# Wright R-1820 Cyclone

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R-9 piston aircraft engine family

R-1820 Cyclone Curtiss-Wright R-1820 Cyclone Radial Engine Type Radial engine National origin United States Manufacturer Wright Aeronautical First run 1930s Major applications Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Curtiss P-36 Hawk Douglas B-18 Bolo Douglas DC-3 Douglas SBD Dauntless General Motors FM-2 Wildcat Sikorsky H-34 North American T-28 Trojan Number built 47,475[1] Developed into Wright R-2600 Wright R-3350 Variants Shvetsov M-25

The **Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9** is an American [radial engine](/source/Radial_engine) developed by [Curtiss-Wright](/source/Curtiss-Wright), widely used on aircraft in the 1930s through 1950s. It was produced under license in France as the **Hispano-Suiza 9V** or **Hispano-Wright 9V**, and in the Soviet Union as the [Shvetsov M-25](/source/Shvetsov_M-25).

## Design and development

The R-1820 Cyclone 9 represented a further development of the [Wright P-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wright_P-2&action=edit&redlink=1) engine dating back to 1925. Featuring a greater displacement and a host of improvements, the R-1820 entered production in 1931. The engine remained in production well into the 1950s.

The R-1820 was built under license by [Lycoming](/source/Lycoming_Engines), [Pratt & Whitney Canada](/source/Pratt_%26_Whitney_Canada), and also, during [World War II](/source/World_War_II), by the [Studebaker Corporation](/source/Studebaker_Corporation). The [Soviet Union](/source/Soviet_Union) had purchased a license for the design, and the [Shvetsov](/source/Shvetsov) *[OKB](/source/OKB)* was formed to [metricate](/source/Metrication) the [American specification](/source/U.S._customary_units) powerplant for Soviet government-factory production as the *[M-25](/source/Shvetsov_M-25)*, with the R-1820's general design features used by the Shvetsov design bureau for many of their future radials for the Soviet air forces through the 1940s and onwards. In [Spain](/source/Spain) the R-1820 was license-built as the *Hispano-Suiza 9V* or *Hispano-Wright 9V*.[2]

The R-1820 was at the heart of many famous aircraft including early Douglas airliners (the prototype [DC-1](/source/Douglas_DC-1), the [DC-2](/source/Douglas_DC-2), the first civil versions of the [DC-3](/source/Douglas_DC-3), and the limited-production [DC-5](/source/Douglas_DC-5)), every wartime example of the [Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress](/source/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress) and [Douglas SBD Dauntless](/source/Douglas_SBD_Dauntless) bombers, the early versions of the [Polikarpov I-16](/source/Polikarpov_I-16) fighter (as the M-25), and the [Piasecki H-21](/source/Piasecki_H-21) helicopter.

The R-1820 also found limited use in armored vehicles. The G-200 variant developed 900 [hp](/source/Horsepower) (670 [kW](/source/Kilowatt)) at 2,300 rpm and powered the strictly experimental [M6 Heavy Tank](/source/M6_Heavy_Tank).

### D-200 Diesel

The Wright R-1820 was converted to multi-fuel during World War II by [Caterpillar Inc.](/source/Caterpillar_Inc.) as the D-200 and produced 450 hp (340 kW) at 2,000 rpm in the [M4A6 Sherman](/source/M4_Sherman).[3]

