The Rolls-Royce Buzzard (also referred to as the H engine) was a British piston aero engine of 36.7 litres (2,240 cubic inch) capacity that produced about 800 horsepower (600 kW). The Buzzard was developed by scaling-up the Kestrel engine in the ratio of 5:6. Designed and built by Rolls-Royce Limited it featured 12 cylinders in a ‘V’ configuration of 6 inch bore and 6.6 inch stroke, and the engine was supplied as standard with a medium supercharger capable of being used to its fullest extent on the ground, so as to give the maximum possible take-off power, first run in June 1928.
The Series I, II and III engines had reduction gear ratios of 0.632, 0.553 and 0.477 respectively, and the normal power was 825 h.p. at 2,000 r.p.m. at sea level. At 2,300 r.p.m., 955 h.p. was available at sea level. The dry weight was 1,540 lb.
Buzzards were installed in the Blackburn Iris V and VI (Perth), MA/30 and MA/30A, Handley Page H.P.46 (MA/30), Hawker Horsley, Short Singapore I, K.F.I and Sarafand, and Vickers M.1/30.
The total production of Buzzard engines 100.
It was manufactured in the late 1920s, but only 100 were sold. A further development was the Rolls-Royce R Schneider Trophy engine.
Variants: Buzzard IMS, (H.XIMS) (1927), Maximum power 955 hp (712 kW), nine engines produced at Derby.
Buzzard IIMS, (H.XIIMS) (1932-33), Maximum power 955 hp (712 kW), reduced propeller drive ratio (0.553:1), 69 engines produced at Derby.
Buzzard IIIMS, (H.XIVMS) (1931-33), Maximum power 937 hp (699 kW), further reduced propeller drive ratio (0.477:1), 22 engines produced at Derby.
Applications: Blackburn Iris Blackburn M.1/30 Blackburn Perth Handley Page H.P.46 Hawker Horsley Kawanishi H3K Short Sarafand Vickers Type 207
Specifications: Buzzard IMS Type: 12-cylinder liquid-cooled Vee aircraft piston engine Bore: 6 in (152.4 mm) Stroke: 6.6 in (167.6 mm) Displacement: 2,239.3 in³ (36.7 L) Length: 75.7 in (1,923 mm) Width: 30.6 in (777 mm) Height: 44.4 in (1,128 mm) Dry weight: 1,140 lb (517 kg) Valvetrain: Overhead camshaft Supercharger: Single-stage supercharger Fuel type: 73-77 octane petrol Cooling system: Liquid-cooled Power output: 800 hp (600 kW) Specific power: 0.36 hp/in³ (16.3 kW/L) Compression ratio: 5.5:1 Power-to-weight ratio: 0.7 hp/lb
The Avon design team was headed by Cyril Lovesey, who had previously been in charge of Merlin development. The engine was intended both as an experiment in axial-flow turbojet engines, as well as (if successful) a replacement for the 5,000 lbf (22 kN) Nene. Originally known as the AJ.65 for Axial Jet, 6,500 lbf which was originally designed by Alan Arnold Griffith, the engine developed as a single-spool design with an eight, later 10 stage compressor, mass flow rate of 150 lb/s (68 kg/s) and a pressure ratio of 7.45. Development started in 1945 and the first prototypes were built in 1947.
The main series of the Avon were the 1 and 100 Series and the 200 Series. The I and 100 series have a similar axial flow compressor, while the 200 Series has a axial flow compressor with additional stages. In the 1 and 100 Series the combustion assembly consists of eight flame tubes in individual casings, but the 200 Series has flame tubes contained in an Annular casing.
The first bench testing of the Avon took place early in 1947. The first production version was running during 1949. In 1951, the first engines of the 100 and 200 Series were bench tested.
The take-off thrust of the Avon I was 6,500 lbs. Development of material allowed increased operating temperatures and when the 100 Series was introduced the thrust was 7,500 lb.
Introduction was somewhat slowed by a number of minor problems. The first Avons to fly were two Avon RA.2s in the converted Lancastrian military serial VM732, which flew from Hucknall on August 15, 1948. The prototype RA.2 weighed 2,400 lb and gave 6,000 lb thrust, while the production RA.3 was 125 lb lighter.
Initially a private venture for the company, government backing was forthcoming around the time of the first prototypes.
The engine eventually entered production in 1950, the original RA.3/Mk.101 version providing 6,500 lbf (29 kN) thrust in the English Electric Canberra B.2. Similar versions were used in the Canberra B.6, Hawker Hunter and Supermarine Swift.
The 200 Series began with 9,500 lb thrust and was soon 11,250 lb.
