120
Rolls-Royce Dart 520 (RDa.7/1). Single-shaft turboprop. Two centrifugal com-
Rollt-Royce Conway 505 (RCo.10 rating). Two-spool by-pass turbojet for
commercial transports. Multi-stage low-pressure compressor, flow-divider,
multi-stage high-pressure compressor of smaller diameter, annular combustion
chamber with ten Duplex burners, independent high-pressure and low-pressure
turbines and inner and outer jet-pipes. Overall carcase diameter, 42in; overall
length as depicted, 132.45m; maximum thrust, 16,500 Ib. All other data restricted.
AERO ENGINES 1957 . . .
Conway. The theory of by-pass engines has been explained often
enough to need no repetition. This type of powerplant was worked out
on paper in 1946 by Dr. Griffith, Rolls-Royce chief development
engineer; a project study followed in 1950 and the first engine ran in
1952. The thrust progressed from the 9,000-lb level of the RCo.l to
the 13,000-lb rating of the RCo.5, at which point a full type-test was
completed in the summer of 1955 at a specific consumption "lower than
that for any other type-tested turbojet."
Cancellation of the Vickers 1000-series transports, the engine's only
application at that time, brought the Conway programme to a low ebb.
Shortly thereafter, however, it became apparent that the Conway could
be re-engineered to give very much greater thrust, and that advanced
by-pass units would be admirably suited to the big American transports
then well advanced in design. The Ministry of Supply placed a develop-
ment contract for the ambitious ratings of the RCo.10 and 11, and in
May 1956 Rolls-Royce were officially advised that a production order
for the RCo. 11 military engine would be placed. With this notification
came an authorization to proceed on tooling, and the new Conway is
now in production for the Victor B.2 bomber, at a rating of 17,250 lb dry.
Illustrated here—for the first time—the RCo.10 commercial engine
is substantially similar to the military unit but has an appreciably more
conservative rating. Turbine-inlet temperature is nevertheless likely to
be quite high, and cooled blading is probably fitted; such blading is
certain to be used in the military engine. Superficial inspection of the
new Conways reveals a change in by-pass ratio from that of the RCo.5,
and the overall mass flow has clearly been raised to a very high level
without any increase in engine diameter. The intake hub/tip ratio, and
the length of the first-stage blades on the low-pressure compressor, must
be exceptional.
Flight development of earlier Conways has been in progress since
the summer of 1955, with a nacelle mounted under an Ashton. The
new series of by-pass engines will soon be seen mounted as the main
powerplants of a high-performanctr aircraft. Civil Conways of the
505 series are due for delivery to airframe manufacturers for certifica-
tion purposes next summer. Noise-suppression and thrust-reverse
mechanisms have been taken to an advanced stage of development, and
have already met airframe company's requirements in effectiveness
without incurring any significant penalty in weight or loss in normal
thrust.
Apart from the order for the RCo.ll, which must be substantial, the
largest order for the new Conways is that placed by B.O.A.C. for the
propulsion of 35 Vickers-Armstrongs VC-10 four-engined transports.
Well before this order has to be met deliveries will be in hand on
Conway 505s for the Boeing 707/420 for B.O.A.C., Lufthansa and Air
India, and on Conway 507s for the DC-8 for T.C.A. For the American
aircraft, Rolls-Royce are to deliver complete powerplants, including
all accessories, reverse-thrust nozzle, nacelle equipment and the
nacelles themselves.
Derwent. Nearly 10,000 of these centrifugal turbojets were made
by Rolls-Royce before production ceased early in 1955. Spares-
production is therefore a major item.
Nene. Series 103 engines, of the 5,400-lb RN.6 rating, are still being
made at Derby, for the Sea Hawk F.B.6 (R.N.) and Mk 100/101
(German Navy).
Soar. This lightweight turbojet has now been superseded by later
developments. It is referred to in the U.S.A. section as the Westing-
house J81.
R.B.108. Somewhat larger than the Soar the R.B.108—it is as yet
unnamed—is a simple, lightweight turbojet of high specific thrust. Five
R.B.108s power the Short S.C.I research aircraft, four being used for
lift and one for propulsion.
Dart. Not only is the Dart the only gas-turbine to have built up a
long record of scheduled airline service but it is also extraordinarily trouble-
free and reliable. The achieved life of the engine is far greater than that
of any other gas-turbine, and rivals that of the best piston engines, after
having been in service for no more than four years.
As the powerplant of the Viscount, well over one thousand Darts
have now been delivered to operators of that aircraft. These engines
are all of the 506 series (1,400 s.h.p. or 1,547 e.h.p.) or the 510 series
(1,600 s.h.p. or 1,742 e.h.p.). Together, the 506 and 510 have flown
roughly 2,750,000 hr and are adding to this total at the rate of over
100,000 hr each month. Indicative of the quality of the Dart is an
FLIGHT
pressors in series, seven canted combustion chambers and a three-stage turbine.
