Renault 12Fe
| Renault 12Fe | |
|---|---|
| Renault 12Fe aero-engine. Displayed at the national air and space museum of France. | |
| Type | Water-cooled V12 aero engine |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Renault |
| First run | Late 1916 |
| Major applications | Breguet 14 Voisin X |
| Number built | >7,000 |
| Developed from | Renault 12F |
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The Renault 12Fe, or 300 CV, is a water-cooled V12 aero engine. The 12Fe was the most produced Renault aircraft engine and powered many French aircraft during World War I and the 1920s.
The 12Fe engines were the result of incremental improvements to Renault's 12F series. Although the 12Fe retained the same cylinder arrangement and displacement as its predecessors, Renault designated it as a separate product, marketing it as the 300 CV. These engines were manufactured in Renault's factories in France and the United Kingdom, with additional licensed production by other French and British manufacturers.
By the end of World War I, 12Fe engines powered the bulk of the French bomber force. Post-war the engine type was selected by many of the first airlines and airmail services. During the 1920's 12Fe engines set new standards for endurance and reliability while aircraft fitted with an experimental turbocharged version of the engine claimed a series of high-altitude records.