Aircraft engine: Liberty 12A

USA
inline engine
1917

No other engine in the history of aviation can quite equal to the Liberty 12 in terms of swift development and introduction to series production. Remarkably it also had a very long active life. Due to its simplicity and the technologies used it could be produced in virtually any car factory.

The engine was developed soon after the USA became involved in the First World War. Since June 1917 until November 1918, 20,500 examples were manufactured. However, only a few Liberty-powered aircraft made it to the front before the armistice. The surplus was used until 1930's.

The Liberty 12 powered the Curtiss NC and the Douglas DWC and De Havilland DH.4 aircraft as well as several tank types of WWI and WWII era.

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