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Glenn H. Curtiss (1878–1930) started the Curtiss Company in 1902 to manufacture engines and motorcycles. Around 1904, he began manufacturing engines for airships. He first developed and flew airplanes in 1908 and won numerous air meets, prizes, and open challenges. These included the Scientific American Trophy for distance in 1908 and the 1909 Gordon Bennett Trophy for speed in Rheims, France. His engines provided a clear advantage. He also developed the first successful flying boats, beginning with the Model E in 1912. As Curtiss engines became larger, liquid-cooling systems were added. A V-8 series designated O+ (later tilted to become an “X”) was first produced in 1912 for the U.S. Navy. As refinements were made, a more powerful and reliable OX-5 model was developed around 1913. During World War I, the OX-5 became the first mass-produced American-designed aircraft engine in the United States. The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company, formed in 1916, became a leading wartime aircraft manufacturer. An upgrade of the OX-5, the OXX-6 replaced a single magneto with two for greater dependability, and slightly larger cylinders provided an additional 10 horsepower over the OX-5 for a rated output of 100 horsepower. Later resold as government surplus in large numbers, the OX-5 and OXX-6 were among the most used American aircraft engines during World War I and well into the 1920s. “Going the Distance: Endurance Aircraft Engines and Propellers of the 1910s and 20s” is on display, pre-security in the Aviation Museum and Library and online at: https://bit.ly/EnduranceEngines
This image was posted on April 21, 2023.