The First Airplane Diesel Engine: Packard Model DR-980 of 1928

"The First Airplane Diesel Engine: Packard Model DR-980 of 1928" by Robert B. Meyer is an informative text offering an in-depth exploration into the creation, operation, and downfall of the Packard Model DR-980, the pioneering diesel engine crafted for aircraft. The book recounts the collaborative efforts of engineers like Alvan Macauley and Hermann Dorner and investigates the engine's unique features, technological advancements such as its fuel injection system, and the circumstances surrounding its production. Despite glimpses of promise with record-setting flights, the narrative also inspects the complications and reliability problems that ultimately led to its market failure in the face of gasoline engine dominance. This account links the Packard diesel engine's story to the extensive history of aviation technology's progression.