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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 1023.PDF
26 July 1957 113 turbojets for a variety of civil and military applications. At present inservice with the Jet Provost, which has been ordered into substantial production as the standard R.A.F. basic trainer, the ASV.8 is rated at1,750 lb-thrust and is rapidly acquiring an exceptionally good overhaul life. Recent modifications include hydro-mechanical fuel-pump govern-ing and redesigned centre sections, one of stainless steel and the other of zirconium. The ASV.8 will soon fly in the Macchi MB.326; it hasbeen sold to Yugoslavia for use in the Ikarus fighter, and Poland and Czechoslovakia have requested purchase of the engine. The ASV.8 hasalso been shipped, via Wright, to Bell Aircraft for use in the X-14 VTOL machine, All-American Engineering having developed the deflect-ing nozzles. Rated at 1,900 lb-thrust the ASV.9 is a hot-running ASV.8 for VTOL applications. Illustrated is the ASV.10, which is completely redesigned and is moreakin to a baby Sapphire. First run early last year the engine immediately achieved its brochure thrust of 2,000 lb with a turbine-entry tempera-ture substantially lower even than that of the ASV.8. When run at what may be called "normal" top-temperature the engine becomes the ASV. 11of 2,460-lb rating, and higher ratings are in prospect. Future develop- ment is likely to be directed towards the achievement of maximum lifeand minimum cost and weight. Developments of the Viper are also mentioned under Dassault (France). Mamba. In our 1956 review we described the Mamba 6, of whicha batch was built to power the Seamew. From this was evolved the civil Mamba 7 and the Mamba 8 which forms the half-unit of the newDouble Mamba 8. Flown in the Armstrong Siddeley Dakota, the Mamba 8 had a very fine type-test in April at corrected powers ashigh as 2,020 s.h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba ASMD.8. Double turboprop. Two mechanically independent power sections, each driving one unit of twin co-axial propellers; each power section comprises a Mamba 8, with 11-stage compressor, annular vaporizing combustion chamber and three-stage turbine. Overall width, 56.55in; height, as shown, 45.28in; length, 109.7in; maximum rating, 1,800 s.h.p. plus 300 Ib-thru5t per side, a total of 3,850 e.h.p. Ail other data restricted. This engine is cleared to run on ship's diesel fuel.j Double Mamba. Some hundreds of ASMD.l engines are now inservice with Gannets of the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy, and production has for over a year been concentrated upon the more power-ful ASMD.3, described in our 1956 review. Service performance of the engine is good, and, to clear the engine to retain full power in tropicalconditions, it is proposed to raise the maximum-continuous rating to that specified for take-off. The ASMD.3 will shortly enter service withthe German Navy in the Gannet A.S.4. Depicted in the accompanying drawing is the completely new ASMD.8,which is now coming into production. Derivation from the Mamba 6 can be deduced from the increased number of compressor and turbinestages and the truly annular combustion chamber. Equipment includes a Rotax low-pressure pneumatic starter, suitable for use in conjunctionwith an Armstrong Siddeley (AiResearch) compressor set. A noticeable design change in the new engine is the lower thrust-line. It may wellbe that the engine is fitted to the early-warning Gannet 3, the large radome of which has raised the fuselage position, thus requiring that theengine should have a relocated propeller-shaft. Rocket Motors. In our issue of July 27, 1956, we described theScreamer liquid-oxygen controllable-thrust aircraft motor, which unfor- tunately never went into production owing to official disfavour with itspropellant combination. Nevertheless, the company's recruiting cam- paign and the noise of test-firing at Ansty reveal that rocket develop-ment is expanding and the company are clearly heavily committed in this field. No doubt it will soon be possible to show achievements in thepropulsion of major weapon systems. Work is going ahead on several propellant combinations, including H.T.P. Armstrong Siddeley Viper ASV.10. Single-shaft turbojet with low top- temperature. Seven-stage compressor, annular combustion chamber with 12 vaporizing burners and single-stage turbine. Maximum diameter, 24.3in; overall length, 68.1 in; mass flow, 42 Ib/sec; pressure ratio, 4:1; dry weight, 570 Ib; maximum thrust, 2,000 Ib at 13,400 r.p.m. with