Uprated versions soon followed, the RA.7/Mk.114 in 1952, producing 7,350 lbf (32,700 N) in the de Havilland Comet C.2, the RA.14/Mk.201 of 9,500 lbf (42 kN) in the Vickers Valiant and the RA.26 of 10,000 lbf (44 kN) used in the Comet C.3 and Hawker Hunter F.6.
The first of the series with all-weather protection, the RA.7 had a power/weight ratio even better than that of the original production engines, notwithstanding the fact that it had been restressed to accept the loads imposed at transonic speeds. The RA.7R (the suffix “R” denotes that reheat, or afterburning, is fitted) delivers 9,500 lb static thrust at sea level, and an offshoot of the same family is the civil 500 Series, the 503 being the engine of the Comet 2.
Avon RA.14
The Avon RA.14 first ran in 1952. It has a longer compressor than its forerunners, and it also has a true annular combustion chamber in order to accept the tremendous mass flow without increasing “hoop” diameter. The R.A.14 was intended for installation in the wing (it is known that it powers the Vickers-Armstrongs Valiant B.1), and every effort has been made to reduce depth to a minimum.
Originally the Avon was made as a military engine but, in February 1952, the first flight in a civil aircraft was made. A civil counterpart is the RA.16 of 9,000 lb thrust, which was originally intended to power the Comet 3, though that aircraft had later variant, giving 10,000 lb thrust.
An Avon-powered de Havilland Comet 4 flew the first scheduled transatlantic jet service in 1958.
The modifications and improvements introduced to the Avon 200 series were considerable, resulting in a completely different engine with very little in common with the early Marks. Despite this, the name Avon was retained. Differences included a completely new combustion section, a 15 stage compressor based on that of the Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire, as well as other improvements.
The line eventually topped out with the 12,690 lbf (56,450 N) and 16,360 lbf (72,770 N) in afterburner RA.29 Mk.301/2 (RB.146) used in later versions of the English Electric Lightning. Other aircraft to use the Avon included the de Havilland Sea Vixen, Supermarine Scimitar and Fairey Delta.
Avon RA29
The Avon was also produced under license by Svenska Flygmotor as the RA.3/Mk.109 as the RM5, and an uprated RA.29 as the RM6 with 17,110 lbf (76,110 N). The RM5 powered the Saab Lansen, while the RM6 was the main powerplant of the SAAB Draken.
Production was also carried out in Belgium by Fabrique Nationale, including 300 Avon 113s, and a larger number of Avon 203s.
In the US, the Avon was used to power the vertical landing Ryan X-13 Vertijet aircraft (in RA.28-49 form).
In Australia, the Avon was used by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation to power its heavily modified variant of the F-86 Sabre, known as the CA-27 Avon-Sabre.
The Avon continued in aero engine production, mostly for the use in the Sud Aviation Caravelle and English Electric (BAC) Lightning, until 1974, by which time over 11,000 had been built. The engine garnered an impressive safety record over that time. The Avon remained in operational service with the RAF, powering the English Electric Canberra PR.9, until 23 June 2006.
The Avon 200 is an industrial gas generator that is rated at 21-22,000shp. As of 2011, 1,200 Industrial Avons have been sold, and the type has established a 60,000,000 hour class record for its class.
Variants: AJ65 The original designation, standing for Axial Jet 6,500lbs thrust
RA.1 Prototype engines for testing and development.
RA.2 Pre-production engines for testing. 6,000 lbf (26.69 kN)
RA.3 Civil designation for the first Avon production mark – 6,500 lbf (28.91 kN).
RA.7 Civil designation for the uprated version of the Avon. – 7,350 lbf (32.69 kN).
Mk.114 Military designation for the RA.7 Avon – 7,350 lbf (32.69 kN)
RA.14 Civil designation for the uprated version of the Avon with can-annular combustion chamber and Sapphire style compressor – 9,500 lbf (42.26 kN).
RA.21 8,050 lbf (35.81 kN) Production engine developed from the RA.7.
RA.24
RA.26 Further improvements to the Avon 200 series
RA.28 Second generation variant 10,000 lbf (44.48 kN)
RA.29 Civil designation for the Mk.300 series (used by the Sud Aviation Caravelle)
RA.29/1
RA.29/3
RA.29/6
Mk.100 series Military designation for the RA.3 Avon – 6,500 lbf (28.91 kN).
Mk.200 series Military designation for the uprated version of the Avon with can-annular combustion chamber and Sapphire style compressor – 9,500 lbf (42.26 kN).
