The Menasco Manufacturing Co. of Los Angeles, California was organized originally in 1926 as the Menasco Motors Co., under the direction of Albert S. (Al) Menasco, to convert Salmson (France) Z-9 water-cooled nine-cylinder radials into air-cooled engines. The best-known Menasco engines are the air-cooled, inverted inline four- and six-cylinder engine series known as the Pirate and Buccaneer, respectively. Their only HOAE is described here. Menasco left the company in 1938 and the firm did not resume engine manufacturing or development after WWII. However, the company has been very successful as a builder of aerospace products, particularly aircraft landing gear. Although it was not available to the compiler, please see the AJS book in the References for more details about the company.
O-145 -- {3.5 / 3.75 / 144.3} / {88.9 / 95.3 / 2365}
4cyl; Pirate M-50; 50hp@2500rpm; 1938; Wt = 167#; TC = 191 on 2/8/38 - expired 10/7/41.
Single-ignition engine; Gunston says this engine was a marketing error. This is backed up by Smith's discussion that the M-50 was no more advanced technically than the Continental A-40 of 1931. It was just larger (greater displacement and, consequently, greater horsepower) than the A-40 and, realistically, could not be developed further.
Ae39; BGE; S.
Applications: (US) Aeronca Chief KM, 50-M; Dale Air-Dale (became Swallow LT series); Greenwood-Yates (North Pacific) Bicraft.