Curtiss K-12, V-12 Engine, ca. 1918. Creator: Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
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Curtiss K-12, V-12 Engine, ca. 1918. Creator: Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
In 1916 Curtiss engineer Charles Kirkham began designing an engine to compete with the Wright Corporations Hispano-Suiza. By late 1917, the prototype K-12 (K for Kirkham) was bench tested. While it met its design objectives of high power, low frontal area, compact size, and low weight, the engine encountered technical difficulties during development. Kirkham left Curtiss in 1919, and Arthur Nutt took over the project, eventually producing the D-12, which became a highly successful racing and military power plant in the 1920s. This engine is manufacturers number 5 out of about 20 built. The K-12 powered the Curtiss Navy 18T Wasp triplane and the Army Curtiss 18B Hornet biplane. In 1919 Curtiss test pilot Roland Rholfs set a new worlds altitude record of 10, 641 m (34, 910 ft) with the 18T
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases the impressive Curtiss K-12 engine, a remarkable creation by the renowned Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Developed in 1918 as an ambitious competitor to the Hispano-Suiza engine produced by the Wright Corporation, this particular model is manufacturer's number 5 out of approximately 20 built. Designed with meticulous attention to detail, the K-12 engine boasted exceptional features such as high power output, compact size, low weight, and minimal frontal area. However, its journey towards perfection was not without challenges during its developmental phase. After Charles Kirkham initiated its design process in 1916 and successfully bench tested it by late 1917, technical difficulties arose. Nonetheless, Arthur Nutt took over the project after Kirkham's departure from Curtiss in 1919. Under his guidance and expertise, he refined and transformed the K-12 into what became known as the highly successful D-12 engine. This powerful innovation proved invaluable both on racing circuits and within military applications throughout the vibrant aviation era of the 1920s. The K-12 powered notable aircraft like the Curtiss Navy 18T Wasp triplane and Army Curtiss 18B Hornet biplane. Its capabilities were further demonstrated when test pilot Roland Rholfs set a new world altitude record of an astounding height reaching up to approximately10,641 meters (34,910 feet) with an incredible flight aboard an 18T model in 1919. Preserved within this print lies a testament to Glenn Hammond Curtiss' pioneering spirit that revolutionized air transport during World War I. As part of our educational institution's collection at The National Air and Space Museum (NASM), we celebrate this technological marvel that propelled humanity into new frontiers of flight exploration.
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