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The Church V-8 is a V-8 4-stroke aircraft engine developed from the Ford flathead V8 engine in the United States in the late 1930s.
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Design and development
The 90 degree V8 with downdraft carburretors was certified under ATC (Aircraft Type Certificate) No. 224 on 10 October 1939 after 150hrs of testing. The engine was developed in 1939 as a lightweight air-cooled variant of the side-valve Ford engine for aircraft using the Ford crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons.
Operational history
A low wing retractable gear side-by-side aircraft likened to a little Seversky, (alluding to the Seversky monoplanes such as the P-35 making headway on the US racing circuit), was developed to use the engine. Church's wartime enlistment into the Navy flying Corsairs diverted development and production ceased in 1942. The prototype engine was then used on an ice-boat, which sank to the bottom of a lake after breaking through ice. The engine was recovered and later restored for display in 1973 by Continental Motors, Inc. and the EAA Museum.
Applications
Engines on display
Specifications (Church V-8)
Data from Vintage Airplane December 1974