Napier Dagger
The Napier Dagger was FB Halford's most successful air-cooled engine design for Napier. The 24-cylinder supercharged engine was of vertical 'H' configuration with twin crankshafts geared together. It included Halford patented hudraulic tappets operated from its four sets of single overhead camshaft gear
Flight testing was carried out by Fairey's test pilot, Chris Staniland, in a Fairey battle. Despite receiving the full support of the Air Ministry this engine failed to break into the market in a big way. The engines were fitted in the Hawker Hector and the twin engined Handley Page Hereford light bomber which saw active service in Europe and North Atlantic early in WWII.
The Trust's Dagger is a crash victim believed to be an E105 Dagger 800 Series III. It was either a test engine from a Fairey Battle, prototype Martin Baker II fighter or, more likely, from a Hawker Hector biplane army support light bomber.
'H' Air-Cooled Engine
Design E98 1934 Dagger I
24-cylinder 4.1/2" bore x 5.1/4" stroke 630 bhp
Design E105 1935 Dagger 800
24-cylinder 3.13/16" bore x 3.3/4" stroke 725 bhp
Design E108 1937 Dagger H10
24-cylinder 3.13/16" bore x 3.3/4" stroke 935 bhp
Design E110 1939 Dagger VIII
24-cylinder 3.13/16" bore x 3.3/4" stroke 1,000 bhp
Design E112 1939 Enlarged Dagger
24-cylinder 4.1/16" bore x 3.15/16" stroke
Where to see:
NMSI Store, Wroughton, Nr. Swindon
NPHT collection
RAF Museum Hendon
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