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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 1488.PDF
642 FLIGHT mm g)f! ,« ,Sf^^f»S, m0if^ The West/nghouse J46 probably sets a record fineness-rat/o for oero engines. The afterburner eyelids are, as in the 140, actuated by means of a lengthy linkage which is evident in the photograph. Some J46s are now beginning to pile up flight-time. WESTINGHOUSE TURBOJETS . . . wall' type, in which concentric rings admit compressor air to cool the perforated flame-tubes. Sixteen duplex burners are fitted, fed at 600 lb/sq in from a dual Pesco gear pump, via the mass of flexible hose which covers the rear of the compressor case. The turbine nozzle guide-vanes are hollow with forced-air-cooling, and the two steel turbine discs, which are similarly cooled, are bolted together around their periphery and carry solid inserted blades of a stellite-type alloy. Behind the turbine is attached a huge afterburner by means of a flexible joint and quick-release connection. The afterburner fuel lines can be seen along the bottom of the engine and they inject mid-way along the reheat pipe. Finally, the jet booms out through sideways- opening eyelids actuated via about 14ft of push-pull rod and a yoke-piece by an electric screw jack mounted under the turbines. The first and lasting impression is of immense length, and we believe no other engine currently running exceeds the after burning J40 in this respect. But length is no virtue in aero engines: it is almost as important to keep the length down as it is to reduce frontal area. There seems little doubt that the engine could be telescoped into a smaller space, so allowing au to get in and out in a reasonable time. This should offer important secondary gains to the aircraft in which the engine is installed. But the J40 has been virtually eliminated from U.S. Navy procurement programmes. Such a step was not taken without a most searching examination, and we know the failure of the J40 has been a bitter disappoint ment to the Bureau of Aero nautics no less than to Westing- house. Endless troubles with the engine have delayed such important aircraft as the Douglas F4D Skyray, Douglas A3D, and McDonnell F3H Demon, while substitute engines were found and installed. In many cases, the Pratt and Whitney J57 took over, and in others the Sapphire. But Westinghouse are far from through with aero engines. Earlier this year an agreement was signed with Rolls-Royce providing for technical co-operation for a period of up to ten years, involving an interchange of knowledge and limited ex changes of personnel. Also, if the occasion warrants such a procedure, either company can manufacture, under licence, engines developed by the other. At present, the liaison is working happily and appears likely to benefit both companies. One can never ascribe engine development difficulties to a single problem. In the case of Westinghouse, who have probably had a worse time than any other power-plant manu facturer in recent years, several factors have militated against their turning out completely satisfactory engines. For one thing, it is not always a good move for a company renowned in one sphere to try its hand at development in another. Modern gas turbines are rather a law unto themselves and require more "know-how" than may at first be appreciated. Again, Westing house may not have been able to attract all the gas-turbine specialists it wants, although the position in this regard may have improved following the opening of the company's Kansas City plant, with its attendant aero-engine research facilities divorced from the company's other spheres of influence. But whatever the future holds for Westinghouse, the company can take heart in one fact shining like a star against the stormy sky—their J40 (in the Skyray) is the engine which at present holds the world speed record. Engine J30-WE-20 J34-WE-36 J40-WE-6 J40-WE-8 J46-WE-8 Layout 10-A-1 11-A-2 10-A-2 10-A-2 11-A-2 Pres sure Ratio 3.8:1 4.35:1 Approx. overall dimensions (in) Length 101 112 192 300 198 Diam. 21 27 40 40 36 Dry weight (lb) 705 1,207 3.000 3,500 2,100 Max. sea level static thrust (lb) and r.p.m. 1,550 at 17,000 3,400 at 12,500 7.500 at 7.600 10,500 at 7,600 6,000 Specific fuel con sumption Ib/hr/lb 1.18 1.04 0.95 2.2 Applications FH Phantom F3D-2 Skynight, F2H Banshee A3D prototype F3H Demon, F4D Skyray, F10F Jaguar F7U-3 Cutlass, F2Y Sea Dart EXPANSION IN CANADA IT may be recalled that eighteen months ago we published an important series of articles on the Canadian aircraft industry. Since that time expansion has continued steadily, and the opening of new factories, or the extension of existing ones, makes news almost weekly. Particularly is this true of the plants operated by Canadian subsidiaries of British firms; an informative summary of the current position has lately been issued by the S.B.A.C., and at the risk of repeating facts that have recendy appeared in these columns, we summarize some points from it. Two new factories (Bristol and Dowty) have recendy been formally opened, two more (Rolls-Royce and Lucas-Rotax) are in production, and a third, Avro Canada, has acquired a $17im plant from the Canadian Government. Altogether, there are about 40 companies closely associated with parent concerns in Great Britain. Five are members of the S.B.A.C., which has eleven Commonwealth members altogether. The expan sion of these companies is closely related to Canada's policy of producing her own strategic defence material, as well as being concerned with the day-to-day after-sales service of their products. In more detail, so far as several of the firms are concerned, the present position is as follows: — de Havilland Aircraft of Canada will be moving soon from their old Downsview plant to a new 600,000 sq ft factory nearby; and the Fairey Aviation Co. of Canada, comparative newcomers, are building an extension to their factory near Halifax, Nova Scotia, of some 208,000 sq ft and a further 160,000 sq ft is also planned. Rolls-Royce have a new large factory near Montreal for the servicing and, eventually, production of their engines. The first stage in this programme will be the servicing of Nenes built in Britain for the Canadair-built T-33 trainer. Dowty Equipment of Canada recendy formally opened a 60,000 sq ft factory at Ajax, Ontario, 20 miles east of Toronto, and another important new accessory factory is also in action at Scarborough, near Toronto—the Lucas-Rotax plant. This has a floor space of some 120,000 sq ft and is to employ about 1,500 people in the production of such items as turbo-starters and electric starters. There is also the small but well-equipped factory of Sir George Godfrey and Partners in Quebec, producing pressurization equip ment. Finally, Field Aviation (at Oshawa, Ontario), Hunting Group associates, do extensive servicing of R.C.A.F. aircraft, and also sheet-metal and other sub-contracted work. " GRADS AND STUDENTS " RECEPTION AS on the corresponding occasion last year, the excellent -**- modern music in the library of the Royal Aeronautical Society was the best part of the reception and dance organized by die Graduates' and Students' Section on October 30th, pro viding a not unpleasant change from the learned discourses more customarily heard therein. Some 150 graduates, students, friends and guests were present, including Dr. Ballantyne, Mr. E. B. Dove, Mr. N. J. Hancock, and Mr. Walter Tye. As should be the case on a social occasion, aeronautical shop talk was relegated to the background, although one could take advantage of lapel badges to identify this year's crop of committee men. Pleasing selections of films and refreshments were pro vided, and the only fault in organization lay in the unnecessarily early time at which such an enjoyable evening had to end.
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