ADC Airdisco

The ADC Airdisco is a British V-8 aero engine that first ran in 1925.

Airdisco
ADC Airdisco installed in a DH.51.
Type	Air-cooled V-8 piston engine
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Aircraft Disposal Company
First run	1925
Major applications	de Havilland DH.51 Avro 548
Developed into	ADC Cirrus

Design and development

The 'Airdisco' was developed from the Renault 80 hp aero engine by Frank Halford of the Aircraft Disposal Company, the main difference being the use of aluminium cylinder heads. Halford later used one bank of cylinders to create the Cirrus engine.^[1]

Applications

• Avro 548A
• Cierva Parnall Gyroplane
• de Havilland DH.51
• Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5A

Survivors

A de Havilland DH.51 owned and operated by the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden, Bedfordshire remains airworthy and is powered by an original ADC Airdisco engine.^[2]

Specifications (Airdisco)

Data from Lumsden ^[3]

General characteristics

• Type: Inline air-cooled, upright, V-8 piston engine
• Bore: 4.13 in (105 mm)
• Stroke: 5.12 in (130 mm)
• Displacement: 548.94 cu in (9 L)
• Length: 46 in (1,168 mm)
• Width: 21.3 in (541 mm)
• Height: 31.1 in (790 mm)
• Dry weight: lb ( kg)
• Designer: Frank Halford

Components

• Valvetrain: 1 inlet and 1 exhaust valve per cylinder
• Fuel system: Carburettor
• Fuel type: 74 octane
• Cooling system: Air-cooled
• Reduction gear: 0.5:1, right hand tractor

Performance

• Power output: 120 hp (89kW) at 1,800 rpm (takeoff power)
• Compression ratio: 4.6:1

See also

Related development

• ADC Cirrus

Related lists

• List of aircraft engines