Napier Eland

Eland
Napier Eland on display at the Helicopter Museum (Weston).
Type Turboshaft/turboprop aero-engine
Manufacturer Napier & Son
First run 1953
Major applications Fairey Rotodyne
Convair CV-540

The Napier Eland was a British turboshaft or turboprop gas-turbine engine built by Napier & Son in the early 1950s. Production of the Eland ceased in 1961 when the Napier company was taken over by Rolls-Royce.[1]

Design and development

The Eland was first tested in 1953 in a Vickers Varsity aircraft.[2] Further flight proving was carried out from 1955 using the first production Airspeed Ambassador 2.[3] The Eland was dropped from production when Napiers was acquired by Rolls-Royce Limited in 1961.[2]

The Eland was used to power various aircraft including the Westland Westminster heavy-lift helicopter, the Canadair CL-66; a turbine-powered version of the Convair CV-340 for the Canadian military[2](later converted to Allison T-56 propjets after a number of engine failures), and the Fairey Rotodyne gyrodyne. In the Rotodyne, the Eland powered the tractor propellors for forward flight and a compressor, via a clutch and shaft arrangement, to feed the rotor tip-jets with compressed air for vertical flight.[4]

Variants

Eland N.El.1
2,690 hp (2,010 kW) + 825 lbf (3.67 kN) residual thrust, static at sea level ICAN conditions.[5]
Eland N.El.3
Powerplant for the Fairey Rotodyne driving the propeller and an auxiliary compressor to feed the rotor tip jets 2,805 hp (2,092 kW) + 500 lbf (2.22 kN) residual thrust, static at sea level ICAN conditions.[5]
Eland N.El.4
3,765 hp (2,808 kW) + 610 lbf (2.71 kN) residual thrust, static at sea level ICAN conditions.[5]
Eland N.El.6
[6]
Eland N.El.7
The 504 adapted to helicopter / convertiplane, compressed air generator use.[6]
Eland E.211
The 504 adapted for mechanically driven helicopter rotors.[6]
Eland 504
(N.El.6)[6]
Eland 508
504 with increased max continuous rating.[6]

Applications

Napier's Eland testbed Airspeed Ambassador at Farnborough SBAC Show 1955

Turboshaft

Turboprop

Engines on display

A turboshaft Eland is on display at the Helicopter Museum, Weston-super-Mare.[7]

Specifications (Eland N.El.6)

Data from Flight 29 August 1958 p.340[8]

General characteristics

  • Type: Single-shaft turboprop
  • Length: 120 in (3,000 mm)
  • Diameter: 36 in (910 mm)
  • Dry weight: 1,735 lb (787 kg)

Components

Performance

  • Maximum power output: 3,500 hp (2,600 kW) (eshp - equivalent shaft horse-power - adding power from residual thrust)
Eland N.El.3 (2,805 hp (2,092 kW) shaft power + 500 lbf (2,200 N) residual thrust) = 3,000 hp (2,200 kW) equivalent shp[9]

See also

Comparable engines

Related lists

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Gunston 1989, p.107.
  2. 1 2 3 "Napier Eland 504A", Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum, retrieved 2008-05-26
  3. ↑ Jackson 1973, p. 26
  4. ↑ "A History of Fairey Engineering", WFEL.co.uk, archived from the original (doc) on 16 March 2007, retrieved 26 May 2008
  5. 1 2 3 Taylor, John W.R. FRHistS. ARAeS (1955). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1955-56. London: Sampson, Low, Marston & Co Ltd.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1959). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1959–60. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd.
  7. ↑ The Helicopter Museum - Fairey Rotodyne Retrieved: 28 July 2009
  8. ↑ "British Aero Engines 1958". Flight: 340. 29 August 1958. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  9. ↑ Wilkinson, Paul H. (1959). Aircraft Engines of the World 1959/60 (1st ed.). Washington D.C.: Paul H. Wilkinson.

Bibliography

  • Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9
  • Jackson, A.J. (1973), British Civil Aircraft since 1919 - Volume I, Putnam & Company Ltd, ISBN 0-370-10006-9
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