UK jet engines, early 1950s - Bristol and Napier

[Schneiderman]

Can anyone familiar with British jet engines help with information regarding the Bristol BE.15 and Napier E.143? Were they just paper projects or did they evolve into hardware? In either case any data would be useful. Thanks

 

[Deleted member 2278]

I have this screengrab that provides a tiny bit of information. Apologies, I don't remember where it came from.



ETA: Both were intended for the Supermarine Type 543 undercarriageless fighter but I suspect you already know that much. Since it is not described as "compound" above, we can infer it was single-spool.

 

[Hood]

I suspect you already have it, but this is what Tony Buttler says in the latest BSP:1 edition (re: the Supermarine Type 543); "The drawings and performance were based on two Bristol BE.15 engines mounted side-by-side; this was the largest axial jet available with the highest possible degree of reheat, but the alternatives were an Avon development, the Sa.50 Sapphire development, or Napier's E.143."

Given the date of the Type 543 they must be a circa 1951 designs. I've not seen any other reference to the Sa.50 either, the Avon development might be what became RB.106.
It seems that these engines quickly died and were replaced by higher-rated developments of then-existing engines.

It's peculiar that they don't feature on any other requirements just after this period such as ER.134T or any of the interim transonic developments of the Hunter/Swift et al. drawn up circa 1951-52 and it's equally odd that Supermarine should choose all four unknown engines for its peculiar aircraft.

 

[Schneiderman]

I have this screengrab that provides a tiny bit of information. Apologies, I don't remember where it came from.



ETA: Both were intended for the Supermarine Type 543 undercarriageless fighter but I suspect you already know that much. Since it is not described as "compound" above, we can infer it was single-spool.

Thanks, a useful start. Type 543 indeed, paper engines in a paper aeroplane, it would seem

 

[Schneiderman]

I suspect you already have it, but this is what Tony Buttler says in the latest BSP:1 edition (re: the Supermarine Type 543); "The drawings and performance were based on two Bristol BE.15 engines mounted side-by-side; this was the largest axial jet available with the highest possible degree of reheat, but the alternatives were an Avon development, the Sa.50 Sapphire development, or Napier's E.143."

Given the date of the Type 543 they must be a circa 1951 designs. I've not seen any other reference to the Sa.50 either, the Avon development might be what became RB.106.
It seems that these engines quickly died and were replaced by higher-rated developments of then-existing engines.

It's peculiar that they don't feature on any other requirements just after this period such as ER.134T or any of the interim transonic developments of the Hunter/Swift et al. drawn up circa 1951-52 and it's equally odd that Supermarine should choose all four unknown engines for its peculiar aircraft.

Oh yes, a good read. Tony is quoting from the Supermarine brochure. Towards the end Supermarine kind of lost the plot completely, an odd waste of design staff time playing around with projects like this