A division of the General Motors Corporation, formed in January 1942 for aircraft production in five of the Corporation’s U.S. eastern seaboard factories. Built Grumman Wildcats under designation FM-1 (first flew September 1, 1942), and Avengers as TBM-1.
Era
General Moore / General Airmotors 1929 5-cyl
ATC 36
120hp
Radial
Air-cooled
General Moore / General Airmotors
Scranton PA.
USA
Engine builder in 1929
General Electric T64
The General Electric T64 is a free-turbine turboshaft engine that was developed for use on helicopters. GE introduced the engine in 1964. The original engine design included technical innovations such as corrosion resistant and high-temperature coatings. The engine features a high pressure ratio, yielding low specific fuel consumption.
Later versions of the engine produce from 3,925 to 4,750 shp (2,927 to 3,542 kW).
The engine was designed to accommodate different gearboxes, or shaft drive for helicopter or turboprop fixed-wing applications. The engine could be operated between 100 degrees upward and 45 degrees downward for STOL or Helicopter applications.
MTU Aero Engines has a 30% share in the program, producing the engine’s high-pressure turbine, high-pressure compressor, combustion chamber and gearbox.
Versions:
T64-GE-1
3,080 hp (2,296.76 kW)
T64-GE-2
Turbo-shaft : 2,810 hp (2,095.42 kW) at 5,200 output rpm
T64-GE-4
Turbo-prop, reduction gearbox below centre-line, airscrew brake and bolt-on control unit : 2,850 hp (2,125.24 kW) at 1,160 propeller rpm.
T64-GE-6
Turbo-shaft : 2,850 hp (2,125.24 kW) at 13,600 engine rpm.
T64-GE-7
3,925 hp (2,926.87 kW)
T64-GE-8
Turbo-prop, reduction gearbox above centre-line, airscrew brake and bolt-on control unit : 2,850 hp (2,125.24 kW) at 1,160 propeller rpm.
T64-GE-10
2,970 hp (2,214.73 kW)
T64-GE-16
3,485 hp (2,598.76 kW)
T64-GE-100
4,330 hp (3,228.88 kW)
T64-GE-412
3,695 hp (2,755.36 kW)
T64-GE-413
3,925 hp (2,926.87 kW)
T64-GE-415
4,380 hp (3,266.17 kW)
T64-GE-416
4,380 hp (3,266.17 kW)
T64-GE-419
4,750 hp (3,542.07 kW)
T64-GE-423
3,925 hp (2,926.87 kW)
CT64-820-1
2,850 hp (2,125.24 kW)
CT64-820-3
3,130 hp (2,334.04 kW)
CT64-820-4
3,130 hp (2,334.04 kW)
T64/P4D
3,400 hp (2,535.38 kW)
Applications:
Aeritalia G.222
de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo
Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne
Kawasaki P-2J
LTV XC-142
ShinMaywa US-1
Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion
Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion
Sikorsky HH-53/MH-53
Specifications:
T64-GE-100
Type: Turboshaft
Length: 79 in (2,007 mm)
Diameter: 20 in (508 mm)
Dry weight: 720 lb (327 kg)
Compressor: Axial, 14 stage high pressure compressor
Combustors: Annular
Turbine: Axial, 2 stage high pressure turbine, 2 stage low pressure turbine
Fuel type: Aviation kerosene
Oil system: Pressure spray / splash
Maximum power output: 4,330 hp (3,228.88 kW)
Overall pressure ratio: 14.9:1
Turbine inlet temperature: 1,180 °F (638 °C)(-1), 1,325 °F (718 °C)(-413), 1,410 °F (770 °C)(-415)
Specific fuel consumption: 0.48 lb/hp-hr (0.292 kg/kW-hr)
Power-to-weight ratio: 6.014 hp/lb (9.887 kW/kg)
General Electric TF34
The General Electric TF34 is a military turbofan engine used on the A-10 Thunderbolt II and S-3 Viking. Developed by GE Aircraft Engines during the late 1960s, the original engine comprises a single stage fan, driven by a 4-stage low pressure (LP) turbine, supercharging a 14-stage high pressure (HP) compressor, driven by a 2-stage HP turbine. An annular combustor is featured. The TF34-GE-400A is rated at 9,275 lbf (41.26 KN) static thrust.
