HISTORY

The Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone was an American radial engine developed by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation during the late 1930s. Initially designed as a powerful 18-cylinder, twin-row engine, it was intended to power large aircraft. Its development faced early reliability issues, but it eventually became a cornerstone of American aviation during and after World War II. The R-3350 was most famously used in the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the bomber that dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Post-war improvements made the engine more reliable and efficient, leading to its use in civilian aircraft like the Lockheed Constellation and military transports such as the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. Over time, versions of the R-3350 incorporated turbo-compounding, using exhaust-driven turbines to increase power and fuel efficiency. It remained in service into the 1950s and beyond, leaving a legacy as one of the most powerful piston engines of its era.

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