Wright J65

Design and development

Curtiss-Wright purchased a license for the Sapphire in 1950, with plans to have the production lines running in 1951. However a series of delays due to design changes by Curtiss-Wright, such as substituting the Sapphire's machined midsection solid forged diffuser frame with a fabricated one of welded nodular iron, led to its service introduction slipping two years. The fabricated assembly, a more practicable production job with about one fifth the cost, was subsequently adopted for the Sapphire.

Another change addressed the Sapphire's only major problem. The Sapphire was found to work well through the entire RPM range without the compressor stalling, which allowed it to dispense with inlet guide vanes or other solutions found on contemporary designs. However, in service it was found that while pressure was maintained even at low speeds and RPM, the first stages were stalling and this was causing significant vibration and fatigue issues. Wright solved this by adding inlet ramps that closed off the outer portions of the intake at low RPM. Armstrong Siddeley evaluated this for the UK Sapphires, but adopted a different solution instead.

By service introduction, the Pratt & Whitney J57 was on the market and took many of the J65's potential sales. Nevertheless, along with the Martin B-57 Canberra, its original application, the J65 went on to power versions of the North American FJ Fury, Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, Republic F-84F Thunderstreak, and the two Lockheed XF-104 Starfighter prototypes. Problems Grumman had with the engine in the F11F Tiger, particularly below-spec afterburning thrust, caused them to specify the General Electric J79 for the Grumman F11F-1F Super Tiger.

As part of an expansion in defense contracts, Buick also built J65s. Its version of the engine, the J65-B-3, was approved for use by the U.S. Air Force in 1953. Components were produced by subcontractors including Oldsmobile, which built the compressor and turbine rotor assemblies; Harrison Radiator, which built the combustion chamber and tailcone; and Brown-Lipe-Chapin, which built the turbine stator blades and compressor stator assemblies. Final assembly was carried out in a 768,000 sqft portion of a purpose built plant in Willow Springs, Illinois.

Wright T49

A 6500 - turboprop version of the J65 (Sapphire) was developed by Curtiss-Wright as the Wright T49, and a commercial derivative, the Wright TP51A2 was also designed. The T49 first ran in December 1952 at 8000 shp, followed by flight testing in a Boeing XB-47D test bed from 26 August 1955. By this time however, the market for the engine had vanished.

Variants

Thrust given in foot-pounds (lbf) and kilonewtons (kN). ;J65-W-1: 7200 lbf ;J65-W-2: 7220 lbf, similar to -1, United States Navy (USN) variant, powered North American FJ-3 Fury ;J65-W-3: 7700 lbf, powered the Republic F-84F Thunderstreak ;J65-B-3: similar to -1, production by Buick Motor Division of General Motors Corporation, 3,343 built ;J65-W-4: 7700 lbf, powered North American FJ-3 Fury, two North American FJ-4 Fury prototypes ;J65-W-4B: 7650 lbf ;J65-W-5: ;J65-W-6: 7800 lbf / 10200 lbf with afterburner, powered the Lockheed XF-104 Starfighter ;J65-W-7: 7700 lbf ;J65-W-8: 7450 lbf at 8,300 rpm dry / 10500 lbf with afterburner, powered Grumman F11F-1 / F-11A Tiger ;J65-W-11: ;J65-W-12: ;J65-W-16: ;J65-W-16A: 7700 lbf, powered the North American FJ-4 / F-1 Fury ;J65-W-16C: 8500 lbf ;J65-W-18: 10500 lbf -16A with reheat ;J65-W-20: 8200 lbf, powered Douglas A4D-2N / A-4C Skyhawk

Applications

;J65

• Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
• Grumman F-11 Tiger
• Martin B-57 Canberra
• Lockheed XF-104
• North American FJ-3 Fury
• North American FJ-4 Fury
• Republic F-84F Thunderstreak

;T49

• Boeing XB-47D (T49 testbed)

Specifications (J65-B)

and start a new, fully-formatted line with -- |power/weight= |thrust/weight=2.61

References

Footnotes

Notes

Bibliography

• {{cite book
• {{cite book

References

1. "Buick (Wright/Armstrong Siddeley) Sapphire J65-B-3 Turbojet Engine". Smithsonian Institution.
2. "World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines - 5th edition" by [[Bill Gunston]], Sutton Publishing, 2006, p.249
3. "Grumman's Mach-2 International F11F-1F Supertiger" Corwin Meyer, Naval Fighters Number Forty-Four, Steve Ginter 1998, {{ISBN. 0-942612-44-2, p.1
4. (26 August 1951). "Buick Will Carry Heavy Defense Output Role". Los Angeles Times.
5. (13 October 1953). "USAF Approves Buick-Built Jet for War Planes". Evening Vanguard.
6. (22 November 1954). "Parts for Top AF Jet Engine Made at B-L-C Division Here". Post-Standard.
7. (23 November 1954). "General Motors Looms Big in Chicagoland Area Business". Chicago Tribune.
8. (13 July 1952). "New Jet Plant to Turn Out Autos Later". Chicago Tribune.
9. "World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines - 5th edition" by [[Bill Gunston]], Sutton Publishing, 2006, p.249