s.f.c. of 1.01. Blackburn Palouste. Air-compressing gas turbine. Single centrifugal compressor, annular combustion chamber with rotating fuel-injection nozzles, and single-stage turbine. Maximum diameter, 17.7in; height, about 18in; length, basic engine, 28.62in; dry weight, 178 Ib; delivery 2,725 Ib/sec air at 41.55 Ib sq in gauge, with fuel consumption of 310 Ib/hr. This unit is fitted to the Fairey Ultra-Light. BLACKBURN. The Engine Division of the Blackburn and GeneralAircraft Company, Ltd., Brough, East Yorks. Although principally an airframe company, Blackburn can trace their lineage of engines rightback to the original A.D.C. Cirrus which appeared shortly after World War 1. The company's last piston engine was the Bombardier, aninverted four-in-line unit of particularly modern design fitted with direct fuel injection and an exceptional range of accessories. Limited produc-tion has taken place for the Auster A.O.P.9 and a helicopter variant has flown in the Saro Skeeter helicopter. In 1952 the Blackburn company decided to enter the field of smallgas-turbines, and purchased from Turbomeca a licence to develop and manufacture all the French company's engines up to a specified limit ofmass flow (which excludes the Marbore). Considerable effort was expended in converting the French experimental engines into fullyequipped powerplants capable of doing an operational job installed in an airframe. A revised front end was evolved, with a bifurcated intakeintegral with the front-end casting, together with trains of spur gears above and below providing mounting-pads for all required accessories.Two main families of engines have so far been evolved, distinguished from each other by a difference in mass flow (in the ratio 4.7 : 7.2). The600-series units are the more important for aircraft propulsion, and the 500-series have slightly better specific consumption and are more attrac-tive for industrial applications. Falouste. As the powerplant of the Fairey Ultra-light helicopter thePalouste has been built in small numbers and may yet go into full produc- tion for that aircraft. The excess air delivery is obtained by matching a600-size compressor with a 500-size combustion chamber and turbine. Blackburn hold a production contract for the supply of Palouste-powered air-compressor trolleys for the Royal Navy. The air supply, at about 40 lb/sq in, is taken through a hose to a suitable connectionon advanced carrier-based aircraft, and used to operate pneumatic starters for the main aircraft powerplants. Secondary roles of these compressorsets include ground air-conditioning and the energizing of accessory systems for functional testing. Palas. Basic unit of the Blackburn turbines, this 355-lb-thrust turbo-jet has been built in small numbers for such aircraft as the S.K.I and Sparrowjet; two Palas may also be fitted to the Miles Student. Artouste. The Artouste 610 single-shaft turbine is in production asthe prime mover of an airborne auxiliary powerplant (A.A.P.P.) fitted to a British bomber. The Artouste is operated at constant r.p.m. and isthus able to drive an alternator giving parallel-A.C. supply. Turmo. Likely to be built in large numbers for use in various fields,most of them not connected with aviation, the Turmo has a free power- turbine at the rear end. In the American Kaman K-17 helicopter aBlackburn Turmo drives a compressor which feeds air to pressure jets at the rotor-blade tips. BRISTOL. Bristol Aero-Engines, Ltd., Filton House, Bristol.After fifteen years of work Bristol Aero-Engines—formerly the Engine Division of the Bristol Aeroplane Company—are at last reaping a rewardin the field of advanced gas-turbines. That it has taken so long in no way reflects upon the ability of the company, which is outstanding.Rather does it result from vaccillating official requirements and the fact that the engines concerned break new ground in a number of fields. First Bristol turbine to enter service was the Olympus two-spoolturbojet. Within a few months it was followed by the Proteus free- turbine turboprop, and both these large and complex engines are nowwell established in military and civil operation and are proving extremely reliable. The smaller and simpler Orpheus turbojet is now branchingout into a family of units, of which the first versions are fully developed and flying in several types of aircraft. For the future, an advancedfamily of Olympus engines is in production for military applications, Production of the Bristol Olympus 103 turbojet of 13,000 Ib thrust.
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