Mk.300 series Developed after-burning engines for the English Electric Lightning. RB.146 Mk.301:The ultimate Military Avon for the English Electric Lightning – 12,690 lbf (56.45 kN) dry, 16,360 lbf (72.77 kN) wet.
RB.146 Mk.302:Essntially similar to the Mk.301
Avon 504 Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 506 Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 522 Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 524 Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 524B Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 525 Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 525B Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 527 Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 527B Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 531 Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 531B Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 532R Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 532R-B Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 533R Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Avon 533R-11A Civilian equivalent to military Mk.200 variants.
Svenska Flygmotor RM5 Licence production of the RA.3/Mk.109 for the Saab 32 Lansen
Svenska Flygmotor RM6 Uprated RA.29/Mk.300 for the Saab Draken
Westinghouse XJ54 Version of Avon intended to be produced/sold by Westinghouse in the US
Applications: Military aviation: CAC Sabre de Havilland Sea Vixen English Electric Canberra English Electric Lightning Fairey Delta 2 Hawker Hunter Ryan X-13 Vertijet Saab 35 Draken Saab Lansen Supermarine Swift Supermarine Scimitar Vickers Valiant
Civil aviation: de Havilland Comet Sud Aviation Caravelle
Other uses: The Avon is also currently marketed as a compact, high reliability, stationary power source. As the AVON 1533, it has a maximum continuous output of 21,480 shp (16.02 MW) at 7,900 rpm and a thermal efficiency of 30%. In 1982, an Avon engine on gas pumping duty in a Canadian installation ran for 53,000 hours before requiring a major overhaul. In 1994, another industrial Avon engine ran non-stop for 476 days (11,424 hours).
As a compact electrical generator, the type EAS1 Avon based generator can generate a continuous output of 14.9 MW. On 4 October 1983, Richard Noble’s Thrust2 vehicle, powered by a single Rolls-Royce Avon 302 jet engine, set a new land-speed record of 1,019.46 km/h (633.46 mph) at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada.
Specifications: Avon 301R Type: Turbojet Length: 126 in (3,200 mm) Diameter: 35.7 in (907 mm) Dry weight: 2,890 lb (1,310 kg) Compressor: 15-stage axial flow Combustors: Cannular, 150 lb/s (68 kg/s) Turbine: Two-stage axial flow Fuel type: Kerosene Maximum thrust: 12,690 lbf (56.4 kN)dry/16,360 lbf (72.8 kN) with reheat Overall pressure ratio: 7.45:1 Specific fuel consumption: 0.932 lb/(lbf·h) or 26.4 g/(kN·s) (dry) 1.853 lb/(lbf·h) or 52.5 g/(kN·s) (wet) Thrust-to-weight ratio: 5.66:1 (56 N/kg)
Rolls and Royce, met in Manchester in 1904. Rolls-the Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls-possessed wealth, an Eton-and-Cambridge education, a degree in mathematics and applied science, and a fine record as a motorist. He was a sportsman he had consistently displayed a daring at the wheel and a determined approach to the technical problems of motoring.
In the business of C. S. Rolls and Co., which he established with Claude Johnson in 1902. In 1903 he set a world speed record of 93 m.p.h.; but the car was a 70 h.p. Mors, and by the following year, when his books showed orders for a hundred Continental cars, he could still not find a British product which measured up to his standards.
At ten years of age Henry Royce started work as a telegraph boy, later attending a technical college, and serving a few years in the Great Northern locomotive shops at Peterborough. After a spell in an engineering works at Leeds, he set up a business in Manchester, making arc lamps and dynamos. The slump after the Boer War caused him to turn his ambition to cars. Disappointed with a foreign model which he acquired, he decided to put his own ideas into practice, and in 1903 he completed a two-cylinder car of 10 h.p., having handled much of the precision work himself.
One of his first three cars went to Henry Edmunds, who arranged the meeting in Manchester. The two men took to each other immediately, and having tried out Royce’s car, young Rolls undertook to sell its maker’s entire output. But he began to ply his partner with suggestions and demands.
The “two Rs” were first officially linked in business association at Christmas 1904, by a working agreement between the two firms; and thenceforth the Rolls-Royce car began.
By 1906 Royce’s production was large enough to allow Rolls to stop his sales of other makes of car, and Rolls-Royce, Ltd., was founded. Royce’s old partner, A. E. Claremont, became chairman; Rolls was technical managing director; and Royce was nominated chief engineer and works director.
