Talk:Renault 70 hp

Applications

The Koolhoven FK no.s are a bit of a 'mare, but Tapper's AW Putnam book does not list an AW FK2. He does record the first FK3 as having the Renault engine and I wonder if this aircraft has been identified by some as the FK2. I'd be inclined to link to the FK3 page unless there is strong evidence fo a distinct FK2; I've added the info about the Renault powered prototype to the Armstrong Whitworth FK3 page.TSRL (talk) 13:40, 17 September 2009 (UTC)

Well, Lumsden says 'F.K.2', I just looked in the AW navbox and saw F.K.2 as a redlink, I always assume that if a redlink appears in a navbox then someone who knows more about the manufacturer put it there for a reason. It is fun trying to unravel mysteries from almost 100 years ago though! Cheers Nimbus (Cumulus nimbus floats by) 13:47, 17 September 2009 (UTC)

Just had a look at the larger application list at the back of the book, this engine and the RAF 1 were apparently used by the F.K.2 while the RAF 1 and a 120 hp Beardmore were used for the F.K.3. Nimbus (Cumulus nimbus floats by) 13:52, 17 September 2009 (UTC)

They are both pictured here [1], The F.K.2 appears to be a single prototype for the F.K.3, the only visible difference between them is the engine and the rudder. The navbox link could be directed to the F.K.3 assuming that article contains all the relevant info. They look suspiciously like the B.E.2 to me!! Nimbus (Cumulus nimbus floats by) 14:06, 17 September 2009 (UTC)

They were very similar; Tapper says AW's pitch was to make a BE2 that was easier to produce. Apparently the FK had more dihedral on the upper wing than the lower, unlike the BE. I've added to the FK3 page and mention the FK2: do you think the best way forward would be to redirect FK2 to FK3?TSRL (talk) 15:27, 17 September 2009 (UTC)

Yes, can't see that it would ever have its own article. One more redlink done then! Nimbus (Cumulus nimbus floats by) 15:30, 17 September 2009 (UTC)

J M Bruce in The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing} gives the F.K.2 as a predecessor to the FK3, powered by the Renault and with a standard BE2c tail - at least 7 (possibly together with a prototype) were built for the RFC.Nigel Ish (talk) 17:38, 17 September 2009 (UTC)

It turns out that the RAF FE2 that used the Renault appears in the article on Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.1! The reasons for this are explained in the article, to which I've added the Renault variation. I've also altered the link in the Renault article. CheersTSRL (talk) 18:33, 17 September 2009 (UTC)

Rather them than me in that thing! There is a smaller British V-8 Renault, the Renault 60 hp with applications of the Bristol Boxkite, B.E.1 and B.E.2 and the Blackburn Mercury, I could write an article on it but I don't have much more than the specs and applications. There are also four larger engines according to Lumsden. Would be interesting to learn how the British Renault company came about. I'm sure that the French influence is responsible for the strange quirk of many British piston engines having exact Metric displacements and the convention of classing them by Metric capacity despite having Imperial measurements everywhere else. It's a learning process for sure. Nimbus (Cumulus nimbus floats by) 18:56, 17 September 2009 (UTC)

Dates

There seems to be a dating problem here. We say the engine first ran in 1914, but both the FE2 and the RE1 were flying the previous year. Either date or engine type wrong; the RE date in particular looks very secure. TSRL (talk) 15:47, 6 October 2009 (UTC)

I have tweaked it back one year, it was based on production starting in August 1914. The article is based on the British Renault company engine, it's possible (and very probable) that the original French version (if there was one) ran much earlier, their activities started in 1907 but that's all I know about the French side of it. Nimbus (Cumulus nimbus floats by) 16:21, 6 October 2009 (UTC)

Changed date to 1910 based on article from Gerald Hartmann (cited). Per article 1907 was the start of the series. 1910 is the start date for the 70 hp model.[User:Stivushka|Stivushka]] (talk) 13:44, 11 December 2023 (UTC)

National origin

This is surely a French engine built under license. The French Renault V8 appeared in 1908]: same bore & stroke & 90° between the cylinders. Rated at 60 hp but surely the same basic engine.TheLongTone (talk) 10:51, 10 May 2014 (UTC)

Fixed. The 70hp model had a large impact in the United Kingdom and was for many British firms the first aircraft engine they had built. Have added text based on a French language citation which explains the situation. A few other changes have been made to article based on this source. Note that the engine's cylinder bore is larger than the preceding 50/60 hp and smaller than the later 80 hp model so it is a distinct engine. Stivushka (talk) 13:43, 11 December 2023 (UTC)

75 hp (WX) variant

I have added the Renault 75 hp V-8 as a variant. The manual describes it as being nearly identical to the 70 hp but with a slightly larger bore. Hartmann does not list the engine model but refers to the 70 hp being improved to deliver almost 80 hp with redesigned cylinder and conrods … I suspect its the 75 hp / WX variant that is being referred to and some of the 70 hp exploits and production figures belong to the 75 hp model. Given that sources bundle it with the 70 hp a separate article would be unlikely to grow beyond a stub so I think it’s better kept as a variant of the 70 hp. That said I will defer to the senior members of the Aircraft Engines Taskforce should there be alternative viewpoints. Stivushka (talk) 16:50, 18 December 2023 (UTC)