Lawrance Aero Engine Company
{{Infobox company
| name = Lawrance Aero Engine Company
| logo = File:Lawrance Aero Engine Corporation Logo.png
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| founded = {{Start date|1917}}
| founder = Charles Lawrance
| defunct = {{End date|1923}}
| fate = Acquired
| successor = Wright Aeronautical
| hq_location_city = New York, New York{{cite magazine |title=[Advertisement] |magazine=Aerial Age Weekly |date=10 March 1919 |page=1365 |url=https://archive.org/details/aerodigest8410unse/page/1365 |accessdate=7 September 2021}}
| hq_location_country = United States
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Lawrance Aero Engine Company was an American aircraft engine manufacturer. Founded by engine pioneer Charles Lawrance, it designed one of the first successful air-cooled radial engines. It existed for only 5 years, being acquired by Wright Aeronautical, a much larger company better able to mass-produce Lawrance's radial engines.
History
The Lawrance Aero Engine Company was founded in 1917.Gunston, p. 125 After the end of World War I, the Lawrance engineers worked with both the Army and the Navy in developing their L-1 into a nine-cylinder radial engine, which became the 200 hp Lawrance J-1. It was the best American air-cooled engine at the time, and passed its 50-hour test in 1922.Janes Fighting Aircraft of World War I by Michael John Haddrick Taylor (Random House Group Ltd. 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA, 2001, {{ISBN|1-85170-347-0}}), page 290
The United States Navy was very enthusiastic about air-cooled radials, but was concerned that Lawrance couldn't produce enough engines for its needs. The Navy suggested to Wright that it purchase the Lawrance company and build the J-1 itself. In May 1923, Lawrance was purchased by Wright Aeronautical, with the J-1 being further developed by Wright into the J-5, J-6, and R-795.Gunston, p. 125, 244
Products
File:Lawrance L-3 Radial Engine.jpg
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Model name
! Configuration ! Power |
|---|
| align=left| Lawrance A-3
|align=center| O2 |align=center| 28 hp |
| align=left| Lawrance B
|align=center| R3 |
| align=left| Lawrance C-2
|align=center| |align=center| |
| align=left| Lawrance J-1
|align=center| R9 |align=center| 200 hp |
| align=left| Lawrance J-2
|align=center| |align=center| |
| align=left| Lawrance L-1
|align=center| R3 |
| align=left| Lawrance L-2
|align=center| R3 |
| align=left| Lawrance L-3
|align=center| R3 |
| align=left| Lawrance L-4
|align=center| R3 |align=center| 65 hp{{cite web |title=Lawrance L-4 |url=http://www.neam.org/engine-collection-detail.php?name=lawrancel4 |website=New England Air Museum |access-date=7 September 2021}} |
| align=left| Lawrance L-5
|align=center| |align=center| |
| align=left| Lawrance N-2
|align=center| |
| align=left| Lawrance R-1
|align=center| R9 |
References
= Notes =
{{Reflist}}
= Bibliography =
{{Refbegin}}
- {{cite book |last= Gunston |first= Bill |title= World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines, 5th Edition |year= 2006 |publisher= Sutton Publishing Limited |location= Phoenix Mill, Gloucestershire, England, UK |isbn= 0-7509-4479-X |pages= 79 }}
- {{cite book |last= Smith |first= Herschel |title= Aircraft Piston Engines |year= 1981 |publisher= McGraw-Hill Inc. |isbn= 0-07-058472-9 }}
{{Refend}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001401/http://www.enginehistory.org/Wright/Wright%20J-5.pdf Wright J-5 "Whirlwind"] (PDF), by Kimble D. McCutcheon, from the Aircraft Engine Historical Society
{{Wright aeroengines}}
Category:Defunct aircraft engine manufacturers of the United States
Category:American companies established in 1917
Category:American companies disestablished in 1923
Category:1923 mergers and acquisitions
Category:Defunct manufacturing companies based in New York City