Wright Aeronautical

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Wright Aeronautical
PredecessorWright-Martin
Founded1919 (1919)
FounderFrederick B. Rentschler
Defunct1929 (1929) (remained a division)
FateMerged
SuccessorCurtiss-Wright
Key people
Charles Lawrance
ParentCurtiss-Wright
(after 1929)

Wright Aeronautical (1919–1929) was an American aircraft manufacturer headquartered in New Jersey. It was the successor corporation to Wright-Martin. It built aircraft and was a supplier of aircraft engines to other builders. In 1929 it merged with Curtiss to form Curtiss-Wright.

History[]

Wright Aeronautical Building Exterior, as of Nov. 2014

In 1916, the Wright brothers' original aviation firm, the Wright Company, merged with Glenn L. Martin's original firm, the Glenn L. Martin Company of California, to form the Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation. In September 1917, Glenn Martin resigned from Wright-Martin and re-formed an independent Glenn L. Martin Company of Ohio (later of Maryland). In 1919, Wright-Martin was renamed Wright Aeronautical.[1][failed verification]

In May 1923, Wright Aeronautical purchased the Lawrance Aero Engine Company, as the United States Navy was concerned that Lawrance couldn't produce enough engines for its needs.[2] Charles Lawrance was retained as a vice president.

In 1925, after Wright's president, Frederick B. Rentschler, left the company to found the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company, Lawrance replaced him as company president. Rentschler poached several talented personnel from Wright to join his new firm.

Wright Aeronautical merged with the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company on July 5, 1929, to become the Curtiss-Wright Corporation.

Products[]

The Wright name on the rocker cover of one of their radial engines

Aircraft[]

Model name First flight Number built Type
Wright F2W 1923 2 Single engine biplane racer
Dayton-Wright XO-3 1 Single engine biplane observation airplane
Wright XF3W 1926 1 Single engine biplane racer
Navy-Wright NW-1 1922 2 Single engine monoplane racer
Navy-Wright NW-2 1 Single engine biplane racer
Wright-Bellanca WB-1 1925 1 Single engine monoplane utility airplane
Wright-Bellanca WB-2 Columbia 1 Single engine monoplane utility airplane
Bellanca 77-140 Twin engine monoplane bomber
Wright WP-1 1 License built single engine monoplane fighter

Aircraft engines[]

Wright R-1820
Wright R-2600
Wright J65
Model name Configuration Power
Wright-Hispano E
Wright T-2 V12[3] 525 hp
Wright T-3 V12 575 hp
V12 600 hp[3]
Wright R-790 R9 220 hp
Wright R-540 R5 175 hp
Wright R-760 R7 320 hp
Wright R-975 R9 420 hp
Wright R-1510 R14 600 hp
Wright R-1670 R14 800 hp
Wright R-1300 R7 800 hp
Wright R-1820 R9 1,000 hp
Wright R-2600 R14 1,750 hp
Wright R-3350 R18 2,200 hp
Wright R-4090 R22 3,000 hp
R9 325 hp[3]
Wright R-2160 IR42 2,350 hp
Wright J65 Turbojet 7,239 lbf
Wright J67 Turbojet est. 15,000 lbf
Wright TJ37 Turbojet

See also[]

References[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Lawrence, Charles L. (18 February 1929). "The History of Wright Aeronautical Corporation". Morning Call. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  2. ^ Gunston, Bill (2006). World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines (5th ed.). Phoenix Mill, Gloucestershire, England, UK: Sutton Publishing Limited. pp. 125, 244. ISBN 0-7509-4479-X.
  3. ^ a b c "Curtiss, Lawrance and Wright Specifications, 1913 ~ 1940". Aircraft Engine Historical Society. Retrieved 8 September 2021.

Bibliography[]

External links[]

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