Dakota Territory Air Museum P-47 Mounting the R-2800

-47 Mounting the R-2800
The Double Wasp is mounted on a stand as the QEC (or Quick Engine Change assembly) is completed.

Mounting the overhauled R-2800 is a major milestone in the restoration of P-47 42-27609. It nearly completes the visual impression of this largest single-engine WWII fighter.

The Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp R-2800 used in the P-47 is an eighteen-cylinder, double-row radial weighing approximately 2350 pounds. The cylinder bore is 5.75 inches and the piston stroke is 6 inches. The cylinder volume swept by all 18 pistons combined is 2804 cubic inches.

For a rough analogy of the sheer size of the cylinders, consider that at 155.7 cubic inches (or 2.55 liters,) each cylinder displaces slightly more than the entire standard 4 cylinder engine in a Toyota Camry or Ford Fusion.

Here is a time-lapse of the engine mounting process taken by Mark Adams in the restoration shop

The installation of the overhauled R-2800 brings P-47D-23RA 42-27609 ever closer to its first flight in 78 years. Everyone here at AirCorps Aviation is excited for that event, to say the least!

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2 Responses
  1. Thank you for this and the numerous other updates on Aircorps projects. The quality and detail of the restorations is nicely matched by the outstanding photography and descriptive narrative found in the updates.

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