World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines Second Edition

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{detailed description}This second edition of the World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines, conveniently arranged in alphabetical order and complete with new entries, photographs and updated information, describes and lists every major aeroplane engine manufacturer throughout the world. From the earliest piston engines of the Wright brothers from Dayton, Ohio in 1903 through the pre-First World War ABC, Hall-Scott and Curtiss to the latest Rolls-Royce jet 535-E4 and the multinational collaborative projects, every significant engine is included. Engine development has been critical to the evolution of aircraft design and each engine is placed in its historical context. The author discusses all the important design features and wherever possible every unit is illustrated — thus bringing to light many rare and previously unpublished photographs. Thorough research has also uncovered a large number of hitherto virtually unknown facts about many Russian and even American engines which are described in detailed histories of all the world's major engine-producing companies, including the tight-lipped Soviet design and construction bureaux.
There is another side to the creation of any human-designed system as complex as an aero engine — there is scope for triumph and catastrophe, violent argument, crises and nagging doubt. The author has not ignored the human element in aero engine history and some of the personal struggles that resulted in engines like the Rolls-Royce Merlin orthe Pratt & Whitney PT6 are to be found under the relevant company entries.
The first edition of this remarkable and comprehensive guide was published in 1986 to considerable critical acclaim: this new edition continues to fill a major gap in aeronautical history and represents a vital addition to any aviation enthusiast's shelves.
Front cover photograph
The Pratt & Whitney 4000 series development engine is typical of the latest generation of commercial aircraft powerplants, achieving considerably higher pr (29.6) and better fuel economy and reliability than its predecessors such as the P&W JT9D, which it superficially resembles (Pratt & Whitney).
{Author / Publisher / Date}by Bill Gunston
Published by PSL 1989 revised 2nd edition. 192pp profusely illustrated. 20x24
{condition}near mint, in price clipped d/j.
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