General Electric TF34 / Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt Article
The civilian variant, the CF34, is used on a number of business and regional jets.
Applications:
A-10 Thunderbolt
S-3 Viking
Sikorsky S-72
Specifications:
TF34
Type: twin-shaft, bypass turbofan engine
Length: 2.616-3.696 m
Diameter: 1.118-1.346 m
Dry weight: 758-1676 kg
Compressor: single-stage fan, 14 stage HP axial flow compressor
Combustors: annular
Turbine: 4 stage LP, 2 stage HP
Maximum thrust: 9,250 lb (4200 kg)
General Electric F136 / Rolls-Royce F136
The General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 was an advanced turbofan engine being developed by General Electric and Rolls-Royce plc for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. The two companies stopped work on the project in December 2011 after failing to gather Pentagon support for further development.
All early F-35s were to be powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135 but it was planned that engine contracts would be competitively tendered from Lot 6 onward. The engines selected would be either the F135 or an engine produced by the GE/RR Fighter Engine Team and designated the F136. The GE/RR Fighter Engine Team was a co-operation between GE Aviation in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States (60% share) and Rolls-Royce in Bristol, United Kingdom and Indianapolis, Indiana, USA (40% share).
On 21 July 2004, the F136 began full engine runs at GE’s Evendale, Ohio facility. The engine ran for over an hour during two separate runs. In August 2005, the United States Department of Defense awarded the GE and Rolls-Royce team a $2.4 billion contract to develop its F136 engine. The contract was for the system development and demonstration (SDD) phase of the F136 initiative, scheduled to run until September 2013.
The US Defense budget announced on 6 February 2006 excluded the F136 — leaving Pratt & Whitney, maker of the F135 engine, as the sole provider of engines for the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters. Congress, however, overturned this request and allocated funds for FY 2007 later in 2006. In November 2006, the General Electric/Rolls-Royce team successfully completed a 3-month preliminary design review by the F-35 Program Office and the prime contractor, Lockheed Martin.
On 13 February 2008, the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team successfully completed its Critical Design Review (CDR) for the F136. During CDR, the U.S. Government’s Joint Program Office for the F-35 Lightning II validated and approved the design of the engine. Also during the review, every aspect of the engine design was analyzed and evaluated in order to proceed with the building of the first full development engines. The process involved 80 detailed component and module design reviews, involving technical experts from the JPO, General Electric and Rolls-Royce.
On 20 March 2008, the F136 successfully completed a high-altitude afterburner testing program at the US Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center in Tennessee, including common exhaust hardware for the F-35 Lightning II aircraft. All test objectives were reached as planned using an engine configured with Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOL) and Short Takeoff Vertical Landing (STOVL) common exhaust systems. The engine configuration included a production-size fan and functional augmenter allowing several run periods to full afterburner operation. The GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team successfully completed Short Take Off, Vertical Landing (STOVL) testing on an F136 engine at the GE testing facility at Peebles, Ohio on 16 July 2008.
The first complete new-build F136 engine began testing 30 January 2009, under the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract with the US Government Joint Program Office for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. This marked the first complete engine assembled following US Government validation of the F136 design in 2008. The milestone was achieved one month ahead of schedule.
Citing the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009, the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team submitted an unsolicited fixed-price offer for the F136 to the Pentagon on 28 September 2009. The fixed-price approach would cover initial F136 engine production, beginning with the F136 second production lot. According to the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team, the proposal would shift significant cost risk from taxpayers to the Fighter Engine Team until head-to-head competition begins between the F136 and the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine in 2013.
From 2006 to 2010 the Defense Department has not requested funding for the alternate F136 engine program, but Congress has maintained program funding.
On 19 December 2009, U.S. Congress approved continued funding for the F136 engine program in fiscal year 2010. The U.S. Defense Department did not request FY 2010 funding for the F136 engine program. In a report filed on 18 June 2009, the House Armed Services Committee cited Pratt & Whitney F135 engine program cost overruns of $1.872 billion as cause to continue funding the F136 engine.
