Bristol Mercury

The Bristol Mercury is an air cooled 9-cylinder radial engine of the British manufacturer Bristol Aircraft Company. The engine has 4-valve cylinder heads, with the hanging valves are actuated via pushrods. The exhaust valves are sodium- cooled.

The development of the Mercury began in 1925, after it became clear that the predecessor Bristol Jupiter was no longer significantly improve. The designer Roy Fedden used it though as the basis, but decreased the stroke to achieve a higher speed and saw a single-stage centrifugal blower as a compressor in front to improve the level of performance. The propeller is driven via a reduction gear. Although the engine initially was not more powerful than the Jupiter, ordered the British Air Ministry, three prototypes.

The engine was a big commercial success. He was used as the two fighters Gloster Gauntlet and Gloster Gladiator. However, the most famous equipped with Bristol Mercury aircraft series was probably the Bristol Blenheim.

Manufacturing licenses were sold to Poland, among others ( use in PZL P.11 ), Czechoslovakia (from Walter ) and to Sweden, where the NOHAB manufactured the engine. The locally built under license Junkers Ju 86 and Gloster Gladiator and the Swedish Saab -house development were equipped with it 17

  • Mercury VIII - Maximum power 625 kW at 2750/min
  • Mercury XV - Maximum power 740 kW at 2750/min in 2820 m (with 100 - octane fuel )
  • Mercury XX - Maximum power 650 kW at 2650 rpm of 1370 m

Technical data ( Mercury XV)

  • Bore: 146 mm
  • Stroke: 165 mm
  • Displacement: 24.9 l
  • Diameter: 1307 mm
  • Weight: 485 kg
  • Carburetor: Claudel - Hobson
  • Lubrication system: Dry sump
  • Compression: 7:1
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