A week ago (12th March) I attended the main AGM of the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust hosted by the Bristol Branch and was privileged, later, to attend the opening of the “Sir Roy Fedden Heritage Centre” located in one of the old test houses at Patchway.
The Bristol Branch house both the Bristol engines and de Havilland engines from Leavesden (plus some Blackburne engines) – although some of the collection has had to be placed at Derby. It’s a bit cramped (the branch Chairman mentioned accomodation a lot in his annual report to delegates) but what a collection! Several Jupiters including one dug out of the ground from a crashed 30’s racer (forgotten what!), a Pheonix diesel radial, a Hydra 16-cyl radial, a Gipsy King, etc.
Two seperate items came out of the day which illustrate one importance of preserving the past and being able to learn from it.
The Indianapolis (Allison) Branch had assisted in shipping to Derby an old prototype engine (think it is the XT40-A-1 turboprop with supersonic propeller) which present-day engineers are studying as part of the R-R Open Rotor project.
In the Fedden Centre I was talking to someone else looking at a Bristol Theseus (1943 turboprop) who thought it’s heat exchanger was also being looked at by present-day engineers. Have to admit I don’t understand how the heat exchanger was supposed to work – I think only a mock up was built.
Roger Smith.
ps not sure of the accessibility of the collection as Patchway is a defense-sensitive site but I think the Branch have occasional open days – if you’re interested in aero engines well worth a visit.
By: JonL - 20th March 2009 at 06:39
I bet the DH Canada Caribu would find some takers as well?
They’re retiring the Caribous from the RAAF next year……means a lot of islands in the Pacific will lose their air service………great planes
By: BSG-75 - 19th March 2009 at 18:07
There’s also a strong possibility of the Rockwell Bronco being brought back into production for the US Military
I bet the DH Canada Caribu would find some takers as well?
By: Rlangham - 19th March 2009 at 17:38
There’s also a strong possibility of the Rockwell Bronco being brought back into production for the US Military
By: BSG-75 - 19th March 2009 at 16:45
[QUOTE=pagen01;1382077]Went into service with the mighty R3Y Convair Tradewind, also NA Savage 2.
QUOTE]
Oddly enough I had out a few old “wings of fame” the other day, there was a good piece on the Tradewind in an early edition. Major problems with the engines, never resolved.
The notion of looking back to go forwards applied also to the B-2, didn’t they take a look at the Horton airframes stored in the (IIRC)Smithsonian ?
By: pagen01 - 19th March 2009 at 16:29
Fastest use of the T-40 was in the XF-84H Thunderscreech which used the above mentioned XT40-A-1 and supersonic propellor, it was designed to reach 670 mph with reheat (over 7,000 ehp), didnt get anywhere near that though. Also fitted to NA Savage 2, and Lockheed and Convair VTOL prototypes.
Went into service with the mighty R3Y Convair Tradewind, also NA Savage 2.
I didn’t realise the Theseus went back to 1943, pretty advanced for then I guess.
By: Wyvernfan - 19th March 2009 at 14:44
The Indianapolis (Allison) Branch had assisted in shipping to Derby an old prototype engine (think it is the XT40-A-1 turboprop with supersonic propeller) which present-day engineers are studying as part of the R-R Open Rotor project..
Was it two of these that powered the Douglas A2D Skyshark naval attack plane.? If it was then that was some engine.. for although it suffered more than its fair share of reliability problems like its british counterpart the AS Python.. it powered the Skyshark on to over 500 mph.
Made the Wyvern seem painfully slow by comparison.!
Sign In
March 19, 2009 at 1:48 pm