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Isotta Fraschini Zeta
Simongraham: References
The '''Isotta Fraschini Zeta''' was an [[Air-cooled engine|air cooled]] [[X engine]] with 24 cylinders developed by the Italian engineering company [[Isotta Fraschini]] in the 1940s. It was developed as an indigenous alternative to the imported [[Daimler-Benz DB 605]] that was being built under licence by Fiat as the RA.1050 R.C.58 Tifone. The engine was essentially two [[Isotta Fraschini Gamma|Gamma]] V12 engines on a single crankshaft, but proved troublesome to develop and never entered production.
==Background==
During the 1930s, Isotta Fraschini had developed a line of air cooled inverted V12 aircraft engines including the Gamma. These proved moderately successful at a time when most Italian aircraft engines were radials, including Isotta Fraschini's own [[Isotta-Fraschini K.14|K.14]].<ref name=gunston>Gunston, 2006, p.107</ref> In 1939, the Italian air ministry, looking for an appropriate power plant for their next generation of fighter aircraft, approached Germany to license the [[Daimler-Benz DB 605]]. An inverted V12 like the Isotta Fraschini designs, it differed in its liquid cooling but also in its capability, being over twice as powerful as the Italian engines. To compete with this, and other foreign designs like the [[Rolls Royce Merlin]], Isotta Fraschini developed the Zeta.<ref>Ceruschi, 2003, p.41</ref>
==Design and Development==
===Design===
The Zeta was in essence two Gamma RC15 coupled to a single crankshaft.<ref name=gunston/> The engine consisted of an aluminium crankcase with four cylinder banks, each mounted at 90 degrees, with six cylinders. Each cylinder had a single intake and exhaust valve, driven by dual camshafts, and two spark plugs.<ref name=pearce>Pearce, 2017</ref> The whole engine was designed to be fitted as a replaceable power pack.
===Development===
Isotta Fraschini was owned by Caproni, who also produced aircraft, including the [[Caproni Vizzola F.4|F.4]] which was originally planned to have a Isotta Fraschini V12 engine but flew with a [[Daimler-Benz DB 601]]. The company was developing the [[Caproni Vizzola F.6]] derived from this design but powered by the more powerful [[Daimler-Benz DB 605|DB 605]]. On 7 October 1941, the design of a version of the F.6, named F.6Z, to be powered by the new Zeta was instigated, the first aircraft being ordered on 16 June 1942.<ref>Brotzu, Caso, Cosolo 1971, p. 29</ref> In October 1942, [[Reggiane]], also owned by Caproni, was also asked by the Air Ministry to develop a version of their [[Reggiane Re.2005|Re.2005]] with the new engine. Seven examples of the proposed [[Reggiane Re.2004|Re.2004]] were ordered.<ref>Brotzu, Caso, Cosolo 1972, p. 30</ref>
However, engine development was less proving difficult. The first Zeta RC45 was run on 28 February 1941. Planned to produce , the engine could only reach , as well as having many other issues.<ref name=pearce/> Resolving these took time and when the more powerful Zeta RC24/60 was run in May 1943, it still failed its type test. Reggiane tested a mock-up in a wind tunnel and mounted it in the nose of a [[Savoia-Marchetti SM.79]] but cooling problems continued to hold development back.<ref>Alegi, 2001, p.35</ref> It was not until 14 August 1943 that the first engine took to the air in a Caproni Vizzola F.6Z, nearly two years after the Damiler-Benz-powered F.6M.<ref>Brotzu, Caso, Cosolo 1971, p. 30</ref>
Further development ceased following the armistice on 8 September 1943.<ref name=gunston/> By this time, Reggiane was sill waiting for their first engine. As a consequence, the company had already started developing their own engine, the 18 cylinder [[Reggiane Re 103|Re 103]].<ref>Alegi, 2001, p.34</ref> The sole F.6Z remained the only aircraft flown with the engine.<ref>Green and Swanborough, p. 110</ref>
==Variants==
;Zeta RC35 : Initial design, .
;Zeta RC40 : Project.
;Zeta RC22 / 50 : Project.
;Zeta RC42 : project.
;Zeta RC45 : Version for Caproni-Vizzola F.6Z.
;Zeta RC50SD : Project with Isotta Fraschini supercharger.
;Zeta RC21/60 : Project.
;Zeta RC24/60 : version with a two-speed [[Wright Aeronautical|Wright]] supercharger for the Reggiane Re.2004 and Caproni-Vizzola F.6Z.
;Zeta RC15/45 : project.
