Cosmos Engineering
Encyclopedia
Cosmos Engineering was a company that manufactured aero-engines in a factory in Fishponds, Bristol
during World War I
. Sir Roy Fedden
, the company's principal designer, developed the 14-cylinder radial Mercury
engine during this period. The company was taken over by the Bristol Aeroplane Company
in 1920.
(also known as Brazil Straker), a car and bus manufacturing firm which had branched out into aircraft engine repair and manufacture. This began by first reconditioning, then substantially redesigning and re-manufacturing Curtiss OX-5
engines. Owing to the quality of this work, they were the only company permitted to manufacture Rolls-Royce aircraft engines under licence, building Hawk
and Falcon engines, major components for the Eagle engine and also 600 Renault 80hp 8Ca
engines. Over 1,500 engines were produced in total. The company was one of the first to be brought under Admiralty
control, and Fedden and his draughtsman Leonard Butler designed two engines during the war; the Mercury and the smaller Jupiter
.
In 1919 the range consisted of the 450 hp Jupiter
, the 300 hp Mercury
and the smaller 100 hp Lucifer
. On 9 April 1919 a Bristol Scout
F fitted with a Mercury engine set two British records at Farnborough
achieving the time to 10,000 ft and 20,000 ft records.
-designed cars. The Cosmos 10.5 of 1919, featured an air cooled 3cyl radial layout 994cc engine of 16 hp and was significantly innovative for its time.Culshaw and Horrobin 1997, p.380. Only a limited number were made, and it was followed up by the larger 10.5 CAR which never got beyond prototype stage.
and was taken over by the Bristol Aeroplane Company
in 1920. Operations then moved to a former flying school located on the northern edge of Filton Aerodrome
. The factory on Lodge Causeway
was subsequently taken over by Parnall & Sons
for shop and ship fitting and aircraft component manufacturing.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Sir Roy Fedden
Roy Fedden
Sir Alfred Hubert Roy Fedden MBE was an engineer who designed most of Bristol Engine Company's successful aircraft engine designs.-Early life:...
, the company's principal designer, developed the 14-cylinder radial Mercury
Cosmos Mercury
-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
engine during this period. The company was taken over by the Bristol Aeroplane Company
Bristol Aeroplane Company
The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...
in 1920.
Company origins
In 1918 the Anglo-American company Cosmos bought Straker-SquireStraker-Squire
Straker-Squire was a British automobile manufacturer based in Bristol, and later Edmonton in North London....
(also known as Brazil Straker), a car and bus manufacturing firm which had branched out into aircraft engine repair and manufacture. This began by first reconditioning, then substantially redesigning and re-manufacturing Curtiss OX-5
Curtiss OX-5
-Bibliography:* Angle, Glenn D., AEROSPHERE 1939. New York: Aircraft Publications, 1940.* Gunston, Bill, World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Somerset: Haynes Publishing, 1995. ISBN 1-85260-509-X...
engines. Owing to the quality of this work, they were the only company permitted to manufacture Rolls-Royce aircraft engines under licence, building Hawk
Rolls-Royce Hawk
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Flight 7 May 1954**Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6....
and Falcon engines, major components for the Eagle engine and also 600 Renault 80hp 8Ca
Renault 80 hp
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
engines. Over 1,500 engines were produced in total. The company was one of the first to be brought under Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
control, and Fedden and his draughtsman Leonard Butler designed two engines during the war; the Mercury and the smaller Jupiter
Bristol Jupiter
The Bristol Jupiter was a British nine-cylinder single-row piston radial engine built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. Originally designed late in World War I and known as the Cosmos Jupiter, a lengthy series of upgrades and developments turned it into one of the finest engines of its era.The...
.
Aero-engine range
Bristol Jupiter
The Bristol Jupiter was a British nine-cylinder single-row piston radial engine built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. Originally designed late in World War I and known as the Cosmos Jupiter, a lengthy series of upgrades and developments turned it into one of the finest engines of its era.The...
, the 300 hp Mercury
Cosmos Mercury
-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
and the smaller 100 hp Lucifer
Bristol Lucifer
-See also:-Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6....
. On 9 April 1919 a Bristol Scout
Bristol Scout
The Bristol Scout was a simple, single seat, rotary-engined biplane originally intended as a civilian racing aircraft. Like other similar fast, light aircraft of the period - it was acquired by the RNAS and the RFC as a "scout", or fast reconnaissance type...
F fitted with a Mercury engine set two British records at Farnborough
Farnborough Airfield
Farnborough Airport or TAG London Farnborough Airport is an airport situated in Farnborough, Rushmoor, Hampshire, England...
achieving the time to 10,000 ft and 20,000 ft records.
Car production
Despite selling off the engineering side of Brazil Straker, which continued to successfully build cars, Cosmos Engineering also produced a small number of FeddenRoy Fedden
Sir Alfred Hubert Roy Fedden MBE was an engineer who designed most of Bristol Engine Company's successful aircraft engine designs.-Early life:...
-designed cars. The Cosmos 10.5 of 1919, featured an air cooled 3cyl radial layout 994cc engine of 16 hp and was significantly innovative for its time.Culshaw and Horrobin 1997, p.380. Only a limited number were made, and it was followed up by the larger 10.5 CAR which never got beyond prototype stage.
Fate
Soon afterwards the company went into liquidationLiquidation
In law, liquidation is the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed. Liquidation is also sometimes referred to as winding-up or dissolution, although dissolution technically refers to the last stage of liquidation...
and was taken over by the Bristol Aeroplane Company
Bristol Aeroplane Company
The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...
in 1920. Operations then moved to a former flying school located on the northern edge of Filton Aerodrome
Filton Aerodrome
Bristol Filton Airport or Filton Aerodrome lies on the border between Filton and Patchway, within South Gloucestershire, north of Bristol, England. The airfield is bounded by the A38 trunk road to the east, the former London to Avonmouth railway line to the south and the Old Filton Bypass road to...
. The factory on Lodge Causeway
Lodge Causeway
Lodge Causeway is an ancient passage through the former Royal Forest of Kingswood and now the main road between Fishponds and Kingswood in Bristol, England...
was subsequently taken over by Parnall & Sons
Parnall & Sons
Parnall & Sons Ltd was a shop and ship fitting and aircraft component manufacturer in Bristol, England. The original company was set up in 1820 by William Parnall in Narrow Wine Street, initially making weights and measures, before expanding into shop keeping equipment and shop fittings.By the...
for shop and ship fitting and aircraft component manufacturing.