Overall diameter, 38in; length, 98in; dry weight, about 1,250 Ib; mass flow
approximately 22 Ib/sec; pressure ratio, 5.75:1; maximum rating, 1,890 e.h.p.
(1,700 s.h.p.) at 15,000 r.p.m.; typical cruising output at 20,000ft at 300 kt, 1,145
e.h.p. (1,075 s.h.p.) at 13,400 r.p.m. with s.f.c. of 0.6.
early B.E.A. 506 engine which recently stripped perfectly after 5,450 hr
(probably a record time for any aircraft gas-turbine in the world),
during which time it had five overhauls. One set of cans was recently
released for 1,500 hr after having already logged 2,006 hr. Even in
the arduous service of Capital Airlines (U.S.A.) the Dart 510 has an
established overhaul life of 1,500 hr, a figure which applies to every
part of the engine.
Now about to be released for operations is the engine depicted in
the drawing. All engines in the 520/RDa.7 family have a new turbine
with three stages of shrouded blades, as well as other changes to allow
an increased mass flow with auto top-temperature control. First of the
new series, the Dart 520 is about to fly in the V.806 and has the same
reduction gear as the Dart 510. Initially the cruise rating will be that
quoted in the data, but by 1958 the cruise r.p.m. will be raised to
14,000 to give the same output as the later Dart 525. The latter
engine is for the V.810D series Viscount, and will become available
early next year. Originally known by its rating of RDa.7/2 it is, like
all succeeding Viscount engines, limited to 1,800 s.h.p. This power
is obtained at 15,000 r.p.m. and gives 1,992 e.h.p. at an s.f.c. of 0.68;
cruise rating at 300 kt at 20,000ft is 1,227 s.h.p. (1,325 e.h.p.) with
an s.f.c. of 0.57.
In other applications the RDa.7/2 rating can give greater shaft-power.
In the A.W.650 the Dart 526 will give 1,910 s.h.p. or 2,100 e.h.p., with
an s.f.c. of 0.665, and similar engines fit such aircraft as the F.27
Friendship, Douglas 1906/1940, Stroukoff 134 and Grumman 159.
The Dart 527 for the Herald has a cruise-rating, at 275 kt at 15,000ft,
of 1,235 s.h.p. or 1,335 e.h.p. at 13,800 r.p.m., with an s.f.c. of 0.615.
An offshoot of this family is the only military Dart, the Mk 21 which
powers the Breguet Alize. Specially prepared to suit carrier-based
A.S.W. operations, the Dart 21 has a three-stage turbine matched with
a Dart-510 compressor. It has a 0.107:1 reduction gear to an lift 6in
propeller and gives 1,950 s.h.p.
Airline operations with the Dart 520 should start late this year.
The immediate target is to establish a life of 1,000 hr, and this should
be achieved after about 20 engines have been "pulled." A life of
1,500 hr may be expected within the following 12 months.
Final Dart development will be the RDa.ll series, of which the first
variant will be the Dart 545 of the Viscount V.840. Chief differences
will be a larger, shrouded impeller to handle a yet greater mass flow,
air-cooled blading in the first turbine stage and a reduction gear of
increased capacity to handle the greater power of well over 2,000 s.h.p.
Engines incorporating all the new features of RDa.ll have been run
at full RDa.ll powers during extensive bench testing.
Rolls-Royce Tyne (RTy.2 r a t i n g ) . Two-spool turboprop. Multi-stage low-
pressure compressor, multi-stage high-pressure compressor, can-annular com-
bustion system, single-stage high-pressure turbine and three-stage low-pressure
turbine driving l-p. compressor and propeller. Overall diameter, 40.5in; overall
length, 100.25in; dry weight, approximately 2,000 Ib with full equipment; mass
flow, 46 Ib/sec; pressure ratio, 13:1; maximum rating, 5,315 e.h.p. (4,810 s.h.p.)
at 15,250 l-p. r.p.m.
Tyne. At the beginning of the present decade the first schemes for
this engine lay in the 2,500 h.p. class, but the Tyne today is twice as
powerful. It is fair to describe it as the most advanced and attractive
engine with a full-throttle rating of around 5,000 h.p. anywhere in the
world.
Two-spool compression achieves a pressure ratio of 13:1 and, by
operating at high r.p.m. and velocity, handles a high mass flow within
a very diminutive bulk. High-intensity combustion takes place in a
can-annular chamber which follows advanced design practice and is
very easily accessible. Throughout the engine can be found features
stemming from the airline experience of the Dart.
First bench-run took place on April 23, 1955, and flight development
began in June 1956 with a Tyne mounted in the nose of a Lincoln.
Two later powerplants for flight development are about to be installed
in an Ambassador. The drawing depicts a re-engineered development
Tyne, due for delivery next summer as the powerplant of the V.951
and V.952 Vanguards. Other possible applications include the Beverley,
the A.W.651 and the DC-7T/DC-10.