The Hercules was a 14-cylinder two-row radial aircraft engine produced by the Bristol Engine Company starting in 1939. It was the first of their sleeve valve designs to see widespread use, powering many aircraft in the mid-World War II time frame.

Bristol had introduced their first sleeve valve designs in as the 750 horsepower (560 kW) class Perseus and the 500 hp (370 kW) class Aquila, which they intended to supply throughout the 1930s. Aircraft development in the era was so fast that both of these engines quickly ended up at the low-power end of the military market, and in order to deliver larger engines, Bristol developed 14-cylinder versions of both. The Perseus evolved into the Hercules, and the Aquila into the Taurus.

The first Hercules engines were available in 1939 with the 1,290 hp (960 kW) Hercules I, soon improved to 1,375 hp (1,025 kW) in the Hercules II. The major version was the Hercules VI, which delivered 1,650 hp (1,230 kW), and the late-war XVII produced 1,735 hp (1,294 kW). The Hercules powered a number of aircraft, including Bristol's own Beaufighter heavy fighter design. It was more commonly used on bombers, where it could be found on the Short Stirling, the Vickers Wellington, the Avro Lancaster Mk.II, and all later versions of the Handley-Page Halifax. It was considered to be one of the most reliable aircraft engines of the era, and was well liked by both pilots and mechanics.

The Hercules also saw use in civilian designs. It was used in the Avro York and Bristol Freighter cargo planes, the Short Solent flying boat, and the Handley-Page Hermes and Hastings . The design was also licensed for production in France by SNECMA, which saw use in the Nord Noratlas .

Specifications

Layout: fourteen-cylinder, two-row, radial

Bore by stroke: 2364 in³ (38.7 l)

Displacement: 5.75 by 6.5 in (146 by 165 mm)

Compression ratio: 7.0

Power: 1650 hp (1,230 kW) at 2800 rpm

Weight: 1680 lb (764 kg)

External links:

See also

• List of aircraft engines