The Turbomeca Artouste is an early French single-spool turboshaft engine, first run in 1947. Originally conceived as an auxiliary power unit (APU), it was soon adapted to aircraft propulsion, and found a niche as a powerplant for turboshaft-driven helicopters in the 1950s. Artoustes were licence-built by Bristol Siddeley (formerly Blackburn) in the UK, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India, and developed by Continental CAE in the US as the Continental T51. Two major versions of the Artouste were produced. The Artouste II family, mainly used in the Aérospatiale Alouette II helicopter, had a one-stage centrifugal compressor and a two-stage turbine, with gearbox-limited power of . The Artouste III family, mainly used in Aérospatiale's Alouette III and Lama helicopters, had a two-stage axial-centrifugal compressor and a three-stage turbine, with gearbox-limited power of .

Variants Artouste I Artouste II Artouste IIB, IIB1 for takeoff, continuous Artouste IIC, IIC1, IIC2, IIC5, IIC6 for takeoff, continuous (limited by engine gearbox) (Without gearbox limit, ratings are for takeoff and continuous) Artouste IIIB for takeoff, continuous (limited by engine gearbox) (Without gearbox limit, sea level ratings are for takeoff and continuous) Artouste IIIB1, IIID for takeoff, continuous (limited by engine gearbox) (Without gearbox limit, sea level ratings are for takeoff and continuous) Continental T51Licence production and development of the Artouste in the United States Turbomeca MarcadauA turboprop variant, the Marcadau was a development of the Artouste II, producing through a 2.3:1 reduction gearbox.

Applications Artouste Aérospatiale Alouette II Aérospatiale Alouette III Aerospatiale Lama Aerotécnica AC-14 Atlas XH-1 Alpha Curtiss-Wright VZ-7 Handley Page Victor - as APU Hawker Siddeley Trident - as APU IAR 316 IAR 317 Merckle SM 67 Nord Norelfe Piasecki VZ-8 Airgeep SNCASO Farfadet Vickers VC10 - as APU

Marcadau Morane-Saulnier Epervier

Engines on display A Turbomeca Artouste is on public display at:

The Helicopter Museum (Weston) Aviodrome - Lelystad Airport - The Netherlands

Specifications (Artouste IIIB)

See also

References

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Bibliography