Renault 12F
| Renault 12F | |
|---|---|
| Renault 12Fe engine on display at the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków | |
| Type | Water-cooled V12 aero engine |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Renault |
| First run | Late 1915 |
| Major applications | Breguet 14 |
| Number built | 12Fe: >7,000 Others: ~700 |
| Developed from | Renault 8G |
| Variants | Renault 12Fe (300 CV) |
The Renault 12F is a family of liquid-cooled 22 L (1,300 cu in) 50 deg V12 aircraft engines that saw widespread use during World War I and the 1920s.
The 12F series was developed from Renault's 8G engines with the two series sharing the same cylinder bore and stoke. 12F series engines were built in Renault's factories in France, Russia and the United Kingdom.
Renault designated early engines in the series by their nominal output of 220 hp (160 kW). The engines were progressively improved with the introduction of aluminum pistons allowing for increased power and reduced weight. These progressive improvements eventually lead to the development of a 300 hp (220 kW) variant which was designated as the 12Fe by the Service Technique de l'Aéronautique (STAe) while being known, and marketed, as the 300 CV (cheval-vapeur) (French: "horsepower”) by Renault.