The V-1710 engine was a product of an extensive Army program to develop a high power liquid-cooled engine. Derived from a model designed in 1930 for airship use, the V-1710 was first used by the Air Corps in 1932. Rated at 1000 horsepower, it was installed in the Consolidated XA-11A, an experimental attack version of the Consolidated P-25. By 1938 the engine's output had been increased to 1150 horsepower and it was used to power the Bell X / YFM-1 multiplace fighters. The V-1710 was continually improved and during World War II, its output was increased to 1475 horsepower in some series engines. During the war it was used primarily in the Curtiss P-40 "Warhawk", the Bell P-39 "Aircobra" and the twin engine Lockheed P-38 "Lightning." It was also used in early versions of the North American P-51 "Mustang."
This Allison V-1710 came to Space Age out of an unlimited class hydroplane. Allisons have powered these crafts to the highest speeds for a piston driven hydroplane.
This engine was originally built to be the left side engine on Lockheed P38L (fighter version) and P38M (nightfighter version) aircraft. The propeller rotated to the left, that is counter-clockwise from the cockpit.
Out of around 73,000 total Allisons produced, this engine was number 70,234. Based on these numbers it was probably built in January 1945. It contains the high performance "12 Counterweight" crankshaft. The design allows for 3,000 RPM with overspeeds in dives to 3,400 RPM. The hydroplane races ran it at an incredible 4,000 RPM!
The following ratings are for the V-1710-F30L.
Configuration: Allison followed the leadership of its parent, General Motors of automobile manufacturing fame, and built an engine which was easy to produce and made maximum use of interchangeability. Any engine could be upgraded by using later series parts during overhaul. Any engine could have its rotation reversed by simply reversing the position of several gears in the accessory section. This engine, though manufactured as a "left" turning engine, has probably been sorevised to make it acceptable for installation in a hydroplane.
All together, there are some 7,000 parts in a V-1710, though interestingly, only about 700 "different" parts, including nuts and bolts. Most of these parts were made by the auto industry in the Detriot area. Cadilac made the connecting rods, for example. By exchanging nose and accessory cases, changing gear ratios, and maybe adding an Auxiliary Supercharger stage, any combination of differenet V-1710's could be built. In this way over 75 different models were produced from the same assembly lines during the war. In fact, Allison was the first manufacturer to have a 2,500 bhp engine, the V3420, which was four V-1710 cylinder blocks mated to a common crankcase, but using two crankshafts, and having a different nose and accessory cases.
This engine is undoubtedly one of the pinnacle achievements in US engineering and manufacturing. Space Age is proud to include this as part of our Made In The USA campaign. The Allison V-12, like the Liberty Bell and the Dodge Viper, reflect what is great about our country