While it took the demands of two World Wars to bring aviation into acceptance by the general public, it was a relative handful of engineers, entrepreneurs, and pilots who positioned the technology and resources necessary to make aviation one of the deciding factors in ending World War II. This book attempts to illuminate some of the historically significant technical developments that were incorporated into World War II aircraft engines that directly contributed to the execution and tactics of the war. Although numerous excellent books have been published on all of the more common World War II aircraft, and several books have been published on engines, rarely have the two been brought together. Allied Aircraft Piston Engines of World War II offers an interesting look at the technology that was so important to eventual Allied victory. The book is organized into separate sections on British and U.S. aircraft piston engines. Aircraft engines detailed in the book include: Rolls-Royce - Merlin, Griffon, Peregrine, Vulture; Bristol - Poppet Valve Engines, Mercury, Pegasus, Sleeve Valve Engines, Hercules, Taurus, Centaurus; Napier - Rapier, Dagger, Sabre; General Electric Turbosuperchargers; Pratt and Whitney - R-1340 Wasp, R-985 Wasp Jr., R-1535 Twin Wasp Jr., R-1830 Twin Wasp, R-2000, R-2800 Double Wasp, R-4360 Wasp Major; Allison - V-1710, V-3420; and Wright Aeronautical Corporation - R-1820 Cyclone, R-2600 Cyclone 14, R-3350 Cyclone 18, R-4090 Cyclone. The book also includes chapters on: Aircraft Engine Requirements (fuels, charge heating, radiator development, lubrication, and more); and Hyper Activity and Other Near Misses. An enjoyable, informative book for aeronautical engineers, aircraft enthusiasts, WWII veterans and buffs, and historians. About the author...Though born in England, Graham White has spent most of his life in the USA. A mechanical engineer by profession, White now negotiates and writes contracts for IBM. White has had a lifelong interest in aviation and its history, and in particular, the piston engines of World War II. He has collected and restored several of these engines to exhibition condition, and working order, in his own workshops. He is also an avid collector of the classics of engineering and aviation literature, and an active member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. From the foreword - 'Engineering has, for a long while, been a major contributor to military strength. In recent times the battles have been fought not only between armies, but between design offices, laboratories, test houses, and production lines...Since this book is about the Allied involvement in the struggle for aerial supremacy...it can never be more than half the story. It is, however, a part of the story that is not often told, and one that historians of classical or military background find hard to tell because every facet involves some technical development that may at the time have seemed quite trivial, but has in retrospect altered the course of history.' - Don Goodsell. 'The story of the piston engine in World War II is the story of the ending of an era - an era that was terminated by the acceleration of history...Had the war lasted three more years the jet engine would have been the decisive factor. In fact, the piston engine remained the key player.' - Don Goodsell. 'Definitive books on the subject seem to appear about once in a generation. This is one of those. If you are serious about your aviation library, you will need this generous volume.' - Space News. 'Graham White's book provides a fascinating look at the development of all the great aircraft piston engines...and assesses the contributions they made to the war effort...White not only provides a wealth of technical information...but also presents some useful perspective on the problems, events and thinking of the day...this is a valuable source of reference for the aviation archivist, historian and engineer alike...This informative and highly rea