Lawrance L-4

Specifications
Type:	3-cylinder, air-cooled, radial, piston
Turbine:
Compressor:
Displacement:	223 cu. in.
Weight:	147 lbs.
Power Output:	65 hp @ 2,000 rpm
Year:
NEAM Id:	160
Location:	Civil Hangar

On loan from the Chicago Museum of Science & Industry

The L-4 was part of a series of three-cylinder radial piston engines developed shortly after World War I which were designed and built by the Lawrance Aero Engine Company. After five years in existence, Lawrance Aero Engineering's limited production capacity motivated a merger, urged by the U.S. Navy, with the Wright Aeronautical. The The Navy was enthusiatic about air-cooled radial engines and they felt that Wright would be better be able to mass-produce the radial engines. Wright then marketed the L-4 as the “Gale.” It listed the outstanding features of Wright air-cooled engines as:

• Being light-weight,
• Giving high-performance,
• Free from radiation troubles,
• Best for flying in extreme hot or cold weather,
• Increased flying time,
• Decreased cost and weight of spare parts,
• Quick starting in cold weather,
• Decreased first cost and decreased upkeep and handling expenses

Engine Collection