DEVELOPMENT OF SYSTEM 300 TURBINE POWERED AIRCRAFT.
Abstract
A gas turbine powered aircraft catapult was developed, and a prototype installation was made and tested. The turbine unit consists of a set of two radial out flow turbines supplied by two turbojet engines. The turbines drive a continuous wire rope loop, which is in turn attached to the aircraft. The specifications were for a catapult of 1800 foot stroke capable of accelerating a 32,000 pound aircraft to 155 knots. The program consisted of design, fabrication, and test of the catapult along with sub-development programs, including component tests. These included: development of a suitable cable splice for high speed operation, development of a brazed sheet metal turbine blade, development of a self-actuating friction type cable clamp which will release upon load reversal, and development of a flow control gate to efficiently direct a jet engine exhaust into either of two channels. Tests of the catapult indicated a deficiency in thrust. This is unaccounted for due to termination of the test program. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 31, 1958
- Accession Number
- AD0690620
Entities
People
- Charles W. Harwell Jr