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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 1033.PDF
26 July 1957 123 R.7. The first engine of Dassault design, the R.7 turbojet is virtuallya Viper ASV.10 scaled-up to a linear ratio of 1.3. The first of several prototypes began bench trials in December last year, and developmentis at present very satisfactory. Like the British ASV.10, the R.7 is a very cool-running engine and obviously has great growth-potential.The basic engine is expected to be type-tested in September, and an afterburner giving 32 per cent augmentation (i.e., to a maximum reheatthrust of about 4,200 1b) is at present being developed. HISPANO-SUIZA. Societe d'Exploitation des Materiels Hispano-Suiza, Rue du Capitaine Guynemer, Bois-Colombes, Seine. To a cer- tain extent this renowned company could feel that they have had a rawdeal from the French government. In the development and mass- production of centrifugal turbojets to basic Rolls-Royce design theyhave done a superb job, and—the company claim—in 1955 had delivered every turbojet then in service with the French Air Force. They have,however, received no contract for their own axial engine, the R 800 series, neither have they been able to go ahead with plans to manufactureadvanced versions of the Avon for the Super Mystere and Caravelle. Centrifugal engines. Since 1948 total production of the Nene andderived units has exceeded 1,300 engines, and these are still in service with S.E. Mistral and Dassault Ouragan fighters. In 1951 Hispano-Suiza started to produce more powerful engines based on the Rolls-Royce Tay. The ultimate engine, named Verdon, is the standard powerplantof the Mystere IV, and over 550 have already been delivered. Without reheat the Verdon 350 has a dry rating of 7,710 lb and is a useful, cheapand reliable engine. Production of the centrifugal turbojets averaged about 25 per month, and these engines have now flown more than330,000 hr, with an overhaul life up to 600 hr. R.804. Depicted in an adjacent diagram, this trim axial has passedall its tests, including a 150-hr type test, but its development has been curtailed by cessation of official support. The company are proceedingwith its development on a limited basis, and it may yet be installed in an airframe. Hispano-Suiza R.804. Single-shaft turbojet with afterburner. Seven-stage compressor, annular combustion chamber with ten burners, single-stage turbine, and afterburner with clamshell nozzle. Basic diameter, 27.2in; length as shown, 146in; dry weight, 833 1b (6721b without afterburner); mass flow, 57.3 Ib/sec; pressure ratio, 4.8:1; maximum thrust, 4,460 Ib (without reheat, 3,306 Ib at 12,000 r.p.m. with s.f.c. of 1.068). LEDUC. Rene Leduc et Fils, 158 Quai de Bezons, Argenteuil(5. et O.). For many years Rene Leduc has been assiduously developing aircraft in which the entire body forms an integral ramjet. Originallyalmost a lone pioneer, he has now become the head of a considerable company with important government contracts and the prospect ofachieving eventual production. His first integral-ramjet project was conceived in 1933 and a modelof it was shown at the 1938 Paris Salon. Developed into the Leduc 010, a contract for a research prototype was placed by the French AirMinistry in 1937. After inevitable interruption during the German occupation M. Leduc finally got the 010 into the air from the back ofa Languedoc mother aircraft in April 1949. Three 010s were built, the third having Turbomeca Marbore turbojets on the wing-tips. Speedsover 500 m.p.h. were reached, and the rate of climb exceeded 8,000ft/ min at 36,000ft. The Leduc 021 was a larger and faster development, which first flewin May 1953, again launched from the Languedoc. It recorded a level speed of Mach 0.9 and a calculated sea-level rate of climb of 40,000ft/min. Finally, flight trials are now well advanced on the awesomely im-pressive Leduc 022, the first supersonic machine in the series and probably the fastest piloted aeroplane in the world. With characteristicsindicated by the drawing and data, the 022 is powered by an integral ramjet some 75in diameter and roughly 40ft long, with fuel injectedfrom multiple rings and stabilized by a combination of mechanical and aerodynamic means. For use at take-off, to accelerate the aircraft upto the ramjet light-up and sustaining speed and for use in circuit flying, landing and ground manoeuvring, a S.N.E.C.M.A. Atar turbojet ismounted centrally within the duct. The first 022 was completed in June 1956. It started flying inDecember and gradually worked up to the start of full-ramjet trials last month. It is currently based at Istres, engaged in flights at increas-ing speed up to 4,000km/hr (2,485 m.p.h.). The second machine is now also about to fly. Leduc 022. Supersonic research aircraft with integral ramjet propulsion, supple- mented by an Atar turbojet mounted within the duct Overall length, about 56ft; ramjet diameter, about 75in; ramjet length, about 40ft; gross aircraft weight, 13,2001b; theoretical sea-level thrust, 132,000 1b: minimum ramjet speed, about Mach 0.4; maximum speed, about Mach 3.S. Nord ST 450. Supersonic ramjet. Circular-section ramjet with concentric centre-body housing fuel tank (with internal air bottle), control and test gear and recovery parachute system; fore-planes behind intake, and wing cruciform on detachable rear body forming integral combustion chamber. Diameter, 17.72in; length, 185in; launching weight (excluding boost chariot), 385 to 496 ib, according to variations in design or equipment; maximum flight-performance, more than 2,100 m.p.h. at over 75,500ft. This ramjet