Gnome Omega

The Gnome 7 Omega (commonly called the Gnome 50 hp) is a French seven-cylinder, air-cooled aero engine produced by Gnome et Rhône. It was shown at the Paris Aero Salon held in December 1908 and was first flown in 1909. It was the world's first aviation rotary engine produced in quantity. Its introduction revolutionized the aviation industry and it was used by many early aircraft. It produced 50 hp from its 8 L engine capacity. A Gnome Omega engine powers the 1912 Blackburn Monoplane, owned and operated by the Shuttleworth Collection, the oldest known airworthy British-designed aeroplane worldwide. A two-row version of the same engine was also produced, known as the Gnome 14 Omega-Omega or Gnome 100 hp. The prototype Omega engine still exists, and is on display at the United States' National Air and Space Museum.

Like all early Gnome et Rhône engines the Omega featured a single pushrod driven exhaust valve on the cylinder head; the intake valve was located in the piston crown, opening by inertia on the downstroke and feeding the intake charge from the crankcase into the upper part of the cylinder. No throttle was provided, the pilot controlling his speed by switching off the ignition when necessary.

Variants

 * Gnome 7 Omega:Single-row 7-cyl. original version; 50 hp.
 * Gnome 14 Omega-Omega
 * Two-row, 14-cylinder version using Omega cylinders; 100 hp.

Gnome 7 Omega



 * A Vlaicu I
 * A Vlaicu II
 * ASL Valkyrie
 * Avro Type 500
 * Avro-Burga Monoplane
 * Blackburn Mercury
 * Blackburn Type D Monoplane
 * Blériot XI
 * Breguet Type III
 * Breguet Type IV
 * Bristol Boxkite
 * Bristol Racing Biplane
 * Bristol Monoplane
 * Bristol-Prier P.1
 * Bristol-Coanda School Monoplane
 * Bristol-Coanda T.B.8
 * Castaibert III
 * Caudron Type B


 * Deperdussin 1910 monoplane
 * François Denhaut's flying boat
 * Fabre Hydravion
 * Farman HF.6 Militaire
 * Farman III
 * FBA Type A
 * Grahame-White Type VII
 * Grahame-White Type XV
 * Howard Wright 1910 Biplane
 * Koolhoven Heidevogel
 * Lakes Waterbird
 * London and Provincial Fuselage Biplane
 * Morane-Borel monoplane
 * Nieuport II
 * Paalson Type 1
 * Paulhan-Tatin Aéro-Torpille No.1
 * Paulhan biplane
 * Pemberton-Billing P.B.9


 * Radley-England waterplanes
 * Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.3
 * Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.4
 * Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2
 * Sommer 1910 biplane
 * Short S.27
 * Short Tandem Twin
 * Short Triple Twin
 * Short S.47 Triple Tractor
 * Short S.62
 * Sopwith Bee
 * Sopwith Sparrow
 * Van Meel Brikken
 * Vickers No.6 Monoplane
 * Vickers No.7 Monoplane
 * Vickers Boxkite School Biplane
 * Voisin 1907 biplane
 * Voisin Type de Course



Gnome 14 Omega-Omega

 * Avro 501
 * Blériot XIII
 * Bleriot XXIII
 * Bristol-Gordon England G.E.2
 * Coventry Ordnance Works Biplane 10
 * Deperdussin 1912 Racing Monoplane
 * Nieuport IV.H floatplane
 * Short S.41 Tractor Biplane
 * Short S.57 Seaplane
 * Short S.64 Folder Seaplane
 * Short Admiralty Type 74

Engines on display

 * The very first Gnome rotary engine ever built, Gnôme Omega No. 1, is on display at the National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.
 * A preserved production Gnome 7 Omega engine is on public display at the Royal Air Force Museum London.
 * A restored Omega is on display at the New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, CT.