The Delta was a 12-cylinder inverted-V
aircraft engine
An aircraft engine, often referred to as an aero engine, is the power component of an aircraft propulsion system. Most aircraft engines are either piston engines or gas turbines, although a few have been rocket powered and in recent years ma ...
built by
Isotta Fraschini
Isotta Fraschini () was an Italian luxury car manufacturer, also producing trucks, as well as engines for marine and aviation use. Founded in Milan, Italy, in 1900 by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and Oreste Fraschini, in 19 ...
prior to and during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
.
[Gunston 1989, p.82.]
Design and development
The Delta is a fairly rare example of a large air-cooled inline engine, which normally have cooling problems with the rearmost cylinders. It produced about 750 hp in common versions, although others were rated up to 900 hp. The Delta was not widely used, although it could be found on a number of production aircraft and some advanced prototypes.
The engine included a number of otherwise advanced features. For instance, the valves were powered by dual overhead cams driven by power shafts at the rear of the engine. Exhaust ports were arranged to exit toward the middle of the engine, one cylinder bank being the mirror of the other, allowing the piping to be ganged below the engine nacelle.
Variants
; Delta R.C.20/55 ID-IS
; Delta R.C.21/60
; Delta R.C.35
; Delta R.C.35 I
; Delta R.C.35 IS
; Delta R.C.40 IS
; Delta R.C.40 ID-IS
; Delta R.C.48
; Delta III R.C.40
; Delta IV R.C.17/50
Applications

*
Ambrosini SAI.107
The Ambrosini SAI.207 was a light fighter interceptor and developed in Italy during World War II. Developed from the pre-war SAI.7 racing aircraft it was built entirely from wood, Powered by a single 750 hp Isotta Fraschini Delta, the SA ...
*
Ambrosini SAI.207
The Ambrosini SAI.207 was a light fighter interceptor and developed in Italy during World War II. Developed from the pre-war Ambrosini S.7, SAI.7 racing aircraft it was built entirely from wood, Powered by a single 750 hp Isotta Fraschini ...
prototype
*
Ambrosini SAI.403
The Ambrosini SAI.403 ''Dardo'' ("Dart") was a light fighter aircraft built in Italy during World War II.
Design and development
SAI.403 Dardo was a considerably refined version of the SAI.207, designed during the delays in that type's developm ...
prototype
*
CANT Z.515
The CANT Z.515 was a twin engine monoplane floatplane designed and built for maritime reconnaissance in Italy at the start of World War II. It did not go into service.
Design and development
The Z.515 (Z denoting a Zappata design) was the re ...
*
Caproni Ca.313
The Caproni Ca.313 was an Italian twin-engine reconnaissance bomber of the late-1930s. It was a development of the Ca.310. Its variants were exported to several other countries.
Design and development
The Ca.313 was designed by Cesare Pallavic ...
*
Caproni Ca.314
*
Caproni Ca.331
The Caproni Ca.331 ''Raffica'' ("Gust of Wind" or "Fire Burst") was an Italian aircraft built by Caproni in the early 1940s as a tactical reconnaissance aircraft/light bomber and also as a night fighter.
Development
Ca.331 O.A. (Ca.331A)
In res ...
*
Caudron C.714
The C.710 were a series of light fighter aircraft developed by Caudron-Renault for the French Air Force just prior to the start of World War II. One version, the C.714, saw limited production, and were assigned to Polish pilots flying in France a ...
(C.760) prototype
*
Henschel Hs 129
The Henschel Hs 129 was a World War II ground-attack aircraft fielded by the German ''Luftwaffe''. The aircraft saw combat in Tunisia and on the Eastern Front.
A key requirement of the original specification was that the aircraft be powered by ...
prototype
*
Reggiane Re.2001
The Reggiane Re.2001 ''Falco'' II was an Italian fighter aircraft, serving in the ''Regia Aeronautica'' (Italian Air Force) during World War II. A contemporary of the renowned Macchi C.202, the production of this type was to be limited to only 25 ...
prototype
*
Savoia-Marchetti SM.86
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.85 was an Italian monoplane dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft that served in small numbers in the ''Regia Aeronautica'' at the beginning of World War II. They were soon replaced in service by the Junkers Ju 87.
De ...
Specifications (Delta RC35-IDS)
See also
References
Bibliography
*Gunston, Bill. ''World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines''. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989.
*''Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II''. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1989.
* Wilkinson, Paul H. ''Aircraft engines of the World 1945''. New York, Paul H. Wilkinson, 1945.
{{Isotta Fraschini aeroengines
Delta
Delta commonly refers to:
* Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet
* River delta, at a river mouth
* D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta")
* Delta Air Lines, US
* Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19
Delta may also r ...
Aircraft air-cooled V piston engines
1920s aircraft piston engines
Inverted V12 aircraft engines