Allison V-1710

The Allison V-1710 was the only U.S. liquid-cooled production engine of World War II and the first engine designed from the start to use ethylene glycol (prestone) coolant.

Design began in 1930 to replace the Maybach engines used by the U.S. Navy's airships.  The contract was cancelled before the first engine was delivered after the airship Macon crashed in 1935.  A redesigned engine passed its type-test in 1937 at 1,000 hp.  Flight tests led the U.S. Army to push the use of the V-1710 in its new generation of fighters.

Lack of an adequate supercharger inhibited high-altitude performance; however, around 47,000 were built by the end of World War II.

models

  • V-1710-F3R: 1,100 hp (820 kW)
  • V-1710-81: 1,200 hp (895 kW)
  • V-1710-83: 1,200 hp (895 kW)
  • V-1710-93: 1,325 hp (988 kW)
  • V-1710-111: 1,475 hp (1100 kW)

specifications

  • V-12 piston engine, supercharged
  • Displacement 1,710 cu. in.

used by

  • Lockheed P-38 Lightning
  • Bell P-39 Airacobra
  • Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
  • North American P-51
  • Mustang Bell P-63 Kingcobra