## Variants

**R-1820-04**
- 700 hp (520 kW)

**R-1820-1**
- 575 hp (429 kW)

**R-1820-4**
- 770 hp (570 kW)

**R-1820-19**
- 675 hp (503 kW)

**R-1820-21**
- 690 hp (510 kW)

**R-1820-22**
- 950 hp (710 kW)

**R-1820-25**
- 675 hp (503 kW), 750 hp (560 kW), 775 hp (578 kW)

**R-1820-32**
- 1,000 hp (750 kW)

**XR-1820-32**
- 800 hp (600 kW)

**R-1820-33**
- 775 hp (578 kW)

**R-1820-34**
- 940 hp (700 kW), 950 hp (710 kW)

**R-1820-34A**
- 1,200 hp (890 kW)

**R-1820-40/42**
- 1,100 hp (820 kW), 1,200 hp (890 kW)

**R-1820-41**
- 850 hp (630 kW)

**R-1820-45**
- 800 hp (600 kW), 930 hp (690 kW)

**R-1820-49**
- 975 hp (727 kW)

**R-1820-50**
- 850 hp (630 kW)

**R-1820-52**
- 1,000 hp (750 kW)

**R-1820-53**
- 930 hp (690 kW), 1,000 hp (750 kW)

**R-1820-56**
- 1,200 hp (890 kW), 1,350 hp (1,010 kW)

**R-1820-57**
- 1,060 hp (790 kW)

**R-1820-60**
- 1,200 hp (890 kW)

**R-1820-62**
- 1,350 hp (1,010 kW)

**R-1820-66**
- 1,200 hp (895 kW), 1,350 hp (1,007 kW)

**R-1820-67/69**
- 1,200 hp (890 kW), fitted with [turbosupercharger](/source/Turbocharger)

**R-1820-72W**
- 1,350 hp (1,010 kW), 1,425 hp (1,063 kW)

**R-1820-74W**
- 1,500 hp (1,100 kW)

**R-1820-76A,B,C,D**
- 1,425 hp (1,063 kW)

**R-1820-77**
- 1,200 hp (890 kW)

**R-1820-78**
- 700 hp (522 kW), 1,100 hp (820 kW)

**R-1820-80**
- 700 hp (520 kW), 1,535 hp (1,145 kW)

**R-1820-82WA**
- 1,525 hp (1,137 kW)

**R-1820-84**
- 1,525 hp (1,137 kW)

**R-1820-86**
- 1,425 hp (1,063 kW)

**R-1820-97**
- 1,200 hp (890 kW), fitted with turbosupercharger

**R-1820-103**
- 1,425 hp (1,063 kW)

**SGR-1820-F3**
- 710 hp (530 kW), 720 hp (540 kW)

**SGR-1820-F2**
- 720 hp (540 kW)

**R-1820-F53**
- 770 hp (570 kW)

**R-1820-F56**
- 790 hp (590 kW)

**GR-1820-G2**
- 1,000 hp (750 kW)

**R-1820-G3**
- 840 hp (630 kW)

**R-1820-G5**
- 950 hp (710 kW)

**R-1820-G101**
- 1,100 hp (820 kW)

**R-1820-G102**
- 775 hp (578 kW)

**GR-1820-G102A**
- 1,100 hp (820 kW)

**R-1820-G102A**
- 1,100 hp (820 kW)

**R-1820-G102A**
- 1,100 hp (820 kW)

**R-1820-G202A**
- 1,200 hp (890 kW)

**R-1820-G103**
- 1,000 hp (750 kW)

**R-1820-G105**
- 1,000 hp (750 kW)

**R-1820-G205A**
- 1,200 hp (890 kW)

Notes: Unit numbers ending with **W** indicate engine variants fitted with water-methanol emergency power boost systems.

### Hispano-Suiza 9V

The Hispano-Suiza 9V is a licence-built version of the R-1820.[4]

**Hispano-Suiza 9Vr**
- 9V with reduction gear

**Hispano-Suiza 9Vb**

**Hispano-Suiza 9Vbr**
- variant of the 9Vb with reduction gear[4]

**Hispano-Suiza 9Vbrs**
- variant of the 9Vb with reduction gear and supercharger

**Hispano-Suiza 9Vbs**
- variant of the 9Vb with supercharger[4]

**Hispano-Suiza 9Vd**
- variant of the 9V[4]

**Hispano-Suiza 9V-10**
- 429 kW (575 hp) driving fixed-pitch propeller

**Hispano-Suiza 9V-11**
- as -10 but RH rotation

**Hispano-Suiza 9V-16**
- 480 kW (650 hp) driving variable-pitch propeller, LH rotation

**Hispano-Suiza 9V-17**
- as -16 but RH rotation

## Applications

- [Bloch MB.221](/source/Bloch_MB.220)

- [Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress](/source/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress)

- [Boeing 307 Stratoliner](/source/Boeing_307_Stratoliner)

- [Brewster F2A Buffalo](/source/Brewster_F2A_Buffalo)

- [Curtiss AT-32-A Condor](/source/Curtiss_T-32_Condor_II)

- [Curtiss SBC-4 Helldiver](/source/Curtiss_SBC-4_Helldiver)

- [Curtiss P-36 Hawk](/source/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk)

