The Spectre was a bipropellant engine burning kerosene and hydrogen peroxide. The power could be controlled from 10–100% delivering 8,000 lbf (35.7 kN) of thrust at full power. In the SR.53 it used the same fuel tanks as the turbojet engine and if run at full power was expected to consume the full load in about seven minutes.
In 1952 static testing commenced with the Spectre DSpe.l. The aircraft industry had no precedent for an engine which would gain in thrust with altitude and the required maximum thrust was estimated at between 2,000 lbf (8.9 kN) and 15,000 lbf (67 kN) thrust. The design was based on a variable thrust which could be throttled from 8,000 lbf (36 kN) to 2,000 lbf (8.9 kN). Design philosophy was matched to the mixed power concept of an aircraft having both a turbojet and rocket engine for maximum operational flexibility.[1]
Primary innovation was as the first to incorporate its turbo pump turbine upstream of its combustion chamber. Described then as low loss. Technological innovation embraced the Barske high-speed open-impeller centrifugal pumps,[2] as formerly researched in the Walter organisation, regenerative cooling with pump stages both upstream and downstream, gauze catalyst packs, low-loss internal-flow turbine and the use of straight kerosene fuel. The aircraft tanks were to be pressurised to suppress pump cavitation problems.[citation needed]
It went through rig tests commencing in 1953, bench tests from mid-1954, and testing in two Canberras. From flight approval in Autumn 1956, flight experience again posed altitude starvation problems. Clearance was given for flight in the SR.53 prototype from May 1957.[3][4]
In October 1957 a contract was announced for a more advanced version of the aircraft as the SR.177 to utilise a revised design Spectre DSpe.5 engine together with a reheated supersonic capability 14,000 lbf (62 kN) thrust de Havilland Gyron Juniorturbojet engine, thus meeting a full mixed-power aircraft concept. In conjunction with the new engine, development had been undertaken with two major ancillaries, a peroxide starter for the gas turbine and a peroxide auxiliary power unit. Virtually on the heels of the announcement of the contract came the notorious 1957 Defence White Paper declaring that all future combat would be undertaken by computer-controlled missiles, and that manned interceptors were now considered obsolete.
Development flying of the SR.53 continued through 39 flights operating to Mach 1.33, and to altitudes at 55,000 ft (17,000 m), as research and construction proceeded on the SR.177, until its cancellation in 1958.
After merging of interests in 1959, it was manufactured by Bristol Siddeley.
The Spectre project was cancelled in October 1960, at a reported total cost of £5.75 million.[5]
A doubled version of this engine, used for early flight-testing of Blue Steel nuclear stand off bomb, with two chambers arranged vertically; a fixed thrust D.Sp.4 above a variable thrust D.Sp.5.[6]
The conventional Spectre DSpe.5 had been developed alongside a DSpe.4 RATO variant, the latter for the Avro Vulcan and Handley-Page VictorV bombers, another programme subsequently cancelled after a single trial take-off of a Victor from the de Havilland aerodrome at Hatfield. These two engines were then used in combination to power the development rounds of the Blue Steel missile stand-off bomb, together with the peroxide APU, from its first flight in October 1959.[citation needed]
^"More About the Super Sprite". The Aeroplane. 29 July 1955.
^Barske, U. M. (1960). "Development of Some Unconventional Centrifugal Pumps". Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. 174 (11): 437–461. doi:10.1243/PIME_PROC_1960_174_037_02.
^(PDF). The Aeroplane. 4 March 1955. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2006.
^. Skomer. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008.
^"Cancelled projects: the list up-dated". Flight International. 92 (3049): 262. 17 August 1967.
^. Skomer. Archived from the original (image) on 5 June 2011.
^Wilkinson, Paul H. (1959). Aircraft engines of the World 1959/60 (15th ed.). London: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. p. 40.