On 2 November 2009, the F136 team said that they would redesign a small part of the diffuser leading to the combustor after a failure during testing. Testing resumed on January 22, 2010. The GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team is currently in the fourth year of its System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract with the US Government Joint Program Office. The Fighter Engine Team has totaled more than 800 hours of testing on pre-SDD and SDD engines. In early 2010, full afterburning thrust was reached in testing of the first production standard engine.
On 24 March 2011, the Department of Defense issued a 90-day temporary stop work order after Congress failed to pass the defense budget. GE declared that it would continue work on the engine program with their own funds in spite of the stop-work order, as allowed in the order and as had been suggested by Schwartz the previous year. However GE is limited to design work only, as the stop-work prevents their use of the existing hardware.
On 12 April 2011, GE reduced its team on project from 1,000 workers down to 100, who will work on the F136 and engine technologies for “future combat aircraft”. GE will redeploy the workers to commercial projects, but will not hire the hundreds of new engineers it was expecting. On 25 April 2011, the Department of Defense ended the contract with GE and demanded that the engines built to date be turned over.
On 5 May 2011, GE and RR offered to pay for the development through FY2012 and asked for access to the materials. By switching to self funding the cost would reduce from $480 million a year to only $100 million, 60% to be paid by GE and 40% to be paid by RR. After self-funding the project GE and Rolls-Royce announced on 2 December 2011, that they would not continue development of the F136 engine because it is not in their best interest.
The F136 produces 18,000 lbf (80.1 kN) of lift thrust in STOVL configuration. Combined with thrust from the LiftFan (20,000 lbf or 89.0 kN) and two roll posts (1,950 lbf or 8.67 kN each), the Rolls-Royce LiftSystem produces a total of 41,900 lbf (186 kN) of thrust. This compares with the maximum thrust of 23,800 lbf (106 kN) for the Harrier’s Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine.
Specifications:
Type: Twin-Spool, Augmented Turbofan
Length: 221 in (5.6 m)
Diameter: 48 in (1.2 m)
Compressor: Twin Spool/Counter Rotating/Axial Flow/Low Aspect Ratio
Combustors: Annular Combustor
Turbine: Axial Flow/Counter-Rotating
Maximum thrust: 40,000 lbf; 25,000 lbf without afterburner
General Electric J87 / X211
The General Electric J87 (company designation X211) was a nuclear-powered turbojet engine designed to power the proposed WS-125 long-range bomber. The program was started in 1955 in conjunction with Convair for a joint engine/airframe proposal for the WS-125. It was one of two nuclear-powered gas turbine projects undertaken by GE, the other one being the X39 project.
The X211 was a relatively large turbojet engine of straight conventional layout, save for the combustion chamber being replaced with a heat exchanger. It featured variable-stator compressors and an afterburner. A single nuclear reactor was intended to supply heat to two X211 engines.
In 1956, the USAF decided that the proposed WS-125 bomber was unfeasible as an operational strategic aircraft. In spite of this, the X211 program was continued for another 3 years, albeit with no target application. It was finally terminated in mid-1959, and by 1961, all funding for nuclear propulsion was canceled.
Type: Afterburning turbojet, nuclear powered
Length: 41 ft
Maximum thrust: 34,600 lb with afterburner
General Electric J85
The J85 was originally designed to power a large decoy missile, the McDonnell ADM-20 Quail. The Quail was designed to be released from a B-52 Stratofortress in-flight and fly for long distances in formation with the launch aircraft, multiplying the number of targets facing the SA-2 surface-to-air missile operators on the ground. This mission demanded a small engine that could nevertheless provide enough power to keep up with the jet bomber. Like the similar Armstrong Siddeley Viper being built in England, the engine on a Quail drone had no need to last for extended periods of time, so therefore could be built of low-quality materials.