is being developed for missile propulsion. NORD. S.N.C.A. du Nord, 2/18 Rue Beranger, Chatillon-sous-Bagneux (Seine). For six years the former S.F.E.C.M.A.S. group, who became part of Nord late in 1954, have been developing ramjets fordrones, missiles and aircraft. Subsonic ramjets have been described and illustrated in previous engine-reviews (page 581 of our 1956 review, forexample). A supersonic ramjet now undergoing intensive development is depictedin a drawing. It is being test-fired as an integrally powered canard test vehicle, launched at from 60 to 80 deg by a chariot equipped with twinsolid-propellant rocket motors. When the tanks run dry the nose section is separated by explosive bolts and is recovered by parachute. Nord have also undertaken the design and development of an after-burner for the Turbomdca Gabizo turbojet (q.v.). POTEZ. Societe des Avions et Moteurs Henry Potez, 46 AvenueKleber, Paris 16e. Development and limited production continues upon the integrated range of air-cooled piston engines with four, six and eightcylinders. Typical applications include the Nord 3200 (Potez 4D), Potez 75 and Agusta AZ-8 (Potez 8D). The inverted 8D was describedin our 1956 engine review. A recent development is a 1,500/2,200-watt motor/generator set. SALMSON. Societe des Moteurs Salmson, 102bis Rue du Pointdu Jour, Billancourt (Seine). Development, manufacture and spares- production is proceeding upon four basic engines: the 8 AS04 A, aninverted vee-8 of 260 h.p.; the 9 NH02, a nine-cylinder radial of 220 h.p. used in helicopters; and the flat-four 4 AH and flat-six 6 AH,respectively of 100 and 145 h.p. Salmson also repair Lycoming VO-435s of the French Air Force. S.E.P.R. Societe d'Etude de la Propulsion par Reaction, 37 Rue desAcacias, Paris. Since World War 2 this company has been the premier rocket organization on the Continent of Europe. Most of their earliestwork, dating from 1947, was based directly on pioneer German develop- ments, and attempts were even made to continue some specific Germanprogrammes. Soon, however, the company were sufficiently well versed in the art to undertake major design and development tasks completelyunaided. One of their first major assignments was to study and evaluate thewhole range of suitable propellant combinations for aircraft and missile motors: the Freneh Air Ministry and S.E.P.R. finally chose a mixtureof 98.5-per-cent nitric acid and furaline (furfuryl alcohol) in the ratio 2.4:1 by weight. Conflicting international interests are now leading toan unfortunate amount of lobbying in an endeavour to promote one country's choice of propellants and denegrate all alternatives. S.E.P.R.are committed to the above choice and are striving assiduously to show that it is a correct one. In this connection it is of interest to note thatfor some years the company have been developing a liquid inhibiting additive for the acid—a complex of phosphates—marketed under thename Omnifos; components such as Argonarc-welded pump rotors have lost no weight after one month in the inhibited acid, even though theparts themselves have no surface protection. Like its British counterpart the Armstrong Siddeley Screamer, thefirst S.E.P.R. aircraft motor was intended for installations in which a source of shaft-power to drive the pumps was already available. Desig-nated S.E.P.R.25, this experimental and development motor employed a single chamber, which, like those of all succeeding S.E.P.R. liquid-propellant motors, was made of light alloy and regeneratively cooled by the acid. Rated at 3,300 lb at sea level and 3,660 lb at 49,200ft (nothrust-variation was possible), the 25 and 251 motors were extensively flown between 1952 and 1954 in the S.O.6025 and 6026 Espadons. From this unit have been developed the more recent powerplantsdescribed below. S.E.P.R. are also major producers of solid-propellant motors for aircraft a.t.o., missile and test-vehicle applications. Head office of the company is at the address quoted above. The mainproduction factory is at Argenteuil, near Paris, and test establishments are maintained at Villejuif (Seine), Melun-Villaroche (Seine et Marne)and at Istres (Bouches du Rhone). 481. This unit was S.E.P.R.'s first self-contained aircraft power-plant, comprising a turbopump feeding three barrels each similar to that of the 25-series motor, together with a complete control system.The powerplant was designed for Ouest Aviation (then Sud-Ouest) for the S.O.9000 Trident I. The airframe company specified turbopumplocation near the trailing edge of the wing and the combustion-chamber group at the extreme tail. Starting is effected by an electric motor which turns three micro-pumps feeding nitric acid, furaline and water/methanol to a gas generator. After 0.55 sec the generator valve opens and the resultingcombustion provides a working fluid for the main turbine, which is a single-stage Laval impulse wheel with six injectors. When turbine r.p.m.reaches that of the micro-pumps the drive is transferred from the electric starter which is taken out of circuit. When the pressure hasbuilt up sufficiently the propellants are automatically admitted to No. 1 chamber, and full thrust in this chamber can be obtained about threeseconds after pressing the starter button. Chambers 2 and 3 can then be fired as desired. The turbopump operates at constant r.p.m. andexcess propellants are recirculated. During its 2J years' development the 481 motor completed 1,100test-stand runs and 120 flights in the Trident; the chambers were fired some 2,700 times and there was "no serious failure." Flying of the
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