The Renault 4P, also called the Renault Bengali Junior, was a series of air-cooled 4-cylinder inverted inline aero engines designed and built in France from 1927, which produced from 95 hp (71 kW) to 150 hp (110 kW).
Design and development
Charles Lindbergh's Atlantic Ocean crossing in 1927 inspired Renault to enter the light aero-engine market to diversify the range of engines they offered. The resulting Renault 4Ps, with 115 mm (4.5 in) bore and 140 mm (5.5 in) stroke, delivered 95 hp (71 kW) and proved popular, later versions powering several record-breaking light aircraft.
Developed by Charles-Edmond Serre, by 1931 the 6.3-litre 4Pdi had evolved to give 110 hp (82 kW) to 120 hp (89 kW), with the adoption of 120 mm (4.7 in) bore steel cylinder liners, aluminium alloy cylinder heads attached by long studs to the crankcase, Duralumin connecting rods and magnesium alloy crankcase.
The 4Pei was produced in the USSR, with local equipment and features from the MV-6, as the Voronezh MV-4 (Motor Vozdushniy / Motor Voronezhskiy - air-cooled engine / Voronezh built engine {correct interpretation is unclear}).
In 1946 production of the Renault 4P-01 resumed at the SNECMA factory at Arnage, until 1949, with at least 762 engines manufactured.
Variants
Renault 4Ps
The initial version with 115 mm (4.53 in) bore and 140 mm (5.51 in) stroke, delivered 71 kW (95 hp)
Inverted development of the Pb retaining the 115 mm (4.53 in) bore
Renault 4Pc
Further development of the Ps retaining the 115 mm (4.53 in) bore
Renault 4Pci
inverted 4Pc
Renault 4Pde
Renault 4Pdi
Inverted, introduced 120 mm (4.72 in) bore steel cylinder liners, aluminium alloy cylinder heads attached by long studs to the crankcase, Duralumin connecting rods and magnesium alloy crankcase. 110 hp / 150 kg - Hanriot 16, 120 hp / 155 kg - Caudron Phalène
Renault 4Pei
Inverted, rated at 110 kW (150 hp) for take-off, the 4Pei entered production before WWII[1]
Renault 4Pfi
Renault 4Pgi
Inverted lower rated version, giving 78 kW (105 hp) for take-off, using 73-octane fuel.[1]
Renault 4Po
Renault 4Poi
100 kW (140 hp) with fuel injection.
Renault 4P-01
Postwar production version of the 4Pei, rated at 145 hp (108 kW) for take-off.[2]
As for the 4P-03 but with a modified oil system[2]
Renault 4P-07
As for the 4P-03 but with a modified carburettor[2]
MV-4
Licence production of a 110 kW (150 hp) Renault 4Pei variant in the USSR at the Voronezh factory. 180+ were built in 1939 before production ceased, due to a shortage of indigenous carburettors.[3]