Blackburne Tomtit
| Tomtit | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The Shuttleworth Collection's Tomtit seen from the output (propeller) side. Valve push rods can be glimpsed behind cylinder heads. | |
| Type | air cooled Vee-twin |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Burney and Blackburne, Ltd., Bookham, Surrey |
| First run | c.1922 |
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| |
The Blackburne Tomtit was a 670 cc V-twin aero engine for light aircraft that was designed and produced by Burney and Blackburne Limited. Burney and Blackburne were based at Bookham, Surrey, England and was a former motorcycle manufacturer.
Design and development
The Blackburne Tomtit engine was developed from Blackburne's motor-cycle engines.[1] The first one adapted to aircraft use was the best performing engine at the Lympne light aircraft trials of 1923, despite the lack of refinement. The Tomtit was a modified version of the Lympne 696 cc V-twin, marketed specifically for flight.
The Tomtit could run upright or inverted and was the first British engine to fly inverted, in the ANEC I. The inverted configuration was more common, but the Avro 558 used it in the upright arrangement,[2] and the Avro 560 flew with both upright and inverted Tomtits.[3]
Applications (including early Lympne 1923 version)
- ANEC I
- Avro 558
- Avro 560
- BICh-3[4] (the world's first flying wing)
- Darmstadt D-11 Mohamed[5]
- de Havilland Humming Bird
- Gloster Gannet
- Gnosspelius Gull
- Gribovsky G-5
- Handley Page H.P.23
- Heath Parasol
- Parnall Pixie II[6]
- Reid biplane[7]
- Short Cockle[8]
- Wheeler Slymph[9]
Specifications
Data from Flight[1]
General characteristics
- Type: Vee twin four stroke piston engine
- Bore: 71 mm (2.80 in)
- Stroke: 88 mm (3.46 in)
- Displacement: 696 cc (42.5 cu in)
- Dry weight: 34 kg (75 lb)
Performance
- Power output: 16 hp (12 kW) at 2,400 rpm
- Specific fuel consumption: 0.58 pint (0.33 litre) per hp per hour
- Oil consumption: 0.035 pint (0.02 litre) per hp per hour
See also
- Related lists
References
Notes
- 1 2 Flight 1924, pp. 338
- ↑ Jackson 1965, pp. 212
- ↑ Jackson 1965, pp. 215
- ↑ Cheronovski
- ↑ Flight 1925, pp. 371
- ↑ Jackson 1960, pp. 399
- ↑ Flight 1925, pp. 79–80
- ↑ Jackson 1960, pp. 423
- ↑ Jackson 1960, pp. 463
Bibliography
- "Light 'Plane Engines", Flight (29 May 1924): 581
- "Light 'Plane and Glider Notes", Flight (12 February 1925): 581
- "Darmstadt", Flight (18 June 1925): 371
- Jackson, A.J. (1965), Avro Aircraft since 1908, London: Putnam Publishing
- Jackson, A.J. (1960), British Civil Aircraft 1919-59, 2, London: Putnam Publishing
Douglas Light Aero engines from Kingswood to Cathcart.Page 106 Brian Thorby 2010 Redcliffe Press, Bristol ISBN 978-1-906593-25-4