Le Rhône

Licenses for production of Le Rhône series engines were negotiated with companies in Great Britain, Austria, Italy, Russia, Sweden and Germany.

[1][2] As with all rotary engines, the crankshaft of the Rhône remained stationary in operation, with the entire crankcase and its attached cylinders rotating around it as a unit.

[3] The use of a carburetor allowed the Rhône series engines to be throttled during flight, which greatly reduced fuel and lube oil consumption.

The master rod was of a split type, which employed three concentric grooves, designed to accept slipper bearings from the other cylinders.

This feature required the cam followers to incorporate a positive action, a function designed in by using a combination of links and levers.

In 1911, Verdet joined Edouard Martin, an engineer and racing driver, and other partners to form the Société des Moteurs Le Rhône in Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis, Paris.

[1] From 1911 to 1913 the Société des Moteurs Le Rhône produced a series of seven rotary engines which won many endurance trophies.

In 1915 around 45% of all Le Rhône engines manufactured in France were exported to Great Britain, Italy and Russia.

Several enthusiasts are using original Le Rhône engines for World War I replica aircraft today.

There are other reproductions of Dr 1's flying original Le Rhône engines, as well as the restored Thomas Morse Scouts in the United States.

The 170hp 9R
Le Rhône 9Z developing 60 hp
Oberursel UR.II, a clone of the Le Rhône 9J
Le Rhône 9J mounted in the front of a Cierva C.6 autogyro replica, displayed in " Museo del Aire ", Cuatro Vientos , Madrid, Spain
A Le Rhône radial engine on display at the Frontiers of Flight Museum