- [Curtiss SC Seahawk](/source/Curtiss_SC_Seahawk)

- [Curtiss-Wright CW-21](/source/Curtiss-Wright_CW-21)

- [Douglas A-33](/source/Douglas_A-33)

- [Douglas B-18 Bolo](/source/Douglas_B-18_Bolo)

- [Douglas DC-2](/source/Douglas_DC-2)

- [Douglas DC-3](/source/Douglas_DC-3) (DST, G-102 and G-202)

- [Douglas R4D-8/C-117D](/source/Douglas_R4D-8%2FC-117D)

- [Douglas DC-5](/source/Douglas_DC-5)

- [Douglas DF](/source/Douglas_DF) Wright SGR-1820G-2

- [Douglas SBD Dauntless](/source/Douglas_SBD_Dauntless)

- [FMA AeMB.2](/source/FMA_AeMB.2) Bombi

- [General Motors FM-2 Wildcat](/source/Grumman_F4F_Wildcat)

- [Grumman TF-1 / C-1 Trader](/source/Grumman_C-1_Trader)

- [Grumman E-1 Tracer](/source/Grumman_E-1_Tracer)

- [Grumman FF](/source/Grumman_FF)

- [Grumman F3F](/source/Grumman_F3F)

- [Grumman XF5F Skyrocket](/source/Grumman_XF5F_Skyrocket)

- [Grumman XP-50](/source/Grumman_XP-50)

- [Grumman HU-16 Albatross](/source/Grumman_HU-16_Albatross)

- [Grumman J2F Duck](/source/Grumman_J2F_Duck)

- [Grumman S-2 Tracker](/source/Grumman_S-2_Tracker)

- [Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra](/source/Lockheed_Model_14_Super_Electra)

- [Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar](/source/Lockheed_Model_18_Lodestar)

- [Lockheed Hudson](/source/Lockheed_Hudson)

- [Martin B-10](/source/Martin_B-10)

- [North American A-27](/source/North_American_A-27)

- [North American O-47](/source/North_American_O-47)

- [North American P-64](/source/North_American_P-64)

- [North American T-28B/C/D Trojan](/source/North_American_T-28_Trojan)

- [Northrop N-3PB](/source/Northrop_N-3PB)

- [Northrop YC-125 Raider](/source/Northrop_YC-125_Raider)

- [Piasecki H-21](/source/Piasecki_H-21)

- [Polikarpov I-16](/source/Polikarpov_I-16)

- [PZL.44 Wicher](/source/PZL.44_Wicher)

- [Ryan FR Fireball](/source/Ryan_FR_Fireball)

- [Sikorsky S-58/HUS/HSS/H-34](/source/Sikorsky_H-34)

- [Vultee V-1](/source/Vultee_V-1)

### Vehicles

- [M4A6 tank](/source/M4_Sherman_variants#US_M4_sub-types)

- [M6 heavy tank](/source/M6_heavy_tank)

## Engines on display

Preserved Wright R-1820 engines are on display at the following museums:

- [American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum](/source/American_Airlines_C.R._Smith_Museum)[5]

- [Fleet Air Arm Museum](/source/Fleet_Air_Arm_Museum)[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

- [Delta Flight Museum](/source/Delta_Flight_Museum)[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

- [National Air and Space Museum](/source/National_Air_and_Space_Museum)[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

- [National Museum of the U.S. Air Force](/source/National_Museum_of_the_U.S._Air_Force)[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

- [San Diego Air & Space Museum](/source/San_Diego_Air_%26_Space_Museum)

- [Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum](/source/Wings_of_Freedom_Aviation_Museum)[6]

		- Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 engine of restored Douglas DC-3 "Flagship Knoxville" at [American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum](/source/American_Airlines_C.R._Smith_Museum)

		- Wright R-1820 cutaway at the [Museum of Aviation](/source/Museum_of_Aviation_(Warner_Robins))

		- Wright R-1820 at the [Museum of Aviation](/source/Museum_of_Aviation_(Warner_Robins))

		- Wright R-1820-82 Cyclone Radial Engine at [Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum](/source/Wings_of_Freedom_Aviation_Museum), [Horsham, Pennsylvania](/source/Horsham%2C_Pennsylvania)