==Applications==
* [[Ambrosini SAI.403]] (unbuilt, Zeta RC21/60)
* [[Breda Ba.201]] (trial)
* [[Caproni Ca.331|Caproni Ca.331 C.N. Raffica]] (unbuilt)
* [[Caproni Ca.350]] (unbuilt, Zeta RC42)
* [[Caproni Vizzola F.6|Caproni-Vizzola F.6Z]]
* [[Reggiane Re.2004]]
* [[Savoia-Marchetti SM.79]] (mock-up only for development)
==References==
===Notes===
===Bibliography===
*
*
*
*
*
*
[[Category:Air-cooled aircraft piston engines]]
[[Category:Aircraft piston engines 1940–1949]]
[[Category:Isotta Fraschini aircraft engines|Zeta]]
==Background==
During the 1930s, Isotta Fraschini had developed a line of air cooled inverted V12 aircraft engines including the Gamma. These proved moderately successful at a time when most Italian aircraft engines were radials, including Isotta Fraschini's own [[Isotta-Fraschini K.14|K.14]].<ref name=gunston>Gunston, 2006, p.107</ref> In 1939, the Italian air ministry, looking for an appropriate power plant for their next generation of fighter aircraft, approached Germany to license the [[Daimler-Benz DB 605]]. An inverted V12 like the Isotta Fraschini designs, it differed in its liquid cooling but also in its capability, being over twice as powerful as the Italian engines. To compete with this, and other foreign designs like the [[Rolls Royce Merlin]], Isotta Fraschini developed the Zeta.<ref>Ceruschi, 2003, p.41</ref>
==Design and Development==
===Design===
The Zeta was in essence two Gamma RC15 coupled to a single crankshaft.<ref name=gunston/> The engine consisted of an aluminium crankcase with four cylinder banks, each mounted at 90 degrees, with six cylinders. Each cylinder had a single intake and exhaust valve, driven by dual camshafts, and two spark plugs.<ref name=pearce>Pearce, 2017</ref> The whole engine was designed to be fitted as a replaceable power pack.
===Development===
Isotta Fraschini was owned by Caproni, who also produced aircraft, including the [[Caproni Vizzola F.4|F.4]] which was originally planned to have a Isotta Fraschini V12 engine but flew with a [[Daimler-Benz DB 601]]. The company was developing the [[Caproni Vizzola F.6]] derived from this design but powered by the more powerful [[Daimler-Benz DB 605|DB 605]]. On 7 October 1941, the design of a version of the F.6, named F.6Z, to be powered by the new Zeta was instigated, the first aircraft being ordered on 16 June 1942.<ref>Brotzu, Caso, Cosolo 1971, p. 29</ref> In October 1942, [[Reggiane]], also owned by Caproni, was also asked by the Air Ministry to develop a version of their [[Reggiane Re.2005|Re.2005]] with the new engine. Seven examples of the proposed [[Reggiane Re.2004|Re.2004]] were ordered.<ref>Brotzu, Caso, Cosolo 1972, p. 30</ref>
However, engine development was less proving difficult. The first Zeta RC45 was run on 28 February 1941. Planned to produce , the engine could only reach , as well as having many other issues.<ref name=pearce/> Resolving these took time and when the more powerful Zeta RC24/60 was run in May 1943, it still failed its type test. Reggiane tested a mock-up in a wind tunnel and mounted it in the nose of a [[Savoia-Marchetti SM.79]] but cooling problems continued to hold development back.<ref>Alegi, 2001, p.35</ref> It was not until 14 August 1943 that the first engine took to the air in a Caproni Vizzola F.6Z, nearly two years after the Damiler-Benz-powered F.6M.<ref>Brotzu, Caso, Cosolo 1971, p. 30</ref>
Further development ceased following the armistice on 8 September 1943.<ref name=gunston/> By this time, Reggiane was sill waiting for their first engine. As a consequence, the company had already started developing their own engine, the 18 cylinder [[Reggiane Re 103|Re 103]].<ref>Alegi, 2001, p.34</ref> The sole F.6Z remained the only aircraft flown with the engine.<ref>Green and Swanborough, p. 110</ref>
==Variants==
;Zeta RC35 : Initial design, .
;Zeta RC40 : Project.
;Zeta RC22 / 50 : Project.
;Zeta RC42 : project.
;Zeta RC45 : Version for Caproni-Vizzola F.6Z.
;Zeta RC50SD : Project with Isotta Fraschini supercharger.
;Zeta RC21/60 : Project.
;Zeta RC24/60 : version with a two-speed [[Wright Aeronautical|Wright]] supercharger for the Reggiane Re.2004 and Caproni-Vizzola F.6Z.
;Zeta RC15/45 : project.
==Applications==
* [[Ambrosini SAI.403]] (unbuilt, Zeta RC21/60)
* [[Breda Ba.201]] (trial)
* [[Caproni Ca.331|Caproni Ca.331 C.N. Raffica]] (unbuilt)
* [[Caproni Ca.350]] (unbuilt, Zeta RC42)
* [[Caproni Vizzola F.6|Caproni-Vizzola F.6Z]]
* [[Reggiane Re.2004]]
* [[Savoia-Marchetti SM.79]] (mock-up only for development)
==References==
===Notes===
===Bibliography===
*
*
*
*
*
*
[[Category:Air-cooled aircraft piston engines]]
[[Category:Aircraft piston engines 1940–1949]]
[[Category:Isotta Fraschini aircraft engines|Zeta]]
September 04, 2018 at 05:19PM
