This paper is an overview of the development of aircraft piston engines in the United States from the days of the Wright Brothers through the 1940’s. In A History of Aircraft Piston Engines the second author has compiled what is arguably the most concise and complete presentation of the development of aircraft piston engines to date. The history is international in scope and is backed up by a wealth of photographs, data tables and drawings. In addition to the engineering and flight performance trade-offs involved with each of the many engines addressed, the author discusses many of the business conditions and personality interactions that colored the successes and failures of the many engine development ventures. Using the information gathered for this referenced work the highlights of the development of U.S. aircraft piston engines are reviewed.
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