FLIGHT.

DECEMBER 2,

1937.

Neat ignition screening and harness characterise the fourteencylinder Alvis Pelides. Several well-arranged accessories can be seen from this viewpoint. (Flight photograph.) denoting full supercharging on all models) is a two-row fourteen-cylinder radial of exceptionally small diameter slightly under 38m. As a comparison, the fourteencylinder Pelides and Pelides Major are 52m. in diameter. Pelides and Alcides have interchangeable cylinder heads to facilitate production. A three-piece crankshaft carried in two double-row roller bearings is employed in Alvis engines and the rods are of H section. The " Y " alloy pistons have cooling and strengthening ribs under the crowns The valve gear is completely enclosed, and the hollow push-rods operate from a cam profile at equal and opposite angles; thus the angle with the profile is at a minimum for both. Complete ignition screening is used and a full complement of accessories is fitted. All models have Farman-type reduction gears and equipment for D . H . ' v . p . airscrews. (Alvis, Ltd., Coventry.)

ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY
TX7ITH units from 150 to 800 h.p., Armstrong Siddeley ** produce the largest range of radials of any firm. Last year it was decided to cease production of the smallest

model, the Genet Major, but due to several further enquiries this decision was cancelled and the 150-165 h.p. Mk. I.A is continued. The Lynx IV.C, though larger, is in rather the same category as the Genet Major, both being in service in traininp aircraft. In construction the Lynx is very like the Genet but has fuller equipment. The valve gear is enclosed and the push-rods are operated from two cam rings driven from the front end of the crankshaft through two sets ot gears. Largest of the seven-cylinder units are the Cheetah IX and X. Both are similar, moderately supercharged engines, but the X is specially designed for operation with a V.P airscrew. Five main units make up the smaller Armstrong Siddeley engines; the front cover and oil pump, the crankcase and cylinder, the geared fan and induction casing, the induction casing rear cover and the auxiliary drives and carburettor. The crankshaft is a one-piece singlethrow forging with a brass balance weight fitted to each crankweb. I t revolves in two roller bearings and the thrust ball-race is pressed into the front cover. A bevel gear drives the two-stage oil pump fitted on the underside of the front covera unit composed of a pressure and scavenge pump, a multi-cell pressure jil filter and a relief valve. As is usual, the cylinder heads are of aluminium alloy and into these are screwed and shrunk the high-tensile steel barrels, the two being secured in each case by a drilled locking ring which acts as a fin. Ball bearings carry the rockers, which have an eccentric fulcrum pin for adjustment. The whole assembly is enclosed. Adaptors attached to the crankcase and threaded to suit threads on the barrels hold the complete cylinder. These are pegged and locked in position. Slipper wheels and gears which drive the induction Ian a t 6.52 times engine speed absorb acceleration and decelera tion loads from the fan, which has a spring drive from the crankshaft. Auxiliary drives are taken from a separate gear box carried on top of the rear cover. Induction mixture is passed through an oil-jacketed box after leaving the carburettor. An over-ride enrichment device, variable datum boost control and a two-stage automatic mixture control are fitted. The mixture con trol lever has three positions, automatic weak, automatic rich, and over-ride. Among the differences between the Cheetah IX and the Cheetah X is the oil pump, which has an additional pres sure stage for v.p. airscrew operation. Totally screenec magnetos and wiring system are also fitted. Of the two-row radials, the fourteen-cylinder Panther > (Right) An addition to the smaller Armstrong Siddeleys, the Cheetah X is equipped for a v.p. airscrew. The oil pump can be seen below the reduction gear.

(Left) This sectioned drawing of the Tiger VI shows details of construction common to all the Tiger range, and in many ways to all Armstrong Siddeley engines. (Flight copyright drawing