The General Electric J85 is a small single-shaft turbojet engine. Military versions produce up to 2,950 lbf (13.1 kN) of thrust dry, afterburning variants can reach up to 5,000 lbf (22 kN). The engine, depending upon additional equipment and specific model, weighs from 300 to 500 pounds (140 to 230 kg). It is one of GE’s most successful and longest in service military jet engines, the civilian versions having logged over 16.5 million hours of operation. The United States Air Force plans to continue using the J85 in aircraft through 2040. Civilian models, known as the CJ610, are similar but supplied without an afterburner, while the CF700 adds a rear-mounted fan for improved fuel economy.
The fit was a success on the Quail, but again like the Viper it was later built with normal grade materials and subsequently used to power small jet aircraft, including the Northrop T-38 Talon, Northrop F-5, Canadair CT-114 Tutor, and Cessna A-37 Dragonfly light attack aircraft. More recently, J85s have powered the Scaled Composites White Knight aircraft, the carrier for the Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne spacecraft, and the Texas Aircraft Factory Me 262 Project.
The basic engine design is quite small, about 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter, and 45 inches (110 cm) long. It features an eight-stage axial-flow compressor powered by two turbine stages, and is capable of generating up to 2,950 lbf (13.1 kN) of dry thrust, or more with an afterburner. At full throttle at sea level, this engine, without afterburner, consumes approximately 400 US gallons (1,500 L) of fuel per hour. At cruise altitude and power, it consumes approximately 100 US gal (380 L) per hour.
Several variants were produced. The J85-21 variant added a stage ahead of the base 8-stage compressor for a total of 9 stages, improving thrust.
Variants:
J85-GE-1
2,600 lbf (12 kN) thrust
J85-GE-3
2,450 lbf (10.9 kN) thrust
J85-GE-4
2,950 lbf (13.1 kN) thrust
J85-GE-5
2,400 lbf (11 kN) thrust, 3,600 lbf (16 kN) afterburning thrust
J85-GE-5A
3,850 lbf (17.1 kN) afterburning thrust
J85-GE-7
2,450 lbf (10.9 kN) thrust
J85-GE-13
4,080 lbf (18.1 kN), 4,850 lbf (21.6 kN) thrust
J85-GE-15
4,300 lbf (19 kN) thrust
J85-CAN-15
Orenda manufactured J85-GE-15 for the Canadair CF-116 4,300 lbf (19 kN) thrust
J85-GE-17A
2,850 lbf (12.7 kN) thrust
J85-GE-21
3,500 lbf (16 kN) military thrust; 5,000 lbf (22 kN) afterburning thrust
J85-CAN-40
Manufactured by Orenda for the Canadair CT-114 Tutor, 2,650 lbf (11.8 kN) thrust
CJ610
Civilianised J85
CF700
Aft fan variant of the CJ610
Applications:
Fairchild C-123 Provider
Canadair CL-41 Tutor
Canadair CF-5
Cessna A-37 Dragonfly
Fiat G.91Y
North American T-2 Buckeye
Northrop F-5
Northrop T-38 Talon
Ryan XV-5 Vertifan
Saab 105Ö
Scaled Composites White Knight
Viperjet MKII
American Challenge water speed record jet-powered boat – Two J85-GE-21s
Messerschmitt Me-262A-1c and B-1c. The “c” suffix stands for the flyable reproductions equipped with the J85-derived CJ610 engine instead of the original Junkers Jumo 004 jet engine.
Specifications
Type: Turbojet engine (with or without afterburner)
Length: 45.4–51.1 in (115–130 cm) (depending on accessory equipment installed)
Diameter: 17.7 in (45 cm)
Dry weight: 396–421 lb (180–191 kg) (depending on accessory equipment installed)
Compressor: 8 stages (9 in J85-21) axial
Combustors: annular
Turbine: 2 stages
Fuel type: jet fuel
Maximum thrust: 2,850–3,100 lbf (12.7–14 kN) (dry)
Overall pressure ratio: 8.3
Turbine inlet temperature: 977C
Specific fuel consumption: 0.96 – 0.97 lb/(lbf·h) (27 g/kN·s)
Thrust-to-weight ratio: 7.5 (-21), 6.6 (-5), 6.8 (-13), 7 (-15)
General Electric J79
An axial-flow turbojet engine, the J79 was developed in the 1950s as an outgrowth of the General Electric J73 engine program, originally called J73-GE-X24A, intended for reliable Mach 2 performance.