Charles Stewart Rolls
Rolls, who had become a member of the Aeronautical Society in 1901, was already a keen balloonist; then, having met the Wright brothers, he turned to heavier-than–aircraft. He was awarded his pilot’s certificate (No. 2) on March 8th, 1910-the very same day that Lord Brabazon received his No. 1. On the Wright biplane he made the first heavier-than-air crossing of the Channel by an Englishman, and the first double crossing by any aeroplane in history; but soon afterwards-on July 12th, 1910, he crashed to his death at the Bournemouth flying meeting, only 33 years of age. He was the first Englishman to die in an accident to a powered, heavier-than-air machine. His Wright Flyer broke up at 20 ft agl and he cracked his skull.
C.S. Rolls
In 1910 Royce became seriously ill and thereafter was absent for long periods from his new factory at Derby. He worked on in the south of France and on the south coast of England.
Following the British Schneider victory of 1929-made possible by the “R” engine-a baronetcy was conferred upon him, and he heard from his bed how an improved engine of this type sent a Supermarine S.6B to final victory in the Schneider Race of 1931. He died on April 22nd, 1933.
1914 Design of first Rolls-Royce aero engine-later named Eagle started. Company making engines of official pattern at Derby.
1915 Eagle on test six months after design initiated. Hawk designed and developed. Falcon designed
1918 Condor on test at 525 h.p.
1919 Alcock and Brown, in a Vickers Vimy (two Rolls-Royce Eagle Vills), mode first direct crossing of North Atlantic; flying time, 16 hir 12 min. Ross Smith and Keith Smith, in an Eagle-Vimy, made first flight from England to Australia11,130 miles in 124 hr flying time.
1920 Van Ryneveld and Quintin Brand, also in an Eagle-Vimy, made first flight from England to South Africa-6,281 miles in 92 hr 58 min flying time.
Between 1915 and 1924 Rolls-Royce Aero-engine production was: Eagle, 4,674; Hawk, 200; Falcon, 2,185; Condor, 327.
1925 Design of Rolls-Royce “F” series of engines (later called Kestrel) started.
1926 First “F” engine tested and delivered.
1927 The ” H ” engine-later the Buzzard-under development.
1929 Air Ministry decided in February to compete in Schneider Trophy Contest; Rolls-Royce asked to develop a racing engine. Within six months “R” engine was delivering 1,900 h.p. for a weight of 1,350 ]b. Installed in Supermarine S.6, which won Schneider Contest at 328.63 m.p.h.
1931 Rolls-Royce again asked to develop a Schneider Trophy engine to help secure a third victory, which would gain Trophy outright for Gt. Britain. Outcome was improved “R” engine of 2,360 h.p., weighing 1,630 lb. Schneider Trophy won outright. Later “R” engine gave 2,530 h.p. and enabled world speed record to be raised to 407.5 m.p.h.
By 1931, during the Great Depression, Bentley was having financial difficulties. When funds ran out in 1931, the receivers were negotiating with D.Napier & Sons Ltd for the sale of the remains of Bentley. However, Rolls-Royce put in a secret bid through a Liechtenstein company, and secured Bentley Motors for £125,256. For this, Rolls-Royce got the factory equipment, a number of incomplete car chassis, and the services of Walter Bentley for three years.
1932 Design of the P.V.12 engine (later called Merlin) started. (P.V. denoted private venture.)
1934 Merlin completed its first 100 hr run at 790 h.p.
1936 Merlin completed Service Type Test at 975 h.p.
1938 Building of Crewe factory started.
1939 First Merlin built at Crewe. Design and development work started on 37.V.12 engine, later named Griffon. Building of Glasgow factory begun in August. 1
1940 First Merlin built at Glasgow. First test run of Griffon.
1942 Quantity production of Griffon started.
1943 First Rolls-Royce turbojet-the Welland-passed its 100 hr type test; thrust, 1,700 lb, weight, 850 lb. Design of Derwent 1 started.
1944 Deliveries of Welland begun, for installation in Gloster Meteor. Design and development of Nene started.
1945 Meteor powered with Derwent Vs broke world air speed record at 606 m.p.h. In September a Meteor was flown with two Rolls-Royce Trent turboprops, being the first turboprop aircraft to fly. By this year power of Merlin had increased to over 2,000 h.p.
1946 World airspeed record again broken by a Derwent-Meteor; speed 616 m.p.h.
1947 Pratt and Whitney signed licence agreement for manufacture of Rolls-Royce Nene and Toy. Nenes in production at Derby. Trans-Canada Airlines started operations with Merlin powered Canadair North Stars.
1948 First public appearance ofAvon turbojet at S.B.A.C. Display. Belgium signed licence agreement for manufacture of Derwents.
1949 Dart turboprop type-tested at 1,000 h.p. B.O.A.C. intro- duced Merlin-powered Argonauts (similar to North Stars).
1950 Australia signed licence agreement to build Nene and Avon. Hispano signed agreement to make Nene and Toy.
1951 English Electric Canberra, with two Rolls-Royce Avons, made first non-stop transatlantic crossing by a jet aircraft the first of numerous record flights by Avon-Canberras.
