General Electric J47

The J47 turbojet was developed from the earlier J35 engine, and first flew in May 1948. The J47 was the first axial-flow turbojet approved for commercial use in the United States. It was used in many types of aircraft and more than 30,000 were manufactured before production ceased in 1956. It saw continued service in the US military until 1978.

Applications

Aircraft that used this engine include:
* B-36 by Convair
* B-45 Tornado
* B-47 Stratojet
* F-86 Sabre
* KB-50J (a B-50 Superfortress variant)
* KC-97 Stratotanker
* XB-29G (a B-29 Superfortress variant)
* XB-51 by Martin
* XF-87 Blackhawk
* XF-91 Thunderceptor

Non-flying vehicles that used the engine include:
* Spirit of America

Nuclear-powered version - The X39

In the 1950s, interest in the development of nuclear-powered aircraft led GE to experiment with two nuclear-powered gas turbine designs, one based on the J47 , and another new and much larger engine called the X211.

The design based on the J47 became the X39 program. This system consisted of two modified J47 engines which, instead of combusting jet fuel, received their heated, compressed air from a heat exchanger that was part of the Heat Transfer Reactor Experiment (HTRE) reactor. The X-39 was successfully operated in conjunction with three different reactors, the HTRE-1, HTRE-2 and HTRE-3. Had the program not been cancelled, these engines would have been used to power the proposed Convair X-6.

pecifications

jetspecs

type=turbojet
length=
diameter=
weight=2,707 lbs
compressor=12-stage axial compressor
combustion=
turbine=Single-stage axial
fueltype=
oilsystem=
power=
thrust=
*5,670 lbf
*5,910 lbf (24.0 kN) at 7.950 rpm (maximum thrust for five min)
compression=
fuelcon=
specfuelcon=
power/weight=
thrust/weight=

External links

*http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/systems/j47.htm