The J79 is a single-spool turbojet with a seventeen-stage compressor with a novel arrangement of variable stator blades which allow the engine to develop pressure similar to a twin-spool engine at a much lower weight. Each blade is made largely of stainless steel. Each blade today costs several thousand dollars to replace. The compressor blades are mounted on disks (the first seven stages being made of titanium) and spaced with corrosion-resistant (not stainless) steel spacers.
The first flight of the engine was on 20 May 1955 where the engine was placed in the bomb bay of a J47-powered B-45C (48-009). The J79 was lowered from the bomb bay and the four J47s were shut down leaving the B-45 flying on the single J79. The first flight after the 50-hour qualification test was on 8 December 1955, powering the second pre-production Douglas F4D Skyray, with the J79 in place of its original Westinghouse J40 engine as part of the General Electric development and qualification program. The YF-104 was the next airplane to fly with the J79 followed by a re-engined Grumman F11F Tiger in a Navy-sponsored program to gain experience with the engine before the first flight of the F4H (F-4).
The J79 was used on the F-104 Starfighter, B-58 Hustler, F-4 Phantom II, A-5 Vigilante, and the IAI Kfir. It enjoyed a production run of more than 30 years. Over 17,000 J79s were built in the United States, and under license in Belgium, Canada, Germany, Israel, Italy, and Japan. The unit cost of the J79-GE-3 in 1960 was US$624,727. A downgraded version of the F-16 Fighting Falcon with a J79 was proposed as a low-cost fighter for export, and though a prototype aircraft was flown, it found no customers.
In the F-104 and the F-4, the J79 makes a particular howling sound at certain throttle settings. The sound is thought to be due to airflow in the exhaust section of the engine being disturbed by the engine bypass flaps. This strange feature led to the NASA operated F-104B Starfighter, N819NA, being named Howling Howland.
A simplified civilian version, designated the CJ805, powered the Convair 880, while an aft-turbofan derivative, the CJ805-23, powered the Convair 990 airliners and a single Sud Aviation Caravelle intended as a prototype for the US market.
The J79 was replaced by the late 1960s in new fighter designs by afterburning turbofans such as the Pratt & Whitney TF30 used in the F-111 and F-14, and newer generation turbofans with the Pratt & Whitney F100 used in the F-15 Eagle which offer better cruise fuel efficiency by moving unburned air around the core of the engine.
For their part in designing the J79, Gerhard Neumann and Neil Burgess of General Electric Aircraft Engines were jointly awarded the Collier Trophy in 1958, also sharing the honor with Clarence Johnson (Lockheed F-104) and the U.S. Air Force (Flight Records).
The turboshaft counterpart to the J79 is the General Electric LM1500, used for land and marine applications. Many J79 derived engines have found uses as gas turbine power generators in remote locations, in applications such as the powering of pipelines.
The J79 has two commercial derivatives: CJ805-3 (a non-afterburning engine, fitted with thrust reverser and sound suppressor), and the CJ805-23 (with a free-wheeling aft fan and thrust reverser) Most fitted to the Convair CV-880 and the Convair CV-990.
Variants and applications:
XJ79-GE-1
Prototype. First ground static test run on 8 June 1954 produced 14,350 lbf (63.83 kN) with afterburner.
YJ79-GE-1
Flight test engines were designated YJ79-GE-1.
J79-GE-2
Powered the McDonnell F-4H-1 Phantom (F-4A), 16,100 lbf (71.62 kN) of afterburner thrust.
J79-GE-2A
essentially similar to the -2
J79-GE-3
Used in the YF-104A, F-104A and the Grumman F11F-1F Super Tiger
J79-GE3A
YF-104A, F-104A and F-104B.
J79-GE-3B
F-104A and F-104B.