1952 Sweden signed licence agreement to build Avon.
1953 Avon-Canberra flew from London Airport to Darwin, Northern Australia, in 22 hr 21 sec. Avon-powered Hawker Hunter established world air speed record of 726.6 m.p.h.; Avon-powered Supermarine Swift later raised record to 735.7 m.p.h. Ministry of Supply opened new factory at East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, to augment production of Avons for the R.A.F. (in addition, Avons were being made by the Bristol Aeroplane Co., Ltd., D. Napier and Son, Ltd., and the Standard Motor Company.)
1954 By May 1954 British-built Rolls-Royce gas turbines had completed 23 million flying hours; Merlins had cornpleted over 5.1 million flying hours in commercial service. By the end of the year over 185,000 Rolls-Royce piston and gas-turbine engines will have been built.
LHTEC (Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company) is a joint venture between Rolls-Royce and Honeywell founded in 1985. The company was originally a partnership between the Allison Engine Company and AlliedSignal Aerospace . In 1995 Rolls-Royce acquired Allison, and AlliedSignal merged with Honeywell in 1999, and adopted its name.
Instead of a complete trike unit, Martin Rütter supplies just an undercarriage, on to which any existing backpack can be mounted. The nosewheel is steerable.
Empty weight: 20 kg Certification: vVz Price (1998): 3400 DM
In 1964 Rollasons and the Tiger Club sponsored a competition for a midget racing aircraft which could be used for Formula One air racing. The winner was the Luton Group’s Beta, and after the prototype was attempted by that group, the design was taken over by Rollasons.
Beta B2A G-AWHV Continental C90
The Beta is a single seat sporting monoplane of all wood construction. The wing employs an NACA23012 aerofoil section and consists of a rectangular centre section and tapered outer panels. The wing is made up of a single main spar and auxiliary rear spar, wood ribs and plywood covering. The mass balanced wooden ailerons are fabric covered. Flaps are optional. The fuselage is a semi-monocoque structure consisting of elliptical wooden frames and plywood covered. The cantilever tail unit has a ply-covered fin and tail plane and fabric covered control surfaces. The fixed undercarriage has rubber in compression shock absorbers on early models, but spring steel legs on later models. Fuel capacity is 10.5 Imperial gallons. Four versions of the Beta are available, the basic difference being the engine fitted.
Beta B4 G-AWHW at Sywell 1975. Continental O-200-A
Beta B1 Engine: Continental A65, 65 hp Wing span: 20.05 ft Length: 16.08 ft
Beta B2 Engine: Continental C-90, 90 hp
Beta B2A Engine: Continental C-90, 90 hp Undercarriage: spring steel
Rollason Aircraft and Engines Ltd. Initially an aircraft sales and service organization. Began aircraft construction in 1957 with Druine Turbulent single-seat light monoplane powered by a Rollason-converted Ardem motor car engine. Production was carried out at their works on the old Croydon Aerodrome with first flights generally taking place at Redhill.
In 1961 built two-seat Druine Condor with 75 hp Continental engine. Later versions used more powerful Continental engines. Rollason also rebuilt a number of Tiger Moths and other aircraft, and carried out seaplane conversions of the Tiger Moth and Turbulent.
In 1973 the company moved from Croydon to premises at Shoreham. Tiger Moth work was concentrated at Rochester, with Redhill providing back-up to both bases and the hub of the sales part of Rollasons.
A long-range passenger flying boat, the first prototype flew on August 7, 1928.
Two models were produced. The Romar I (Werk Nrs 29,30 and 31), registrations D-1693, D-1734, and D-1747 respectively.
The single Romar II built, Werk Nr 62, went to France on the 1st April 1931 as F-AKEM.
The difference in the models was that the Romar II had BMW VIaU engines driving through a Farman gearbox. At some point the fin was changed on all models.
The three German aircraft, named “Hamburg”, “Bremen” and “Lubeck”, were all scrapped in 1933.
Ro X Romar Engines: 3 x BMW VIUZ, 485kW Wingspan: 36.9 m / 121 ft 1 in Length: 22.0 m / 72 ft 2 in Height: 8.5 m / 28 ft 11 in Max take-off weight: 19000 kg / 41888 lb Empty weight: 9900 kg / 21826 lb Max. speed: 210 km/h / 130 mph Ceiling: 2800 m / 9200 ft Range w/max.fuel: 4000 km / 2486 miles Crew: 4-5 Passengers: 12
