Westinghouse J34
| J34 | |
|---|---|
| |
| J34 on display at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Museum | |
| Type | Turbojet |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Westinghouse Aviation Gas Turbine Division |
| First run | 11 January 1947 |
| Major applications | F2H Banshee F3D Skyknight P-2 Neptune |
| Developed from | Westinghouse J30 |
The Westinghouse J34, company designation Westinghouse 24C, was a turbojet engine developed by Westinghouse Aviation Gas Turbine Division in the late 1940s. Essentially an enlarged version of the earlier Westinghouse J30, the J34 produced 3,000 pounds of thrust, twice as much as the J30. Later models produced as much as 4,900 lbs with the addition of an afterburner. It first flew in 1947. The J46 engine was developed as a larger, more powerful version of Westinghouse's J34 engine, about 50% larger.
Development
Built in an era of rapidly advancing gas turbine engine technology, the J34 was largely obsolete before it saw service, and often served as an interim engine.[1] For instance, the Douglas X-3 "Stiletto" was equipped with two J34 engines when the intended Westinghouse J46 engine proved to be unsuitable. The Stiletto was developed to investigate the design of an aircraft at sustained supersonic speeds. However, equipped with the J34 instead of its intended engines, it was seriously underpowered and could not exceed Mach 1 in level flight.[2]
Developed during the transition from piston-engined aircraft to jets, the J34 was sometimes fitted to aircraft as a supplement to other powerplants, as with the Lockheed P-2 Neptune and Douglas Skyrocket (fitted with radial piston engines and a rocket engine, respectively).
Variants
- J34-WE-2: 3,000 lb (13.4 kN) thrust
- XJ34-WE-7: 3,000 lb (13.4 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-13: 3,000 lb (13.38 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-15: 3,000 lb (13.4 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-15: 4,100 lb (18.2 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-17: 3,370 lb (15 kN) thrust (4,850 lb (21.6 kN) thrust with afterburner)
- J34-WE-19: 3,250 lb (14.5 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-22: 3,000 lb (13.3 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-30A: 3,150 lb (14.0 kN) thrust (4,224 lb (18.78 kN) thrust with afterburner)
- J43-WE-32: 3,000 lb (13.3 kN) thrust
- J43-WE-32: 3,400 lb (15 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-34: 3,250 lb (14.5 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-34-1: 3,000 lb (13.3 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-36: 3,400 lb (15 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-36: 4,000 lb (17.8 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-36-1: 3,400 lb (15 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-38: 3,600 lb (1,630 kg) thrust
- J34-WE-40: 3,000 lb (13 kN) thrust
- J34-WE-41: ?lb ( ?kN) thrust ( ?lb ( ?kN) thrust with afterburner)
Applications
- Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (civilian variant modification)
- Convair F2Y Sea Dart
- Curtiss-Wright XF-87 Blackhawk
- Douglas F3D Skyknight
- Douglas Skyrocket
- Douglas X-3 Stiletto
- Lockheed XF-90
- Lockheed P-2E/G/H Neptune
- McDonnell F2H Banshee
- McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
- McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo
- Ryan FR Fireball
- Vought F6U Pirate
- Vought F7U Cutlass
Water speed record applications
- Ken Warby's Spirit of Australia jet boat
Specifications (J34-WE-36)
Data from [3]
General characteristics
- Type: Turbojet
- Length: 112 in (2.84 m)
- Diameter: 27 in (0.69 m)
- Dry weight: 1207 lb (547.5 kg)
Components
- Compressor: Single-Spool, 11-stage Axial
- Combustors: Annular
- Turbine: 2-stage turbine
Performance
- Maximum thrust: 3400 lbf (15.12 kN)
- Overall pressure ratio: 4.35:1
- Air mass flow: 50-55 lbs/sec
- Specific fuel consumption: 1.04 lb/hr-lb
- Thrust-to-weight ratio: 2.82:1
See also
Related development
Related lists
References
- Gunston, Bill (2006). World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines, 5th Edition. Phoenix Mill, Gloucestershire, England, UK: Sutton Publishing Limited. pp. 240–241. ISBN 0-7509-4479-X.
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