Wright Whirlwind

The Wright Whirlwind was a successful air-cooled aircraft engine designed by Charles Lanier Lawrance. It was first used on many historic early flights. The Whirlwind engine was improved through a succession of models for the U.S. Army and Navy, as well as for general aviation. By the mid-1920s, its power and reliability were so well-proven that significant long-distance flights became possible, including those by Admiral Byrd, Charles Lindbergh, and Amelia Earhart.1

The development of suitable power plants was a critical challenge in the early history of flight. While steam and internal-combustion engines were explored, the internal-combustion engine eventually emerged as the most promising option for aircraft propulsion. The Wright brothers, recognizing the advancements in lightweight, powerful engines, even designed and built their own power plant for their 1903 flyer, which achieved the world's first sustained flight.2