J79-GE-5A
Convair B-58 Hustler 15,600 lbf (69.39 kN) with afterburner.
J79-GE-5B
Convair B-58 Hustler 15,600 lbf (69.39 kN) with afterburner.
J79-GE-7
F-104C, F-104D and F-104F.
J79-GE-7A
F-104C, F-104D and F-104F.
J79-OEL-7
Licensed production GE-7 manufactured by Orenda Engines to power the Canadair CF-104.
J79-GE-8
North American A-5 Vigilante and F4H-1 (F-4B) with 16,950 lbf (75.4 kN) of afterburner thrust
J79-GE-8A
Sub-variant of the -8
J79-GE-8B
Sub-variant of the -8
J79-GE-10
F-4J, 17,900 lbf (79.379 kN) of afterburner thrust.
J79-GE-11A
F-104G and TF-104G. 15,600 lbf (69 kN) with afterburner. Many -11 engines were licensed manufactured in Europe as part of the large F-104 consortium production programme, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Fabrique Nationale being the main suppliers for the project.
J79-IHI-11A
Licensed production GE-11A, built in Japan by Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd to power their similarly licensed built F-104J and F-104DJ Starfighters.
J79-MTU-J1K
Licensed built and improved version of the GE-11A manufactured by MTU Aero Engines in Germany.
J79-GE-15
F-4C, RF-4C, F-4D.
J79-GE-17
F-4E, 17,900 lbf (79.379 kN) of afterburner thrust.
J79-GE-19
Aeritalia F-104S; also retrofitted to F-104A’s of the 319th FIS.
J79-GE-J1E
License-built in Israel by Beit Shemesh Engines Ltd. (BSEL) with 18,750 lbf (83.40 kN) afterburning thrust for the IAI Kfir.
CJ805
A non-afterburning civilianised engine, fitted with thrust reverser and sound suppressor, including the aft-fan CJ805-23.
Applications:
Convair 880
Convair 990 Coronado
Convair B-58 Hustler
General Dynamics F-16/79
Grumman F-11F-1F Super Tiger
IAI Kfir
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
North American A-5 Vigilante
SSM-N-9/RGM-15 Regulus II
Land speed record cars
Art Arfons’ “Green Monster”
Craig Breedlove’s “Spirit of America – Sonic 1”
Specifications:
J79-GE-17
Type: Afterburning turbojet engine
Length: 17.4 ft (5.3 m)
Diameter: 3.2 ft (1.0 m)
Dry weight: 3,850 lb (1,750 kg)
Compressor: 17-stage axial compressor with variable stator vanes
Combustors: cannular
Turbine: 3-stage
Maximum thrust: 11,905 lbf (52.9 kN) dry; 17,835 lbf (79.3 kN) with afterburner
Overall pressure ratio: 13.5:1
Turbine inlet temperature: 1,710 °F (932 °C)
Specific fuel consumption: 1.965 lb/(h·lbf) (200 kg/(h·kN)) with afterburner, 0.85 lb/(h·lbf) (87 kg/(h·kN)) at military thrust
Thrust-to-weight ratio: 4.6:1 (45.4 N/kg)
General Electric J73
The General Electric J73 turbojet was developed by General Electric from the earlier J47 engine. Its original USAF designation was J47-21, but the innovative features (variable inlet guide vanes, and single-shell combustor case) led to its redesignation as J73. A total of 870 were built at a unit cost of US$145,000.
Applications:
YF-84J Thunderstreak
F-86H Sabre
Specifications:
J73-GE-5
Type: Turbojet
Length: 200 in (5 m)
Diameter: 39.5 in (1 m)
Dry weight: 3,650 lb (1,656 kg)
Compressor: 12 stage, axial flow, variable inlet guide vanes
Combustors: 10 cannular combustion chambers
Turbine: 2 stage
Maximum thrust: 9,500 lbf (42 kN) dry, 12,500 lbf (55.6 kN) with afterburner
Overall pressure ratio: 7.5:1
Specific fuel consumption: 0.9 lb/hr/lbf (dry power)
Thrust-to-weight ratio: 3.4 lbf/lb
