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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0570.PDF
570 FLIGHT Blackburn-Turbomeca: Twin Turmo display model. AERO ENGINES 1956 . . . intended for installation in aircraft already powered by a turbojet, ashaft from the latter being used to drive the rocket propellant pumps. Early Snarlers were flown in a Hawker prototype in 1950, but noproduction was ordered. Its immediate successor, the Screamer, is a considerably more power-ful and advanced unit. No details of this motor may be published, but the design owes much to the experience gained with its predecessor.Screamers have been on bench tests for many months but no further details of the progress of this unit, or later motors, are available. BLACKBURN. The Engine Division of the Blackburn and GeneralAircraft Company, Ltd., Brough, East Yorks. Production of Cirrus piston engines, famous for over 30 years, is now at a low level, althoughthe development and delivery of direct-injection Bombardiers for Ser- vice use remains a prime responsibility. For four years the company have held licences allowing them todevelop and manufacture small gas turbines of basic Turbomeca design. The turbojets of this family have been built in small numbers withoutsignificant alteration from the French original, but the other engines have been subjected to extensive re-design. This is now largely com-plete, and the company consequently have several types of highly developed gas turbines virtually ready for production. Many com-ponents have been made common to two or more types of engine and two complete ranges, known as the 500- and 600-series, have beenevolved with mass flows in the ratio of 4.7 : 7.2. The reduced-flow 500-series have better aerodynamic efficiency and consequently im-proved s.f.c. and are finding wide acceptance in various (mainly non- aeronautical) fields. It is the company's intention eventually to offer a complete seriesof jet, turboprop, air-compressor or shaft-drive (single-shaft or free- turbine) units for all powers from about 200 to 1,000 h.p. or above.Considerable effort, and careful detail design, is hoped to provide the company's gas turbines with unusually long life, the target (ultimately)being a 2,000-hr overhaul period. Marbore. Larger than the standardized range of engines developedat Brough, this turbojet is generally similar to units produced by Turbomeca and Continental (U.S.A.). It is not at present being madeby Blackburn but it is a specified powerplant for the Miles Student trainer. Falas. As the basic unit of the Blackburn-Turbomeca range, thissimple turbojet is substantially the same as the French engine of the same name; the chief difference is that, like other Blackburn-Turbomecaengines, the front end is completely different, with twin intake ducts, an integral oil tank and upper and lower wheel-cases providing for eightaccessory positions. No production has been ordered but the engine is used in the Somers-Kendall S.K.I, the Miles Sparrowjet and theShort Sherpa. The Palas may also be employed in a subsonic drone. Palouste. In this engine a 600-size compressor is matched with a500-size combustion chamber and turbine, the excess delivery of air being extracted through a circumferential volute and large-diameterpipe. In its first British application the Palouste is used for helicopter propulsion, compressed air being led to pressure jets at the tips of therotor blades. In the Fairey Ultra-Light helicopter fuel is also burned in these jets, substantially to increase the rotor horsepower. A smallrun of Palouste powerplants was required by this programme. A production line is now in hand of Paloustes for installation instarter trolleys for the supply of air to pneumatic starters in advanced types of carrier-based aircraft. These starter units will also be deliveredas airborne nacelles which will accompany the aircraft to forward bases. Paloustes are also employed to supply compressed air to wind tunnels. Artouste. In effect this is a single-shaft engine consisting of a Palasturbojet with an additional turbine stage and a reduction gear (of which three ratios are available) mounted on the front. Productiondeliveries may be made of the Artouste 610 for use as an airborne auxiliary powerplant (A.A.P.P.) for a large British military aircraft. Itis also probable that the French turboprop derivative (named Marcadau) will be paralleled by Blackburn in either the 500 or 600 version. Thisengine is being used experimentally by the Royal Navy for emergency generating. Turmo. This free-turbine engine is virtually an Artouste with thegearbox relocated at the rear end and driven by a mechanically indepen- dent turbine stage. The same variety of reduction-gear ratios areavailable as in the Artouste and additional gearing can be incorporated to fit the engine to the needs of fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters.Exhaust gas is taken out through a diagonal pipe between the turbines and the reduction gear. The Turmo is expected to have many industrialapplications and one may also be installed in a racing car. Twin Turmo. A Ministry contract was granted to Blackburn for acoupled Turmo with an initial rating (BnTC.l) of 908 s.h.p. In this unit a pair of Turmos are connected to a common reduction gear withthe exhaust stacks toed outwards on either side. A special powerplant was developed for the S-55 helicopter, the installation being at an angleof about 35 deg to the horizontal. In this aircraft the Turmo would not only reduce the empty weight and increase the power but wouldallow flight on either power section, either in emergency or as a standard procedure for long-range cruising. The programme was, however, Blackburn-Turbomeca Turmo (BnT.1 rating). Free-turbine shaft-driveengine. Single-sided centrifugal compressor, annular combustion chamber with rotating fuel-injection nozzles, and single-stage turbine. Additional turbine stageadded at rear, driving the reduction gear and output coupling. Overall width, 17.1 in height, 21 in; length, 46.12in; dry weight, with typical reduction-gear ratio,281 Ib; mass flow (Turmo600),7.19 Ib/sec; pressure ratio,4.12:1; maximum power, 450 b.h.p. at 36,000 r.p.m. with s.f.c. of 1.04 Ib/hr/b.h.p.] cancelled earlier this year in an attempt to reduce Governmentexpenditure. Cirrus Bombardier. Almost entirely a post-war development, theBombardier is one of the most refined and attractive units in its class. Not only does it make use of the most modern materials and techniques,but the Bombardier is fitted for direct fuel injection to the cylinder heads, single-lever control and, for so small an engine, can mount anunusual variety of accessories including a cartridge starter and a constant-speed unit. It is in limited production for the British Army and for the IndianGovernment for installation in the Auster A.O.P.9, and a further con- tract was recently received from the Ministry of Supply. In Armyservice the Bombardier is rated at 173 h.p. on ordinary M.T. fuel, although considerably more than 200 h.p. can be obtained with higheroctane ratings. Special versions of the Bombardier have flown in the Saro Skeeter helicopter. Cirrus Minor. Many existing Minor Us are being modified to theMinor IIA standard. This incorporates all the latest design changes including a redesigned flat top to the crankcase. The basic engine wasdescribed, together with the larger Cirrus Major, on April 9th, 1954. BRISTOL. Bristol Aero-Engines, Ltd., Filton, Bristol. At thebeginning of this year, the former Engine Division of the Bristol Aero- plane Company was re-constituted as a separate company with theabove name. With the exception of rockets, this very large organization is actively engaged in every type of aircraft-engine development. Primeresponsibility exists for some of the most advanced turbojets, turbo- props and piston engines in the country, and Bristol are also leaders inBritain in the development of supersonic ramjets. Development is centred at Filton and Patchway, north of Bristol,where the company have made exceptionally large capital investment in advanced research, development and test equipment to meet the needsof bold programmes in the spheres already mentioned. Here, the large-scale production of Rolls-Royce Avons is now complete. A partsfactory is at Sunderland, an overhaul base at Whitchurch and drawing offices in London and Cardiff. Licence agreements have been signed with Curtiss-Wright for themanufacture of Bristol gas turbines and with S.N.E.C.M.A. for the manufacture of the Hercules piston engine. In return, agreements exist
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