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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 0367.PDF
FLIGHT, 18 March 1960 367 Aero Engines 1960 IN our 1960 review of the world's aero engine*—written by the Technical Editor—we have been deliberately partial. Engines for missiles and space vehicles are ignored, and small or relatively unimportant aircraft powerplants are dealt with only briefly. This has been done in order that closer than usual attention may be paid to engines of great importance on either technfcal or commercial grounds. Few powerplants are of such interest—on both counts—as are the new families of what, for want of a universally accepted word, we may call fan engines. Sir Frank Whittle drew them first, Metropolltan-Vickers made them first and Rolls-Royce put them Into service first (with the engine whose business end appears behind these words). Cunning engineers In America added fans to existing turbojets, and claimed superiority for their higher by-pass ratios. Now the hubbub is dying away, and the backroom nnen are generally agreed on what high-subsonic engines should be like. But—like the sponsors of detergents—they will still call them by different names. GREAT BRITAIN ALVIS Alms Ltd, Coventry. Notwith- standing unofficial rumours of the company's interest in small gas-turbines—linked with the name oF Rolls-Royce—Alvis have made no announcement of such activities, and in the aero-engine field continue to concentrate upon their established reciprocating engines. Leonides The two principal variants of this highly developed radial are the series 514, in wide service with the Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer and Hunting President, and the series 531, the first production variant of the uprated long-stroke version. Still in production, the 514 differs from the later engines in having a stroke of 4.41in and in certain other minor respects. Maximum rated power is 560 b.h.p. at 3,000 r.p.m. with 81b/sq in boost; the engine is designed to operate on 100-octane fuel, but can accept lower grades after minor modifications. It is basically an improved Leonides 503 and has been subjected to some 6,5OOhr bench running and 50,000hr in flight. Full ARB and FAA approval has been obtained and the present overhaul life is 1,000 to l,200hr. In addition to having an increased stroke, the Leonides 531 incorporates longer pistons and a generally stronger carcase. Equipment includes a Hobson fuel-injection system and either electric or cartridge starting. This mark of Leonides has run some 2,000hr on the bench and l,200hr in flight, and has ARB approval with an overhaul life of 400 to 600hr. Leoaidcs Major This powerplant employs two rows each of seven short-stroke Leonides cylinders, giving an overall swept volume of 1,118 cu in. The most important variant is the series 755, for the latest piston-engined West- land Whirlwinds. In these it is installed with the crankshaft at 35° from the horizonal, the drive being transmitted direct to the rotor hub by way of a dutch and cooling fan. Weighing 1,1101b, the 755 has a Ihr rating of 795 b.h.p. at 2,900 r.p.m. with 6.51b/sq in boost at a height of 3,250ft Some 7,000bx bench run- ning and many thousands of hours in flight have been logged by 755s; full ARB approval has been obtained, with an overhaul life from 250 to 400hr. BLACKBURN Blackburn Engines Lid, Division of tht Hauthtr Siddeley Group, Brough, East Yorks. In October 1952 the former Cirrus Engine Dmtioa acquired a licence for Turbomeca gas turbines. Many of these engines were then in an early state of development, and they were redesigned at Brough and turned into fully equipped aircraft powerplants. The most important from the viewpoint of aircraft propulsion are the free- turbine engines described below. In addition Blackburn have made a number of Palouste air- compressors for helicopters and are in bulk production with this engine for starter trolleys and pods for the Royal Navy and RAF. The single-shaft Artouste drives a large English Electric alternator and other equipment as the AAPP for the Victor, and Blackburn expect future prospects for such units to be good. Regarding piston engines, an order for a further batch of Bombardier 208s was placed recently and Blackburn also overhaul all their piston engines and the many Psloustes now in service. A.129 Although incorporating many com- ponents of the Turmo and Artouste, the A.129 gives twice the power with improved efficiency, chiefly by the addition of a two-stage axial compressor and of a second stage to the com- pressor turbine. The accessories are mounted behind the annular intake and other features in- clude variable inlet fPilitGii£!tflHS^ttBdLAa$IBtNYWf an integral oil tank can tie provided around the intake. The gas-producer portion was run as a turbojet in JijjpT958, and the complete engine was bpgeh-tested at 840 s.h.p. in August of that ye»#;ttTJevelopment has since been encourag- ing, and a simulated type-test has already been run. An M.o.A. development contract has been placed for A. 129s for the Saunders-Roe Wasp, and much flying has been logged in these aircraft. Blackburn are discussing other applications, and selling price should be under £10,000. Turmo The Saunders-Roe P.531 Mk 0, a batch of which are being evaluated by the Royal Navy, are powered by a Turmo rated at 400 s.h.p. for a weight of 2751b. These engines have intake and exhaust trunks on either side, and a rear drive. BRISTOL SIDDELEY Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd, Mercury House, 19S Knights- bridge, London SW1. Since Armstrong Siddeley Motors and Bristol Aero-Engines merged to form Bristol Siddeley Engines in The engine drawings on the following 20 pages are superimposed on black panels representing a width of 5ft
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