Amazing Duesenberg Model H engine designed for aircraft use

3 valves per cylinder and lots of springs!

(7 pix) 

 The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum is housed in a building in Auburn, Indiana that was once the national headquarters for the company.  It’s a world class museum with an extensive display of cars, including a very large number of essentially perfect examples of the work done by the company in the 20’s and 30’s.  If you care about great design and the kind of work that made America great, this museum is a must see.  I’m fortunate that it’s only about an hour from where I live, which means I go about once a year.

 In addition to all the wonderful cars, there’s a couple very interesting pieces of aviation there too.  The one that boggles my mind is pictured here.  It’s the Duesenberg Model H: a V-16 (yep, 16 rather massive cylinders) in a liquid cooled engine designed for airplane use that makes 800+ horsepower… first built in 1919!  Hello, that’s like World War l times.  In fact that’s the reason this engine was being built, to be used in the war effort.  As it turned out, four prototypes where built, but the war ended in 1919 and development was stopped.  

 I admit that I’m not the most knowledgeable about all the world’s engines, but the ingenuity, design, and quality of the Model H appear to be simply amazing.  The thing is pretty huge, as in 3,393 cubic inches huge, but the beautifully compact design really seems to stand out.  As the close up pictures show, it’s remarkably well thought out, especially for the time period.