Rolls-Royce Olympus variants

TSR-2 with Olympus Mk.320 engines on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford

The performance specification for the BAC TSR-2 was issued in 1962. It was to be powered by two BSEL Olympus Mk 320 (BOl.22R) engines each rated at 19,610 lbf (87.2 kN) dry and 30,610 lbf (136.2 kN) with reheat at take-off. The engine, which was re-stressed for supersonic flight at sea level, and over Mach 2.0 at altitude, and featured much use of high-temperature alloys such as titanium and Nimonic,[27] was a cutting edge derivative of the Olympus Mk 301 with a Solar-type afterburner.[28]

The engine first ran in March 1961, soon achieving 33,000 lbf (150 kN),[27] and was test flown in February 1962 in an underslung nacelle in the belly of Vulcan B1 XA894 and was demonstrated at the Farnborough Air Show in September. In December 1962 during a full power ground run at Filton, the LP shaft failed. The liberated turbine disc ruptured fuel tanks and the subsequent fire completely destroyed the Vulcan.[29]

On its first flight in September 1964 the engines of the TSR-2 were scarcely flightworthy being derated and cleared for one flight. Nevertheless, the risk was deemed acceptable in the political climate of the time. With new engines, the TSR-2 XR219 flew another 23 times before the project was cancelled in 1965.[30] By this time the engine had accumulated 6,000 hours of testing, including 800 hours of operation in reheat, with an additional 61 flight hours in the Vulcan test bed, and a further additional 26 flight hours in the TSR-2 prototype XR219.[31]

Olympus 593 on display at the Imperial War Museum Duxford

The Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 was a reheated version of the Olympus which powered the supersonic airliner Concorde.[32] The Olympus 593 project was started in 1964, using the TSR2's Olympus Mk 320 as a basis for development.[33] BSEL and Snecma Moteurs of France were to share the project.[32] Acquiring BSEL in 1966, Rolls-Royce continued as the British partner.[34]

593D

Formerly Olympus 593. 28,100 lbf (125 kN) thrust.[33] (the 'D' in the engine designation equalling 'derivation' – for smaller, short-range version of Concorde that was later cancelled)[35]

593B

Flight test and prototype aircraft. 34,370 lbf (152.9 kN) thrust with reheat. (the 'B' in the engine designation equalling 'big' – for long-range Concorde that subsequently entered service)[36][37]

593-602

Production. Annular combustion chamber to reduce smoke[38]

593-610

Last production. 38,075 lbf (169.37 kN) thrust with reheat.[39]

593-621

Planned for introduction on 41st aircraft. 38,275 lbf (170.26 kN) thrust with reheat.[31]

593-631

Planned. Additional zero-stage compressor, redesigned HP spool. 41,360 lbf (184.0 kN) thrust with reheat.[31]

593-series

By the time of Concorde's withdrawal from service in 2003, the Olympus 593 had accumulated 930,000 flight hours, with more than 500,000 of these hours being supersonic.[31]

Curtiss-Wright TJ-32

Examples of the BOl.1/2A were delivered to Curtiss-Wright in 1950. The engine was Americanised during 1951 and flew under a Boeing B-29 testbed as the TJ-32.

Curtiss-Wright J67

To meet a USAF demand for an engine in the 15,000 lbf (67 kN) thrust class, the engine was the subject of a development contract, redesigned and designated J67. Development was protracted and in 1955, the USAF announced that there would be no production contract for the present J67. Several aircraft had been intended to receive the J67 including the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger.[40]

Curtiss-Wright T47

The T47 was an attempt to produce a turboprop based upon the J67. The T47 weighed 5,900 lb (2,700 kg) and produced 16,000 equivalent shp (12,000 kW) after accounting for residual jet thrust of 4,700 lbf (2,100 kgf; 21 kN).[41]

TJ-38 Zephyr

See Olympus 551.

Civilianised Olympus

Plans to civilianise the Olympus go back as far as 1953 with the unveiling of the Avro Atlantic airliner based upon the Vulcan.[42] However, most of the civilian derivatives, except for supersonic airliners, were developed from the BOl.6.

Thin-wing Javelin

One project that got beyond the drawing board was a supersonic development of the Gloster Javelin, the P370, powered by two BOl.6, 7, or 7SR engines. The design evolved into the P376 with two BOl.21R engines rated at 28,500 lbf (127 kN) with reheat. Eighteen aircraft were ordered in 1955. The project was abandoned the following year.[43]

Afterburning Olympus

As early as 1952, Bristol had considered the use of reheat, or afterburning, to augment the thrust of the Olympus. Initially, a system called Bristol Simplifed Reheat was devised which was tested on a Rolls-Royce Derwent V mounted in an Avro Lincoln. Later it was tested on an Orenda engine in Canada and on an Olympus Mk 100 in the Avro Ashton test bed.[44]

Fully variable reheat became possible after an agreement with the Solar Aircraft Company of San Diego which manufactured bench units for the Olympus Mks 101 and 102.[44] An afterburning Olympus was just one proposal for the Vulcan Phase 6, a 350,000 lb (160 t) aircraft with a 13/14-hour endurance.[7]

Olympus driving aft fan

BS.81 rated at 28,000 lbf (120 kN). As an alternative to afterburning a fan mounted at the trailing edge of the wing was proposed for the Vulcan Phase 6. The fan was driven by a turbine in the engine exhaust at the end of the jetpipe.[45]

Vectored thrust Olympus

A vertical take-off Vulcan was proposed in 1960. It used 4 vectored-thrust Olympus as well as 10 lift engines.[46]

Data from flightglobal

Related development

• Bristol Siddeley BS100 (Olympus core)
• Rolls-Royce Marine Olympus
• Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593

Comparable engines

• Pratt & Whitney J75

Related lists

• List of aircraft engines

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rolls-Royce Olympus.

Notes

Citations

Bibliography