Further reading
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havilland, spectre, rocket, engine, that, built, havilland, engine, company, 1950s, element, intended, mixed, power, plant, combination, rocket, interceptor, aircraft, royal, force, such, saunders, spectre, display, havilland, aircraft, museumtype, rocket, eng. The de Havilland Spectre is a rocket engine that was built by the de Havilland Engine Company in the 1950s It was one element of the intended mixed power plant for combination rocket jet interceptor aircraft of the Royal Air Force such as the Saunders Roe SR 177 Spectrede Havilland Spectre on display at the de Havilland Aircraft MuseumType Rocket engineNational origin United KingdomManufacturer de HavillandFirst run 1952Major applications Saunders Roe SR 53 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Variants 3 Applications 4 Engines on display 5 Specifications D Sp 5 5 1 General characteristics 5 2 Components 5 3 Performance 6 See also 7 References 8 Further readingDesign and development EditThe Spectre was a bipropellant engine burning kerosene and hydrogen peroxide The power could be controlled from 10 100 delivering 8 000 lbf 35 7 kN of thrust at full power In the SR 53 it used the same fuel tanks as the turbojet engine and if run at full power was expected to consume the full load in about seven minutes In 1952 static testing commenced with the Spectre DSpe l The aircraft industry had no precedent for an engine which would gain in thrust with altitude and the required maximum thrust was estimated at between 2 000 lbf 8 9 kN and 15 000 lbf 67 kN thrust The design was based on a variable thrust which could be throttled from 8 000 lbf 36 kN to 2 000 lbf 8 9 kN Design philosophy was matched to the mixed power concept of an aircraft having both a turbojet and rocket engine for maximum operational flexibility 1 Primary innovation was as the first to incorporate its turbo pump turbine upstream of its combustion chamber Described then as low loss Technological innovation embraced the Barske high speed open impeller centrifugal pumps 2 as formerly researched in the Walter organisation regenerative cooling with pump stages both upstream and downstream gauze catalyst packs low loss internal flow turbine and the use of straight kerosene fuel The aircraft tanks were to be pressurised to suppress pump cavitation problems citation needed It went through rig tests commencing in 1953 bench tests from mid 1954 and testing in two Canberras From flight approval in Autumn 1956 flight experience again posed altitude starvation problems Clearance was given for flight in the SR 53 prototype from May 1957 3 4 In October 1957 a contract was announced for a more advanced version of the aircraft as the SR 177 to utilise a revised design Spectre DSpe 5 engine together with a reheated supersonic capability 14 000 lbf 62 kN thrust de Havilland Gyron Junior turbojet engine thus meeting a full mixed power aircraft concept In conjunction with the new engine development had been undertaken with two major ancillaries a peroxide starter for the gas turbine and a peroxide auxiliary power unit Virtually on the heels of the announcement of the contract came the notorious 1957 Defence White Paper declaring that all future combat would be undertaken by computer controlled missiles and that manned interceptors were now considered obsolete Development flying of the SR 53 continued through 39 flights operating to Mach 1 33 and to altitudes at 55 000 ft 17 000 m as research and construction proceeded on the SR 177 until its cancellation in 1958 After merging of interests in 1959 it was manufactured by Bristol Siddeley The Spectre project was cancelled in October 1960 at a reported total cost of 5 75 million 5 Variants Edit Double Spectre engine on display at the Rolls Royce Heritage Trust Derby Variants included DSpe 1 Initial version DSpe 2 Constant thrust version simpler design DSpe 3 Development of Dspe 1 with variable thrust DSpe 4 Development of Dspe 2 constant thrust RDS 15 ATO limited quantities DSpe 5 Further development of Dspe 1 variable thrust DSpe 5A 10 000 lbf 44 000 N thrust version intended for the Saunders Roe SR 177 DSpe D 1 Double Spectre A doubled version of this engine used for early flight testing of Blue Steel nuclear stand off bomb with two chambers arranged vertically a fixed thrust D Sp 4 above a variable thrust D Sp 5 6 The conventional Spectre DSpe 5 had been developed alongside a DSpe 4 RATO variant the latter for the Avro Vulcan and Handley Page Victor V bombers another programme subsequently cancelled after a single trial take off of a Victor from the de Havilland aerodrome at Hatfield These two engines were then used in combination to power the development rounds of the Blue Steel missile stand off bomb together with the peroxide APU from its first flight in October 1959 citation needed Applications EditAerfer Leone Blue Steel missile Avro Handley Page Victor XA930 only for trials Saunders Roe SR 53 Vickers Type 559Engines on display EditPreserved Spectre engines are on display at the following museums Royal Air Force Museum Cosford De Havilland Aircraft Museum East Midlands AeroparkSpecifications D Sp 5 Edit Spectre rocket engine on display at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum Data from Aircraft engines of the World 1959 60 7 General characteristics Type fully variable thrust Liquid propellant rocket engineLength 56 4 in 1 430 mm Diameter 27 in 690 mm Dry weight Fuel Hydrogen peroxide KeroseneComponents Pumps Performance Thrust 8 000 lbf 36 000 N full power Burn time See also EditComparable engines Bristol Siddeley 605 Napier ScorpionRelated lists List of aircraft enginesReferences Edit More About the Super Sprite The Aeroplane 29 July 1955 Barske U M 1960 Development of Some Unconventional Centrifugal Pumps Proc Inst Mech Eng 174 11 437 461 doi 10 1243 PIME PROC 1960 174 037 02 Enterprise in Rocketry Activity at De Havilland Engine Co PDF The Aeroplane 4 March 1955 Archived from the original PDF on 15 February 2006 Spectre Skomer Archived from the original on 2 December 2008 Cancelled projects the list up dated Flight International 92 3049 262 17 August 1967 Double Spectre Skomer Archived from the original image on 5 June 2011 Wilkinson Paul H 1959 Aircraft engines of the World 1959 60 15th ed London Sir Isaac Pitman amp Sons Ltd p 40 Further reading Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to De Havilland Spectre Britain s New Engines Flight 572 6 May 1955 Paris Show Flight 838 1955 Spectre Flight 5 August 1955 Rocket Motors Flight 68 2432 395 2 September 1955 At Farnborough Next Week Flight 68 2432 2 September 1955 Tomorrow s Engines Flight 450 9 September 1955 de Havilland engines 1957 Flight 297 298 8 March 1957 Spectre Flight 5 August 1957 failed verification Spectre Flight 245 23 August 1957 British Aero Engines 1957 Spectre Flight 72 2536 336 30 August 1957 Spectre ATO unit Flight 73 2559 178 179 7 February 1958 Development of the Spectre Flight 74 2599 765 766 14 November 1958 Aero engines 1959 Spectre Flight 75 2617 392 20 March 1959 Aero engines 1961 Spectre Flight 80 2732 79 20 July 1961 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title De Havilland Spectre amp oldid 1106289578, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
