Hispano-Suiza piston aero-engines were predominantly piston engines produced by Hispano-Suiza in France, Spain, and under licence in the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia from the First World War through to the 1950s. Development of these engines started with the very successful V-8 engines which introduced many new features which ensured the success of the Hispano-Suiza line.
Designations
Letter system
The Service technique de l'aéronautique (STAé) used a common designation system for the vast majority of engines produced in France, which signified the major attributes of the particular engines:- Manufacturer - In this case Hispano-Suiza 12 - the number of cylinders in any configuration (V, straight, W, horizontally opposed, radial, etc.). Y - the family letter in capitals (note: in at least two instances the family designator consisted of two letters in capitals e.g. 14AA and 14AB), advancing alphabetically. (note:Hispano-Suiza avoided W to avoid confusion with W / Broad-arrow engines) a – sub variant indicator, (which could also indicate the rotation of the engine, where otherwise identical engines with opposite hand rotation were built, e.g. 12Ndr anti-clockwise and 12Nfr clockwise). r – attribute indicators, denoting various attributes that the engine might have, (r = reduction gearing, i = fuel injection, s = supercharged, etc.) 1 - sub-sub variants were denoted by using a number after the letters, (e.g. 12Xhrs and 12Xhrs1), usually indicating differences in ancillary equipment.
Thus the 12Xgrs was of the X family, with reduction gearing and supercharger, whereas the 12Xhrs was identical but rotated in the opposite direction.
Number system
The STAé introduced a numbered attribute indicator from the late 1930s, thus;
12Y-26, 12Y-27 – left and right rotation versions of the same engine.
Basic versions of each engine had even numbers and opposite rotation version were odd numbered.
List of H-S piston aero-engines
Data from:Moteurs d'Aviation Hispano-Suiza
Livre d'Or de la Société Française Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza:Revue et Bulletin Technique de la Société Française Hispano-Suiza Jun 28
Hispano-Suiza:Revue et Bulletin Technique de la Société Française Hispano-Suiza Jan 28
Hispano-Suiza:Revue et Bulletin Technique de la Société Française Hispano-Suiza Nov 29
Hispano-Suiza:Revue et Bulletin Technique de la Société Française Hispano-Suiza Dec 30
Hispano-Suiza:Revue et Bulletin Technique de la Société Française Hispano-Suiza Jun 30
Hispano-Suiza:Revue et Bulletin Technique de la Société Française Hispano-Suiza Nov 31
Hispano-Suiza:Revue et Bulletin Technique de la Société Française Hispano-Suiza Apr 32
Hispano-Suiza:Revue et Bulletin Technique de la Société Française Hispano-Suiza Oct 32
Hispano-Suiza:Revue et Bulletin Technique de la Société Française Hispano-Suiza Jan-Jun 35
Le moteur-canon V8 Hispano-Suiza
HISPANO-SUIZA:LES MOTEURS DE TOUS LES RECORDS
Aviafrance
5Q
6M
6Mb
6Mbr
6P
6Pa
8A
8Aa
8Ab
8B
8Ba
8Bb
8Bc
8Bd
8Be
8Bec
8C
8Cb
8F
8Fa
8Fb
8Fe
9Q
9Qa
9Qb
9Qc
9Qd
9Qdr
9T
Produced under licence from Clerget, derived from the Clerget 9C, diesel radial engine.
9V
9Vr
9Vb
9Vbr
9Vbrs
9Vbs
9Vd
9V-10
9V-11
9V-16
9V-17
12B (1945)
12F
12Fd
12G (Type 50) 12Ga 12Gb
12H (Type 51) 12Ha 12Hb 12Hbr 12Hbxr
12J (Type 52) 12Ja 12Jb
12K
Kb
Kbrs
12L
Lb
Lbr
Lbxr
12M(Type 57) 12Mb/500 12Mb/500r 12Mc/500 12Mcr/500 12Md 12Mdr 12Mdsh
12N (Type 61) 12Nb/650 12Nbr/650 12Nbrs/650 12Nc 12cNr: 12Ndr 12Ner 12Nfr 12Ngr 12Ns 12Nsr 12Ns Special 12Nsr Special
12X
(Type 72) 12Xbr 12Xbrs 12Xbrg 12Xbr 12Xbrs 12Xbrs1 12Xdrs 12Xfrs 12Xgrs 12Xgrs1 12Xhrs 12Xhrs1 12Xirs 12Xjrs (Type 76) with calibre Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon between cylinder banks, firing through propeller shaft. 12Xcrs 12Xers 12Xirs 12Xjrs 12Xirs1 12Xjrs1 12X-13
12Y(Type 73) 12Ybr 12Ybrg 12Ybrs1 12Ygrs 12Ydr 12Ydrs 12Ydrs1 12Ydrs2 12Yfrs 12Yfrs1 12Yfrs2 12Y-21 12Y-25 12Y-26 12Y-27 12Y-28 12Y-29 12Y-38 12Y-39 (Type 77) with 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon between cylinder banks, firing through propeller shaft. 12Ybrs 12Ycrs 12Y-28 12Y-29 12Y-30 12Y-31 12Y-32 12Y-33 12Y-36 12Y-37 12Y-41 12Y-45 12Y-47 12Y 49 12Y-50 12Y-51