956.<ref name=JAWA56/> The most prolific type to use it was the military Nord NC.856A, with 112 examples.<ref name=GaillardI/>

==Variants== ''Data from ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1956/57.<ref name=JAWA56/> The types are alternatively written as 4LO-4, etc.<ref name=GaillardI/> ;4LO:early post-war designation ;4L-00: First post-war version, maximum continuous power {{convert|135|hp|kW|abbr=on|0|order=flip}} at 2,280 rpm. ;4L-02: Higher compression ratio of 7.25:1, maximum take-off and continuous power {{convert|170|hp|kW|abbr=on|0|order=flip}} at 2,500 rpm. ;4L-04: As 4L.00 but rearranged accessories. ;4L-06: As 4L.02 but rearranged accessories. ;4L-08: As 4L.04 but with higher compression ratio of 6.8:1, maximum take-off and continuous power {{convert|160|hp|kW|abbr=on|0|order=flip}}. ;4L-14:<ref name=AEotW57>{{cite book |last=Wilkinson |first=Paul H. |title=Aircraft engines of the World 1957 |year=1957 |publisher=Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. |location=London |edition=15th |page=281}}</ref> ;4L-20: -00 for inverted flight<ref name=AEotW57/> ;4L-22: -02 for inverted flight<ref name=AEotW57/> ;4L-24: -04 for inverted flight<ref name=AEotW57/> ;4L-26: -06 for inverted flight<ref name=AEotW57/> ;4L-28: -08 for inverted flight<ref name=AEotW57/> ;4L-34: -14 for inverted flight<ref name=AEotW57/>

==Applications== ''Data from:'' Gaillard (1990) {{Columns-list|colwidth=30em| *Aubert PA-20 Cigale Major *Boisavia Anjou *Boisavia Mercurey *Brochet MB.110 *Farman F.520 & 521 *Guerchais-Roche T.35 *Leduc RL.21 *LIBIS KB-6 *Nord Norécrin *Nord Norélan *Nord 3202 *Nord NC.856A, H & N *SNCASE SE-2311 }}

==Specifications (Régnier 4L.00 )== {{pistonspecs| |ref=''Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1956-57.''<ref name=JAWA56/> |type=Four cylinder in-line inverted air-cooled piston engine |bore={{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on|2}} |stroke={{convert|140|mm|in|abbr=on|2}} |displacement={{convert|6.3|L|cuin|abbr=on|0}} |length={{convert|1366|mm|in|abbr=on|2}} over starter |width={{convert|500|mm|in|abbr=on|2}} |height={{convert|760|mm|in|abbr=on|2}} |weight={{convert|155|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} dry |valvetrain=1 inlet and 1 exhaust valve under each cylinder head, operated via tappets and push-rods from camshaft. |fuelsystem=Zenith 1DC carburettor on port side, fed by 2 Guyot K or O pumps.2 BG plugs/cylinder, BG dual magneto |fueltype= |oilsystem=Pressure lubrication from engine driven pump; 2 scavenge pumps. |coolingsystem=Air; finned cylinder heads |power=Maximum continuous {{convert|135|hp|kW|abbr=on|0|order=flip}} at 2,280 rpm; take-off {{convert|147|hp|kW|abbr=on|0|order=flip}} at 2,340 rpm |specpower= |compression=6.2:1 |fuelcon={{convert|35|L|Impgal USgal|abbr=on|0}} per hour at maximum cruising power ({{convert|116|hp|kW|abbr=on|0|order=flip}} at 2,160 rpm) |specfuelcon= |oilcon= |power/weight=

|designer= |reduction_gear=

|general_other= |components_other= |performance_other= }}

==See also== {{aircontent  |see also= |related= |similar aircraft= |lists= *List of aircraft engines }}

==References== {{Commons category|Régnier R.4L}} {{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=JAWA48>{{cite book |title= Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1948|last= Bridgman |first= Leonard |year=1948|publisher=Sampson, Low, Marston and Co. Ltd|location= London|pages=54–5d }}</ref>

<ref name=JAWA56>{{cite book |title= Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1956-57|last= Bridgman |first= Leonard |year=1956|publisher= Jane's All the World's Aircraft Publishing Co. Ltd|location= London|pages=432–3 }}</ref>

<ref name=GaillardI>{{cite book |title=Les Avions Francais de 1944 à 1964|last=Gaillard|first=Pierre|year=1990|publisher=Éditions EPA|location=Paris|isbn=2-85120-350-9|page=63}}</ref>

<ref name=JAWA38>{{cite book |title= Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1938|last= Grey |first= C.G. |year=1972|publisher= David & Charles|location= London|isbn=0715-35734-4|page=68d }}</ref>

<ref name=Gunston>{{cite book |title= World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines|last=Gunston|first=Bill|edition=2| year=1989|publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd |location=Wellingborough |isbn=1-85260-163-9|pages=134–5}}</ref>

<ref name=Flight>{{cite magazine |date=26 November 1936 |title= Engines at the Paris Show|magazine= Flight|volume=XXX |issue=1457 |page=578 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1936/1936%20-%203253.html}}</ref>

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:SNECMA Regnier 4L}} Category:Air-cooled aircraft piston engines Category:Inverted aircraft piston engines Category:1940s aircraft piston engines Category:Snecma aircraft engines