This engine is no longer on display at Wings of History.
Menasco Motors Corporation was founded by Albert Menasco in 1926. At the request of the industry legend, John Northrop, Al Menasco developed the inverted inline 4-cylinder engine which was used in the 1929 Northrop Avion EX-1, the first of Northrop’s flying wings. The inverted inline design offered many advantages for pilots and aircraft builders, including:
- Streamlined/low drag installation
- A high prop centerline, which allowed the swing of a large prop with shorter landing gear
- Improved visibility for the pilot
- Exhaust fumes directed away from the pilot
- A low center of gravity
- Ease of accessibility to the engine
The first inline Menasco engine, the four-cylinder A4, was certified in May 1930 followed a short time later by the six-cylinder inverted A6.
Claude Ryan was one of Menasco’s best customers. Ryan used the engine first in his Sport Trainer, the Ryan ST/STA, and then in military derivatives such as the PT-16, PT-20 and STM between 1934 and 1941.
| Engine Name | Menasco D4-87 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Menasco Motors Corp. |
| Date of Manufacture | 1941 |
| Cylinder Configuration | inverted inline |
| Number of Cylinders | 4 |
| Bore (inches) | 4.75 |
| Stroke (inches) | 5.125 |
| Displacement (cubic inches) | 363 |
| Dry Weight (lb) | 320 |
| Horsepower | 125-134hp @ 2260 rpm |
| Compression Ratio | 6.0:1 |
| Rated Speed | 2175 rpm |