Counter-rotating propellers

For opposite-rotating propellers that share a common axis and drive mechanism, see contra-rotating propeller.

Counter-rotating propellers

World War I Linke-Hofmann R.I German heavy bomber (1917) with counter-rotating propellers

He 177A Greif with counter-rotating propellers

Counter-rotating propellers, also referred to as CRP, are propellers which spin in opposite directions to each other. They are used on some twin- and multi-engine propeller-driven aircraft.

The propellers on most conventional twin-engined aircraft spin clockwise (as viewed from behind the engine). Counter-rotating propellers generally spin clockwise on the left engine and counter-clockwise on the right. The advantage of such designs is that counter-rotating propellers balance the effects of torque and P-factor, meaning that such aircraft do not have a critical engine in the case of engine failure.

Drawbacks of counter-rotating propellers come from the fact that, in order to reverse sense of rotation of one propeller, either the engines must be adapted to turn in opposite directions or one propeller must have an additional reversing gearbox.

History

In designing the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, the decision was made to reverse the counter-rotation such that the tops of the propeller arcs move outwards, away from each other. Tests on the initial XP-38 prototype demonstrated greater accuracy in gunnery with the unusual configuration. The counter-rotating powerplants of the German World War II Junkers Ju 288 prototype series (as the Bomber B contract winning design), the Gotha Go 244 light transport, Henschel Hs 129 ground attack aircraft, Heinkel He 177A heavy bomber and Messerschmitt Me 323 transport used the same rotational "sense" as the production P-38 did – this has also been done for the modern American Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor VTOL military aircraft design.

The following German World War II aviation engines were designed as opposing-rotation pairs for counter-rotation needs:

• BMW 801A and B, and G/H subtypes
• Daimler-Benz DB 604
• Daimler-Benz DB 606
• Daimler-Benz DB 610
• Junkers Jumo 222

List of aircraft with counter-rotating propellers

Single engine, roller chain driven propellers (one chain's path crossed to enable counter-rotation):

• The Wright Flyer — and nearly all aircraft designed and built by the Wright Company (1909–1916)
• Dunne D.5

Twin-engine, one engine per wing :

• Beechcraft 76 Duchess
• Cessna T303 Crusader
• de Havilland Hornet
• Fairey F.2
• Heinkel He 177A Greif (fourth prototype onwards)
• Henschel Hs 129
• Gotha Go 244
• Junkers Ju 288
• Lockheed P-38 Lightning
• North American P-82 Twin Mustang
• North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco
• Piaggio P.180 Avanti
• Piper PA-31 Navajo (some variants)
• Piper PA-34 Seneca
• Piper PA-39 Twin Comanche C/R
• Piper PA-40 Arapaho
• Piper PA-44 Seminole
• Vought V-173 Flying Pancake
• Vought XF5U Flying Pancake

At least four engines, two or more on each wing :

• Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant - three on each wing
• Airbus A400M Atlas - two on each wing

Multiple engines in fuselage, with one propeller per side:

• Dunne D.1 - twin engines on a common driveshaft
• Linke-Hofmann R.I - four engines

See also

• Tiltrotor
• Counter-rotating rotors
• Intermeshing rotors
• Screw-propelled vehicle

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Gunston, Bill. Jane's Aerospace Dictionary. London, England. Jane's Publishing Company Ltd, 1980. ISBN 0 531 03702 9