NEW BRITISH JET ENGINE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27107, 1 August 1953, Page 7

NEW BRITISH JET ENGINE

“FURTHER PROOF OF SUPREMACY” (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, July 31. Aviation correspondents hail the announcement of de Havilland’s new jet engine, the Gyron, as further proof of Britain’s supremacy in the field of jet aircraft and engines. It is pointed out that the Gyron has been a closely-guarded secret of the company for three years, while it has been subjected to rigorous tests. Started as a private venture, and now being developed under a Supply Ministry contract, the Gyron engine i« intended for supersonic fighter aircraft. No details of its performance have been given. All that is announced il that the Gyron is an axial-flow com-pressor-type turbine, simply made and light. An official statement by the company says it has no knowledge of any prototype engine in the world with the same potentiality as the Gyron. It says the engine has formidable power, even at tha start of its design life. “As is well known, jet engine outputs may be expected to rise greatly as the design develops,” the company says in its statement. ‘.‘The engine is a step forward to much greater powers envisaged for supersonic flight, and marks the advent of a new generation of really big turbine-jet power units for aircraft. “For reasons of secrecy, nothing can be said at present about de Havilland plans for future fighters. -Neither may deductions be drawn concerning airliners to succeed the Comet 111. But the significance of a high-powered de Havilland engine of low specific consumption, diameter and weight, with qualities of reliability and durability, is obvious.”. The air correspondent of the “Finan.cial Times” says: “Until further details are released, there is little point : n speculation on the level of power which the Gyron has reached. “Certainly de Havilland’s references to supersonic flight, presumably meaning sustained supersonic flight, hold out a. promise of one of the most interesting aviation developments for some time.” The air correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian” says the engine has already been the subject of comment in American and other papers for some months. He says: “No figure for the thrust of the Gyron is given, but other engines already in existence are giving more than 10,0001 b thrust without reheat, and with re-heat the figure may be increased to more than 12,5001 b. “Speculations in foreign papers that the Gyron gives a 15,0001 b thrust have, therefore, some support from known facts and figures. “It is precisely in the two directions indicated by the de Havilland statement that deductions will immediately be made by all foreign obser-