Blackburn Cirrus Major

Cirrus Major

National origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Blackburn Aircraft
First run: 1936
Number built: c.700

The Blackburn Cirrus Major is a British, four cylinder, inline aero engine that was developed in the late 1930s.

Design and development

The Blackburn Cirrus Major started life as a development of the original Cirrus series of aircraft engines which progressed through a number of variants Cirrus I, II, and III. Each with slightly different displacement and power outputs. Cirrus was later bought by the Hermes Engine Company who produced the Cirrus Hermes I, II, III and IV. Again each differing slightly in displacement and power.

In 1934 Cirrus was bought again by the Blackburn Aircraft company and later that year the Cirrus Minor was produced and in 1935 the Cirrus Major was produced.

Variants

Cirrus Major I 135 hp Cirrus Major II 148hp variant. Cirrus Major III Higher compression engine with an increase in output to 150hp (116kW).

Applications

Auster Aiglet
Auster Autocar
Blackburn B-2
Chrislea Skyjeep
de Havilland DH.60 Moth
Fairey Primer
Foster Wikner Wicko
General Aircraft Cygnet
General Aircraft Owlet
HAL HT-2
Hendy 302

Miles Aerovan
Miles Aries
Miles Gemini
Miles Hawk Major
Miles Hawk Trainer
Miles Mercury
Miles Messenger
Portsmouth Aerocar Major
Simmonds Spartan
Stampe SV.4

Specifications (Cirrus Major I)

Data from Lumsden

General characteristics

Type: Inline air cooled inverted 4 cylinder
Bore: 4.72 in (120 mm)
Stroke: 5.51 in (140 mm)
Displacement: 385.64 cu in (6.31 L)
Length: 50 in (1270 mm)
Width: 17.5 in (444 mm)
Height: 30 in (762 mm)
Dry weight: 310 lb (141 kg)

Components

Valvetrain: 1 inlet and 1 exhaust valve per cylinder
Fuel system: 1 Claudel-Hobson carburettor
Fuel type: 73 octane petrol
Cooling system: Air cooled

Performance

Power output: 135 hp (101 kW) at 2,350 rpm
Compression ratio: 5.1:1
Power-to-weight ratio: 0.43 hp/lb (0.71 kW/kg)

ADC Cirrus

Related development

Blackburn Cirrus Minor

Comparable engines

Alfa Romeo 110
de Havilland Gipsy Major
Hirth HM 504
Menasco C4

Related lists

List of aircraft engines

Bibliography

Oldengine.org
Gunston, Bill (1986). World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens. pp. 40.
Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.

Cirrus I · Cirrus II · Cirrus III

Cirrus-Hermes I · Cirrus-Hermes II · Cirrus-Hermes IV

Blackburn Cirrus Bombardier · Blackburn Cirrus Minor · Blackburn Cirrus Major · Blackburn Cirrus Midget

Blackburn Cirrus Major Pictures and Blackburn Cirrus Major for Sale.

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia