One of the longest production runs of a piston engine since World War II has been that of the Shvetsov ASh-62 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial, rated at 1,000 hp and used to power well over 10,000 examples of the Antonov An-2

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Антонов Ан-2 - РоссияRussia - 1947

Pratt & Whitney, still in business today as one of the world’s "big three" gas turbine makers, vied with Wright in the piston engine era. More than 10,000 Douglas DC-3 variants were P&W powered

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Douglas DC-3 / C-47 Skytrain/С-53 Skytrooper / Dakota - СШАUSA - 1935

Despite the widescale development and production of gas turbine engines, the piston engine still reigns supreme for the smaller general aviation aircraft - such as these Beechcraft Bonanzas.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Beechcraft Model 33/35 Bonanza - СШАUSA - 1945

One more classics - the Rolls-Royce Merlin and the Supermarine Spitfire - provided a winning combination that served the RAF well throughout World War II.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Supermarine Spitfire - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1936

The ultimate piston engine from Rolls-Royce, the Eagle, powered the Wyvern but was overtaken by gas turbine development.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Westland Wyvern - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1946

Production of the Shvetsov ASh-62 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial was transferred from the Soviet Union to Poland in 1957 and it now also powers the PZL M-18 Dromader ag-plane.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: PZL M-18 Dromader - ПольшаPoland - 1976

Most early aero-engines were air cooled; to increase the flow of air past the cylinders, some, such as the Clerget in this Avro 504K, were designed to rotate, with the propeller, round a stationary crankshaft.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Avro Avro 504 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1913

Between the wars, most American light aircraft used air-cooled radial engines, such as the 125 hp Warner (here, in a Cessna Model AW) and the Wright J-5

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Cessna Model A - СШАUSA - 1927

Between the wars, most American light aircraft used air-cooled radial engines, such as the 125 hp Warner and the Wright J-5 (here, in a Cessna Model CW-6).

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Cessna CW-6 / DC-6 - СШАUSA - 1928

For the past 40 years, the US engine manufacturers Continental and Lycoming have been in head-to-head competition as producers of flat-four and flat-six air-cooled units for light aircraft - such as, typically, the Piper Turbo Arrow III (here, with Continental)

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Piper PA-28 Cherokee - СШАUSA - 1960

The ARV Super2, now entering production in the UK, introduces a brand new piston engine - the liquid-cooled three-cylinder Hewland unit rated at 77 hp.
View of the ARV Super 2 in the air show its distinctive wing and the ventral position of the radiator for the new liquid-cooled Hewland engine

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: ARV Super2 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1985

"B-BAKER" (первый из двух), предназначенный для британских ВВС, в сдаточном полете. Самолет поступил на вооружение 90-й эскадрильи и был потерян 4 июня 1941 года в результате возникшего на рулежке пожара.
B-17C for RAF on test near Seattle. Serial AM528 was initially incorrectly applied and later corrected to AN528. It joined 90 Squadron, Bomber Command, as a Boeing Fortress I.
The Wright company became a major supplier of piston aero-engines in the US before, during and for some years after World War II, but failed to maintain its place in the era of the gas turbine. Wright Cyclones powered thousands of Boeing B-17s

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress - СШАUSA - 1935

For the past 40 years, the US engine manufacturers Continental and Lycoming have been in head-to-head competition as producers of flat-four and flat-six air-cooled units for light aircraft - such as, typically, the Cessna Cardinal RG (here, with Lycoming).

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Cessna 177 Cardinal - СШАUSA - 1967

A classic engine in a classic aeroplane - the de Havilland Gipsy in a D.H.60 Moth. The air-cooled four-cylinder in-line Gipsy was pre-eminent in British light aviation between the wars and provided the foundation for development of the Gipsy Queen, still serving today.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Gipsy Moth / Moth X - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1928