Napier Gazelle

The Napier Gazelle was a turboshaft engine manufactured by D. Napier & Son in the mid-1950s. In 1961 production was nominally transferred to a joint venture with Rolls-Royce called Napier Aero Engines Limited.[1] But the venture closed two years later.[2]

Gazelle
Napier Gazelle at the Royal Air Force Museum London
Type Turboshaft aero engine
Manufacturer D. Napier & Son
First run December 1955
Major applications Westland Wessex
Bristol/Westland Belvedere

Variants
NGa.1
Emergency rating 1,260 shp (940 kW) at 20,400 rpm, 1 hour rating 1,100 shp (820 kW) at 19,800 rpm, Max continuous rating 920 shp (690 kW) at 19,000 rpm[3]
NGa.2
Emergency rating 1,650 shp (1,230 kW) at 20,400 rpm[3]
NGa.2(R)
[4]
NGa.2 series 2
NGa.3
Emergency rating 1,800 shp (1,300 kW) at 20,400 rpm[3]
NGa.4
Emergency rating 2,000 shp (1,500 kW) at 20,400 rpm[3]
NGa.13(R)
[4]
NGa.13 series 2
NGa.18
NGa.22
Mk.101
[4]
Mk.161
[4]
Mk.162
(NGa.13 series 2)[4]
Mk.165
[4]
Gazelle 501
[4]
Gazelle 503
[4]
Gazelle 512
[4]
Gazelle 514
[4]
Gazelle E.219
[4]

Applications

These helicopter engines were used on the Westland Wessex HAS 1 and HAS 3 (other versions of the Wessex had two Rolls-Royce Gnome engines) and the Bristol Belvedere (later Westland Belvedere) transport helicopter.

Engines on display

A preserved Napier Gazelle is on display at the Royal Air Force Museum London. A preserved Napier Gazelle from a Westland Wessex helicopter is on display at the Queensland Air Museum, Caloundra, Australia.

Specifications (Gazelle 501 / Mk.101 / NGa.2(R))
Left view, Fleet Air Arm Museum, Australia

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1962-63 and Flightglobal archive.[4][5]

General characteristics

  • Type: Turboshaft
  • Length: 70 in (1,778 mm)
  • Diameter: 33.5 in (851 mm)
  • Dry weight: 830 lb (376.5 kg)

Components

  • Compressor: 11-stage axial flow
  • Combustors: 6 flame tubes
  • Turbine: 2-stage gas generator power turbine + 1-stage free power turbine
  • Fuel type: Aviation kerosene, (DERD 2482 / 2485 / 2486 / 2488 / 2494)
  • Oil system: Pressure spray / splash with gear pump and dry sump, oil grade DERD.2487

Performance

  • Maximum power output: 1,650 hp (1,230.4 kW) + 260 lbf (1.16 kN) thrust at 3,000 output shaft rpm, maximum rating for 2.5 minutes
  • Overall pressure ratio: 6.25:1
  • Air mass flow: 16.8 lb (8 kg)/s
  • Specific fuel consumption: 0.688 lb/(hp h) (0.4185 kg/(kW h))
  • Power-to-weight ratio: 1.458 hp/lb (2.397 kW/kg)
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See also

Comparable engines

Related lists

References

Notes
  1. "ENGLISH ELECTRIC-ROLLS ROYCE Napier Aero Engines Ltd." Times [London, England] 1 June 1961: 24. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 30 Aug. 2016.
  2. Napier Aero Engines Ltd (closure) Hansard, 8 March 1963 vol 673 cc921-32
  3. Wilkinson, Paul H. (1957). Aircraft engines of the World 1957 (15th ed.). London: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. pp. 154–155.
  4. Taylor, John W.R. FRHistS. ARAeS (1962). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1962-63. London: Sampson, Low, Marston & Co Ltd.
  5. Flightglobal online archive

Bibliography
  • Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9
  • Taylor, John W.R. FRHistS. ARAeS (1962). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1962-63. London: Sampson, Low, Marston & Co Ltd.
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