The Franklin Engine Company was a manufacturer of aircraft engines. The company was formed as Air Cooled Motors in 1937 when a group of ex-employees of the bankrupt H. H. Franklin Co. purchased the assets of the company. Engines continued to be marketed under the Franklin name.
Air Cooled Motors was purchased by Republic Aviation Company in 1945 to produce engines for its Republic Seabee light amphibious aircraft.
In 1947 it was purchased by Tucker Car Corporation to produce an engine for the infamous 1948 Tucker Sedan in 1948. After purchasing Air Cooled Motors, Tucker cancelled all of the company's aircraft contracts so that it's resources could be focused on making automotive engines for the Tucker Corporation. This was a significant event, since at the time of Tucker's purchase Air Cooled Motors held over 65% of U.S. aviation engine production contracts. For this reason when the Tucker Car Corporation failed amidst alligations of stock fraud, Air Cooled nearly failed with it.
Tucker and the Tucker family held onto the company until 1961, when it was sold to Aero Industries who officially renamed it the Franklin Engine Company.
In 1975, the Government of Poland purchased the company and relocated production to Rzeszów, originally under the name PZL-Franklin, and later simply PZL-F.
Products
- Franklin 2A
- Franklin 4AC
- Franklin 6A4/O-335
- Franklin O-805
References
- Gunston, Bill. (1986). World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Patrick Stephens, Wellingborough. p. 57
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