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R-4360: Pratt & Whitney's Major Miracle Paperback – February 14, 2006

by Graham White (Author)

4.8 51 ratings

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Aviation technology progressed at a blindingly fast pace during the first half of the 20th century. Aircraft were asked to fly higher, fly faster, carry heavier loads, take off and land on shorter runways, fly greater distances, and consume less fuel with each new generation, and with perfect dependability. Pratt & Whitney's R-4360, or "Wasp Major" as it was known in the commercial marketplace, was a very large engine, displacing 4,360 cubic inches. Somewhat akin to the steam age when triple-expansion engines the size of cathedrals ruled the waves, the R-4360 at one time represented the largest and most sophisticated of its breed. Nothing else in the late-1940s marketplace could boast what the R-4360 did-3,000 to 4,000 hp. By the end of the piston-engine era Pratt & Whitney had placed into mass production the largest and most powerful engine ever built in quantity. This book provides a detailed account of the inner workings of the R-4360. Also covered is the engine's development history, variations, and its military, commercial, and racing applications. 7x10, 208 pages, more than 600 b/w photos.

Print length

610 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Specialty Press
Publication date

February 14, 2006
Dimensions

7 x 1.23 x 10 inches
ISBN-10

1580071732
ISBN-13

978-1580071734
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Daniel D. Whitney
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Hardcover
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Specialty Press (February 14, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 610 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1580071732
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1580071734
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.3 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 1.23 x 10 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,418,420 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,741 in Aviation History (Books)
- #5,232 in Military Aviation History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.8 51 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5

51 global ratings

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Customers find the book very informative with clear diagrams and photos. They also appreciate the stories about Old Shakey.

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Content Readability

14 customers mention "Content"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very informative, with good historical information. They also say it's a great book on a fascinating engine and story.

"...A very good read. Will be kept in my library for future reference." Read more

"I love this book. It is wonderfully illustrated and full of technical information about the R-4360, including the details of installations in a..." Read more

"Graham White's book on P&W's R-4360 is a fine and thorough study of one of the greatest aeronautical piston engines ever produced...." Read more

"...It's extremely comprehensive and almost certainly the definitive book on the subject, covering the development and evolution of the engine,..." Read more

11 customers mention "Readability"9 positive2 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, with clear diagrams and photos. They also appreciate the well-written, good quality pictures.

"I love this book. It is wonderfully illustrated and full of technical information about the R-4360, including the details of installations in a..." Read more

"...The text is clear and it is well illustrated, all that a book on an aircraft engine should be...." Read more

"...tremendous archive of information, because both these books provide a level of detail that can satisfy the most discerning aviation buff...." Read more

"...There's also a huge number of technical diagrams and photographs, along with chapters on racing engines, turbocharging and turbo-compounding,..." Read more

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Earl Hickman

Very informative book

Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2023

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Book covers every aspect of the 4360 engine's design and production. A very good read. Will be kept in my library for future reference.

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Nathaniel Bush

Great book on a great engine

Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2018

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Great book on the Wasp Major, the final engine of Pratt and Whitney's famous Wasp radial engine family. The Wasp Major was a very important engine because compared to the Wright 3350 Duplex Cyclone it was very reliable. For this reason it was used in the B-50 Superfortress which was an upgraded B-29 with the Wasp Major and other improvements. The Wasp Major was also used on the B-36 Peacemaker which used six of these engines in an unusual pusher configuration. These six engines produced a whopping 14,000 to 15,200 horsepower combined to propel the Peace maker into the sky. Compared to the B-17 Flying Fortress the Peacemaker had over 3x the horsepower but this is because the Peacemaker is over 6x the weight of the Flying Fortress Later models of the Peacemaker also used jet engines which added 20,800 pound of thrust for short periods of time. The Wasp Major was not without its faults however. Although mechanically reliable, the Wasp Major had a tendency to catch on fire mid flight especially on the B-36 because of its pusher configuration. The Wasp Major was also very maintenance intensive and an improper starting technique would destroy all 56 spark plugs requiring hours to clean and replace. This is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone fascinated with aircraft engines.

6 people found this helpful

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DG

Perpetual Reading Machine...

Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2020

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I love this book. It is wonderfully illustrated and full of technical information about the R-4360, including the details of installations in a variety of aircraft; anecdotes from personnel; comparisons to other powerplants of the era; and a rousing take-down of Northrop's (barely) flying wing ;')

Best of all: like all good tales, the reader is rewarded by re-reading, am on my 2nd way thru and learning more that I'd missed (or forgotten!) on the first read.

An essential volume for anyone interested in the apex of piston-driven aircraft, and a stirring brace of technical excellence in our time of woke, mushy BS.

Try to pressurize a high-tension magneto without rigid principles! And kudos to Graham White for this fantastic slice of American history.

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Mike

This book is the definitive work on the R-4360

Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2021

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This book is the definitive work on the R-4360. Whether casual history reader or engine enthusiast, there is plenty of original referenec work in this book. Highly recommend this book as well as Graham Whites other works on Allied piston eninges and The R-2800

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David Hebb

A Major Work for a Major Engine

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2007

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Graham White's book on P&W's R-4360 is a fine and thorough study of one of the greatest aeronautical piston engines ever produced. If you are at all interested in the general subject of aircraft engines, or even engines generally, you should obtain a copy to read and enjoy studying and savoring it slowly over the months after you first go through it. The text is clear and it is well illustrated, all that a book on an aircraft engine should be. My only quibble, and it is a quibble, is that the down-draught inlet ports, a distinct feature of the R-4360, have a much longer history than Mr. White seems to indicate, having been used by BMW in sportscar engines in the 1930s and by Miller in racing engines even earlier; however, since these examples are drawn from outside his field of study, Mr White may be excused, and even were this not the case, the general quality of this work would win him praise not criticism.

11 people found this helpful

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Paul Kile

Graham White does it again!

Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2006

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After enjoying Graham White's prodigious tome on the P&W R-2800, I was pleased to see another volume released, this time on the R-4360. Mr. White must have access to a tremendous archive of information, because both these books provide a level of detail that can satisfy the most discerning aviation buff. He is also able to describe the various engine systems in a way that does not overwhelm the reader with technical minutiae, something most engineers would be incapable of doing.

About the only drawback of these books is their sheer weight. I can only read them for 20 minutes or so before my arms need a rest. I would also have liked to see a chapter or two on Mr. White's efforts at setting up these engines as running displays for air shows. Although not directly related to the history of the engine, to read about actually running one of these on a transport trailer would add a note of current realism to the picture.

24 people found this helpful

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