Engine configuration

"Michael Henry" wrote in message
...
Greetings!

My last post provoked a long and interesting series of threads so I am
emboldened to make another post.

This question concerns the configuration or layout of an engine. I have
noticed that air-cooled engines tend to have an opposed configuration
whereas liquid-cooled engines tend to have a V configuration. Both are
also available inline but I'll take a leap and say these are a minority
(I'm talking about current production engines not historical engines).
There are some liquid-cooled horizontally-opposed engines but I can't
think of any air-cooled "V" engines. Why is this? It suggests to me that
the advantages of the V configuration are specific to liquid cooling. Is
this really the case?

The Wikipedia article on "V Engine" is quite short but it includes this:

"Certain types of V engine have been built as inverted engines,
most commonly for aircraft. Advantages include better visibility
in a single-engined airplane, and lower centre of gravity."

OK, these are two pretty good advantages! There are no disadvantages
listed. So why isn't the Lycoming O-540 or the Continental O-520 an
inverted V?

Regards,

Michael

I can think of two inverted "V" air cooled aero engines that were produced
in quantity.
One is the German Argus As 10C 240HP used in the Me 108 and the Storch and
the other is the American Ranger V-770 inverted V12.
See: http://www.oldengine.org/members/die...ord/Ranger.htm
and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argus_As_10