Hispano-Suiza V-8, Model A

Overview

Designed by Marc Birgikt, the Hispano-Suiza V-8 was intended as a lightweight and powerful replacement for rotary engines which, due to their torque, were physically and mentally demanding to controls. The “Hisso”, as it was popularly known, was the first mass-produced engine to have solid aluminum cylinder blocks into which steel sleeves were threaded to form the cylinder housing. The 150 hp Model A powered the French SPAD VII fighter, the Dayton-Wright SJ-1 trainer and two Curtiss “Jenny” trainers (the JN-4H and JN-6H.) Known as a dependable, durable powerplant, the Hispano-Suiza V-8 design became one of the most successful engines to be used in World War I.