Guiberson A 1020

Design and development

Development of the Guiberson diesel engine started in the 1930s with the A-918 and A-980 which was first flown in 1931. It is a single-row direct drive nine-cylinder four-cycle engine.

Operational history

Production A-1020's and T-1020's were designed and sold by Guiberson and produced by Buda Engine Co.

Variants

Guiberson A-980

210 hp - the initial development model for use on aircraft.

Guiberson A-1020

340 hp - production engines for aircraft use.

Guiberson T-1020

250 hp for use in light tanks such as the M5 Stuart

Applications

Waco 10 - A-980

Stinson Reliant - A-1020

M5 Stuart light tank - T-1020

Survivors

The EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin has a T-1020 on display.

There is a T-1020 on display at the New England Air Museum, Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, CT.

Mustang Airport in Galt, California has three running T-1020's on display.

There is a Guiberson T-1020 on display at the Western North Carolina Air Museum in Hendersonsonville, NC

Jack Heemsoth, of Marshall, MI owns a running T-1020 and runs and displays it at local shows on a regular basis in the summers.

Specifications (A-1020)

Data from Engine History.org

General characteristics

Type: 9-cylinder air-cooled radial diesel piston engine

Bore: 5.125 in (130.18 mm)

Stroke: 5.5 in (139.70 mm)

Displacement: 1,021 cu in (16.73 l)

Dry weight: 650 lb (290 kg)

Designer: F. A. Thaheld

Components

Valvetrain: two pushrod operated valves per cylinder

Fuel system: Guiberson system fuel injection

Performance

Power output: 340 hp (250 kW)

Compression ratio: 15:1

Specific fuel consumption: .42 lb/hp.hr (0.26 kg/kWh)

Oil consumption: 0.33 US gall/hr (1.25 l/hr

Power-to-weight ratio: 0.52 hp/lb (0.85 kW/kg)