Minutes of D.Eng.RD meeting held at Armstrong Siddeley Motors

Present Mr RH Weir MoS; Mr WF Saxton, Mr BH Slatter Armstrong Siddeley Motors. Agenda: 1955-56 & 1956-57 budget estimates. 959 Sapphire test postion: Series 9 compressor blade stresses. 963 (903) Future programme. 964 (904) Series 7: (a) 150-hour test attempted on a Victor engine at 11,000 lbs thrust was terminated after 8 hours with a fractured 1st row turbine rotor blade. (b) 25-hour test to clear Javelin aircraft gearbox was completed satisfactorily. 966 (906) Series 6: (a) Increased rating to 8,500 lbs. (b) Strengthened accessory drives for the Javelins. (c) Production problems. Future programme. 968 (908) Series 5: (a) English Electric Flight engines. (b) Reheat development at Armstrong Siddeley Motors. 969 (910) General development: (a) Titanium development TI.155 Ax: The 1st row compressor rotor disc spinning test has ben completed and the disc burst at 17,200 rpm. Sapphire flying test beds: AST Lancastrian VM.773 (2 Sa.6 outboard); 972 (912) Canberra WK.141 (twin Sa.7) tested up to 55,000 ft; 973 (913) Canberra VW.787 (twin Sa.6R); 974 (914) Hunter VW.889 (Sa.6); Hunter WP.113 (Sa.6); Hunter SP.114 (Sa.6) 977 (917) Javelin XA.557 (twin Sa.6); Ashton provisioned for use by Armstrong Siddeley Motors for higher powered Sapphire engines. Prototype aircraft: 979 (922) Handley Page Victor WV.775 (4 sa.6) 2nd aircraft; 980 (923) Avro Vulcan VX.770 (4 sa.6); 981 (924) English Electric P.1 (twin Sa.5) 1st aircraft; English Electric P.1WG.763 (twin Sa.5) 2nd aircraft. 4 Viper: running times to date. Test position: Viper 5 (long life) ASV.8 rating. 985 (927) Viper 5 engine future programme. 986 (928) Viper 3 engines short life (a) High altitude tests at Burnley. (b) Viper engine in Australia. 988 (930) Viper in tail of Lancaster SW.342 (Viper 5). 989 (931) Canberra WK.163 (Avon engines) Viper (long life fuel system); 990 (933) Provost aircraft XD.674 (Viper 5); 991 (934) Provost aircraft XD.675 (Viper 5); 922 (934); Folland Midge G/39/31 (Viper 5). 5 Double Mamba: Running times. 994 (936) Test position. (g) The first D.3 flight engine was delivered to Bitteswell 22 July 1955. Aircraft: 998 (940) Fairey Gannet VR.557 (Ma.D.1); 999 (941) Fairey Gannet WN.340 (Ma.D.3); Blackburn GR.17/45 WB.797 (Ma.D.1); Fairey Gannet WN.395 (Ma.D.1). 6 Mamba: 3 (944) Running times. 4 (945) Test position. (g) Flight clearance of engines in Seamew. (h) Dakota flight engine. (i) Flight engine for Shorts. (j) Lowther Hill. AIrcraft: 6 (947) Dakota KJ.839 (Mk.6); 7 (948) Short Seamew XA.209 (Mamba Mk.6) 1st aircraft; 8 (949) Short Seamew XA.213 (Mamba Mk.6) 2nd aircraft. 9 (950) Python: Running times to date. 10 (951) Test position. Aircraft: 11 (952) Wyvern WL.881. 8 Rocket: 12 (953) Screamer rocket motor 953 runs to 13 August 1953. 13 (954) Provision of Meteor 8 for Screamer tests. 14 (955) 30,000 lb HTP rocket for Avro Weapons Research Division.15 (957) Turbo rockets. 16 (958) Wescott Guided Missile