LeBlond Aircraft Engine Corporation was a small engine manufacturer incorporated on April 11, 1928. It was located on the northwest corner of Madison and Edwards Roads in
Norwood, Ohio
Norwood is the third most populous city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and an enclave of the larger city of Cincinnati. The population was 19,043 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Originally settled as an early suburb of ...
"Companies in Norwood, Ohio - "L"." RootsWeb.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 June 2010. . It was a subsidiary of the R. K. LeBlond Machine Tool Company in
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
, a manufacturer of metal machining lathes."Rearwin Aircraft Engines." PilotFriend. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2010. .
History
In 1928 Richard K. LeBlond purchased Detroit Aircraft Engineering Corporation, then a subsidiary of
Detroit
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
's automaker
Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker International Corporation is a string instrument manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California. Rickenbacker is the first known maker of electric guitars, with a steel guitar in 1932, and produces a range of electric guitars and bass ...
owned by
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
pilot and ace
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker (born Edward Rickenbacher, October 8, 1890 – July 23, 1973) was an American fighter pilot in World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient.. and the engineer, Glenn D. Angle."LeBlond / Ken-Royce Engines." PilotFriend. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2010. . and their 5-cylinder Air-Cat engine. LeBlond employed the company's designer and previous co-owner, Glenn D. Angle, to improve the design for further production and development. The LeBlond line was refined and improved through late 1937.
In December 1937, to offset a large tax liability incurred by the LeBlond Tool company, the subsidiary, LeBlond Engines, was sold at a significant loss to Raymond A. Rearwin of Rearwin Airplanes. The purchase was a perfect fit for Rearwin as his company was one of the largest users of LeBlond engines, and gave Rearwin a well-accepted radial engine to use on his designs.Goyer, Norm. "Rearwin Aircraft and Ken- Royce Engines." Aircraft Market Place. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2010. . Rearwin renamed the company Ken-Royce Engine Company after his two sons Ken and Royce Rearwin.Robertson, Doug. "N17029, 1936 Porterfield 35-70 FLYABOUT 'Spinach', Rev. 1." Airport-Data.com. N.p., 23 October 2006. Web. 20 June 2010. . After Rearwin moved the assets from Norwood to Kansas City, quality-control issues were experienced, which seemed to improve after several employees who had made a competing offer for LeBlond's assets were fired. Production of the line continued until World War Two.
Production of the LeBlond designs never resumed, as the design was uneconomical compared to the newer " flat" (horizontally opposed) engines of the post-war era. LeBlond/Ken-Royce engine parts were provided during the 1950s by ''Air Associates''. In the 1960s the remaining parts were sold to the
Antique Airplane Association
The Antique Airplane Association, Inc. (AAA) is the oldest antique airplane association in the world. The AAA formed in August 1953 by Robert L. Taylor, via a classified ad in Flying magazine and a few people with a deep-seated interest in old ai ...
of
Blakesburg, Iowa
Blakesburg is a city in Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 274 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census.
History
Blakesburg was laid out in 1852. It was named for one of its founders, Theophilus Blake.
Geography
Accor ...
.
Products
Parts were interchangeable between the 5 and 7-cylinder models of the LeBlond and later Ken-Royce engines, including the cylinder assemblies, gear case and oil pump. As the engine was modular in design, the gear case could be removed intact. The oil pump, being a single unit, could be removed for overhaul or replacement.
The Stromberg NAR-3 carburetor contained a built-in "primer" which acted like a choke by leaking gasoline into the intake stream when activated, in order to prime the engine.
The valve springs used on LeBlond and Ken-Royce engines were of the volute spring type which is wound in a beehive shape out of strip steel, unlike most engines, which have nested coil springs wound from round wire. This type of spring was inherited from the original Detroit Air-Cat as at the time of the Air-Cat design in the late twenties, round wire springs had resonance and fatigue problems. The volute design eliminated the resonance and lasted longer.