The Napier Sabre Engine
Part 1: Shop Layout, Work Flow, Production Sequence, Machining the Crankcase and Cylinder Block
by J. A. Oates, A.M.I.E.I., M.Inst.Met.
This article first appeared in the Volume 6, Number 66 (April, 1944) issue of Aircraft Production magazine, and is presented here through the kind permission of Flight International. Thanks also to Bruce Vander Mark for furnishing volumes of Aircraft Production for scanning. Fitted to the Typhoon and other aircraft, the Napier Sabre weighs 2,360 lb and develops 2,200 bhp at 3,700 rpm. It measures approximately 80” by 40” by 43” and is a compact 24-cylinder horizontal H-type sleeve-valve engine with a bore and stroke of 5.000” and 4.750” respectively, giving a total swept volume of 36.69 litres. The short stroke enables the overall width to be kept to a minimum. For a liquid-cooled twin crankshaft engine, the specific weight of 1.07 lb per brake horse power is highly creditable. To ensure efficient operation under arduous conditions, high-quality workmanship and materials are essential. That this is the case with the Sabre will be seen from the description below of the manufacture o f the crankcase and cylinder block, and from subsequent articles dealing with other major components. |
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