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Menasco Pirate

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Menasco Pirate

The Menasco Pirate series were four-cylinder, air-cooled, in-line, inverted aero-engines, built by the Menasco Motors Company of Burbank, California, for use in light general and sport aircraft during the 1930s and 1940s. The Menasco engines came in both normally aspirated and supercharged forms, with the supercharged models exhibiting superior performance at higher altitudes, with a relatively small increase in dimensions and weight. The supercharged models had the S suffix added to their designation to show supercharging.

Contents

Variants

Menasco A-4 Pirate (also listed as Menasco 4A)
90 hp.
Menasco B-4 Pirate
95 hp.
Menasco C-4 Pirate (Military designation L-365)
125 hp. Compression ratio 5.8: 1, dry weight 300 lb
Menasco Pirate C-4S
150 hp.
Menasco D-4 Pirate
125 hp, compression ratio 5.5:1, dry weight 311 lb
Menasco D-4-87 Super Pirate
Compression ratio 6:1, dry weight 310 lb
Menasco M-50 Pirate
Menasco L-365-1
military designation for the C4-4LA
Menasco L-365-3
similar to -1 but changes to cylinder heads, lubrication and carburettor

Applications

  • Aeroneer 1-B
  • Great Lakes 2T-1MS
  • Ryan ST
  • Stearman-Hammond Y-1
  • VEF I-17
  • Willoughby Delta 8
  • General characteristics

  • Type: 4-cylinder, air-cooled, in-line, inverted engine
  • Bore: 4.75 in (120.65 mm)
  • Stroke: 5.125 in (130.18 mm)
  • Displacement: 363.27 cu in (5.95 L)
  • Length: 47.5 in (1,206 mm)
  • Width: 17.7 in (449 mm)
  • Height: 28.5 in (724 mm)
  • Dry weight: 299 lb (135 kg)
  • Components

  • Valvetrain: 1 inlet and 1 exhaust valve per cylinder
  • Fuel system: 1 Stromberg Carburetor
  • Fuel type: 73 octane
  • Cooling system: Air
  • Performance

  • Power output: 150 hp at 2,260 RPM max/112hp at 2,025 RPM cruise
  • Compression ratio: 5.5:1
  • Power-to-weight ratio: 0.37hp/lb at cruise
  • References

    Menasco Pirate Wikipedia