Clerget 9B Explained

The Clerget 9B is a nine-cylinder rotary aircraft engine of the World War I era designed by Pierre Clerget. Manufactured in both France and Great Britain (Gwynnes Limited), it was used on such aircraft as the Sopwith Camel. The Clerget 9Bf was an increased stroke version.^[1]

Variants

Clerget 9B(1913) 130 hp (97 kW). 1,300 produced by Ruston Proctor & Co Ltd of Lincoln

Clerget 9Bf(1915) 140 hp (104 kW). Extended stroke 172 mm (6.75 in) version, increasing capacity to 17.5 L (1,066.5 cu in). 1,750 produced by Gwynnes Limited and 600 produced by Ruston Proctor.

Applications

Clerget 9B

• Armstrong Whitworth F.K.10
• Avro 504
• Avro 531
• Bristol M.1
• Cierva C.6
• Cierva C.8
• Fairey Hamble Baby
• FBA Type C
• Nieuport 12
• Nieuport 17bis
• Sopwith Baby
• Sopwith Camel
• Sopwith Scooter
• Sopwith Triplane
• Sopwith 1½ Strutter

Clerget 9Bf

• Sopwith Camel

Engines on display

• A preserved Clerget 9B engine is on public display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovilton.
• A Clerget 9Bf engine is on display at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.^[2]
• A Clerget 9B is on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Arizona.

Operational (Airworthy) Rotary Engines

The Shuttleworth Collection based at Old Warden Aerodrome, UK, operate an airworthy late production Sopwith Triplane (G-BOCK)^[3] fitted with an original 9B as well as an airworthy late production Sopwith Camel (G-BZSC)^[4] fitted with an original long-stroke 9Bf. These aircraft can be seen displaying at home air displays through the summer months.

References

Bibliography

• Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989.
• Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. .
• Book: Grey, C.G.. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1919. 1969. David & Charles (Publishing) Limited. 978-0-7153-4647-1. 1b to 145b. Facsimile.

Notes and References

1. Lumsden 2003, p. 133.
2. http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=206765 Powerhouse Museum - Clerget 9Bf
3. http://www.shuttleworth.org/collection/sopwithtriplane/ The Shuttleworth Collection - Sopwith Triplane
4. http://www.shuttleworth.org/collection/sopwithcamel/ The Shuttleworth Collection - Sopwith Camel