		- Curtiss Wright R-1820 Cyclone engine on display at the [San Diego Air & Space Museum](/source/San_Diego_Air_%26_Space_Museum)

## Specifications (GR-1820-G2)

*Data from* *Jane's*.[7]

### General characteristics

- **Type:** Nine-cylinder single-row supercharged air-cooled [radial engine](/source/Radial_engine)

- **[Bore](/source/Bore_(engine)):** 6.125 in (155.6 mm)

- **[Stroke](/source/Stroke_(engine)):** 6.875 in (174.6 mm)

- **[Displacement](/source/Engine_displacement):** 1,823 cu in (29.87 L)

- **Length:** 47.76 in (1,213 mm)

- **Diameter:** 54.25 in (1,378 mm)

- **[Dry weight](/source/Dry_weight):** 1,184 lb (537 kg)

### Components

- **[Valvetrain](/source/Valvetrain):** Two [overhead valves](/source/Overhead_valve) per cylinder with [sodium](/source/Sodium)-filled exhaust valve

- **[Supercharger](/source/Supercharger):** Single-speed [General Electric](/source/General_Electric) [centrifugal type supercharger](/source/Centrifugal_type_supercharger), blower ratio 7.134:1

- **Fuel system:** Stromberg PD12K10 downdraft [carburetor](/source/Carburetor) with automatic mixture control

- **Fuel type:** 87 [octane rating](/source/Octane_rating) [gasoline](/source/Gasoline)

- **Oil system:** [Dry sump](/source/Dry_sump) with one pressure and one scavenging pump

- **Cooling system:** Air-cooled

### Performance

- **Power output:** 1,000 hp (746 kW) at 2,200 rpm for takeoff

- **[Specific power](/source/Power_density):** 0.46 hp/in³ (20.88 kW/L)

- **[Compression ratio](/source/Compression_ratio):** 6.45:1

- **[Specific fuel consumption](/source/Brake_specific_fuel_consumption):** 0.6 lb/(hp•h) (362 g/(kW•h))

- **Oil consumption:** 0.35-0.39 oz/(hp•h) (13-15 g/(kW•h))

- **[Power-to-weight ratio](/source/Power-to-weight_ratio):** 0.84 hp/lb (1.39 kW/kg)

## See also

**Related development**

- [Wright Cyclone family](/source/Wright_Cyclone)

- [Wright R-1300](/source/Wright_R-1300) Cyclone 7

- [Wright R-2600](/source/Wright_R-2600) Cyclone 14 (Twin Cyclone)

- [Wright R-3350](/source/Wright_R-3350) Cyclone 18 (Duplex Cyclone)

- [Shvetsov M-25](/source/Shvetsov_M-25)

- [Shvetsov ASh-62](/source/Shvetsov_ASh-62)

**Comparable engines**

- [Alfa Romeo 128](/source/Alfa_Romeo_128)

- [BMW 114](/source/BMW_114)

- [Nakajima Hikari](/source/Nakajima_Hikari)

- [Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp](/source/Pratt_%26_Whitney_R-1830_Twin_Wasp)

- [Bristol Pegasus](/source/Bristol_Pegasus)

**Related lists**

- [List of aircraft engines](/source/List_of_aircraft_engines)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["SUMMARY OF WRIGHT ENGINE SHIPMENTS 1920 – 1930"](http://enginehistory.org/Piston/Wright/WrightShipments1920-1930.pdf) (PDF). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211010173806/http://enginehistory.org/Piston/Wright/WrightShipments1920-1930.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 2021-10-10. Retrieved 2023-09-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Lage(2004) pp. 157-162

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEConners2013_3-0)** [Conners 2013](#CITEREFConners2013).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Hartmann_Hispano_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Hartmann_Hispano_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Hartmann_Hispano_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Hartmann_Hispano_4-3) Hartmann, Gustave. *Hispano-Suiza, Les moteurs de tous les Records.pdf* (in French).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** May, Joseph (8 January 2013). ["Flagship Knoxville — an American Airlines Douglas DC-3"](https://web.archive.org/web/20171010055621/http://blog.seattlepi.com/travelforaircraft/2013/01/08/flagship-knoxville-%e2%80%94-an-american-airlines-douglas-dc-3/). Hearst Seattle Media. Archived from [the original](http://blog.seattlepi.com/travelforaircraft/2013/01/08/flagship-knoxville-%E2%80%94-an-american-airlines-douglas-dc-3/) on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Exhibit & Collection"](https://wingsoffreedommuseum.org/exhibition/). *Wings of Freedom*. Retrieved 2024-09-06.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Bridgman 1998, p. 314.

## Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Wright R-1820](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Wright_R-1820).

- Bridgman, L, (ed.) (1998) *Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II.* Crescent. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-517-67964-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-517-67964-7).

- Conners, Chris (2013). ["Medium Tank M4 Sherman"](http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/m4sherman.html). *American Fighting Vehicle Database*. Retrieved 9 January 2014.

- Eden, Paul & Soph Moeng, *The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft.* Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7607-3432-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7607-3432-1).

- Gunston, Bill. *World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines: From the Pioneers to the Present Day*. 5th edition, Stroud, UK: Sutton, 2006.[ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7509-4479-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7509-4479-X)

- White, Graham. *Allied Aircraft Piston Engines of World War II: History and Development of Frontline Aircraft Piston Engines Produced by Great Britain and the United States During World War II*. Warrendale, Pennsylvania: SAE International, 1995. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-56091-655-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-56091-655-9)

- Lage, Manual (2004). *Hispano Suiza in Aeronautics*. Warrendale, USA: SAE International. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7680-0997-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7680-0997-9).

- ["Aircraft Engines in Armored Vehicles"](https://web.archive.org/web/20061007163521/http://www.enginehistory.org/featured_engines.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.enginehistory.org/featured_engines.htm) on 2006-10-07. Retrieved 2006-10-03.

v t e Wright and Lawrance aircraft engines Wright inline engines E Gipsy L-320 T-1 Tornado T-2 Tornado T-3 Tornado T-4 Tornado V-720 IV-1460 IV-1560 V-1950 Lawrance radials A-3 C-2 J-1 J-2 L-1 L-2 L-3 L-4 L-5 Wright radials Whirlwind family J-3 J-4 J-5 J-6-5 J-6-7 J-6-9 R-540 R-760 R-790 R-975 R-1510 R-1670 Cyclone family Cyclone 7 Cyclone 9 Cyclone Twin Cyclone Duplex-Cyclone Cyclone 22 R-1300 R-1750 R-1820 R-2600 R-3350 R-4090 Others L-3 Gale R-1200 R-2160 Tornado Turbojets J59 J61 J65 J67 Turboprops/turboshafts T35 T49 Ramjets RJ47 RJ55

v t e United States military piston aircraft engine designation system H (four-bank H-configuration inline) H-1640 XH-2240 XH-2470 XH-2600 XH-3130 XH-3730 H-4070 IV (inverted-V inline) IV-1430 IV-2040 IV-2220 L (single-bank inline) L-330 L-365 L-375 L-390 L-410 L-440 L-510 L-825 O (opposed) O-15 O-40 O-45 O-90 O-100 O-145 O-150 O-170 O-175 O-180 O-190 O-200 (C) O-200 (F) O-205 O-235 O-290 O-300 O-335 O-360 (C) O-360 (L) O-405 O-425 O-435 O-470 O-480 O-520 O-540 (F) O-540 (L) O-550 O-580 O-805 O-1230 R (radial) R-250 R-265 R-270 R-370 (LB) R-370 (K) R-420 R-440 R-500 R-540 (W) R-540 (K) R-545 R-550 R-600 R-670 R-680 R-720 R-755 R-760 R-790 R-830 R-915 R-975 DR-980 R-985 R-1044 R-1300 R-1340 R-1454 R-1510 R-1535 R-1640 R-1670 R-1690 R-1740 R-1750 R-1820 R-1830 R-1860 R-2000 R-2060 R-2160 R-2180 R-2600 R-2800 R-3350 R-4090 R-4360 R-7755 V (upright-V inline) V-720 V-1150 V-1237 V-1400 V-1440 V-1460 V-1510 V-1560 V-1570 V-1650 (P) V-1710 V-1950 V-3420 V (inverted-V inline) V-770 V-1650 (L) VG (inverted-V inline) VG-1410 W (three-bank W-configuration inline) W-2779 See also: X-1800 US military gas turbine aeroengines Piston engine configurations

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Wright R-1820 Cyclone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_R-1820_Cyclone) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_R-1820_Cyclone?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.