The Honeywell T55 (formerly Lycoming; company designation LTC-4) is a turboshaft engine used on American helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft (in turboprop form) since the 1950s, and in unlimited hydroplanes since the 1980s. As of 2021, more than 6,000 of these engines have been built. It is produced by Honeywell Aerospace, a division of Honeywell based in Phoenix, Arizona, and was originally designed by the Turbine Engine Division of Lycoming Engines in Stratford, Connecticut, as a scaled-up version of the smaller Lycoming T53. The T55 serves as the engine on several major applications including the CH-47-Chinook, the Bell 309, and the Piper PA-48 Enforcer. The T55 also serves as the core of the Lycoming ALF 502 turbofan and the TF series of industrial and marine gas turbines, now produced by Vericor Power Systems. Since the T55 was first developed, progressive increases in airflow, overall pressure ratio, and turbine inlet temperature have more than tripled the power output of the engine.
Variants
Civil and experimental variants LTC4A-1 Turboprop engine with a power rating of and dry weight of ; was designated the YT55-L-1 after its 50-hour qualification test was completed in December 1957 LTC4B-1 LTC4B-2 Geared turboshaft engine with an initial power rating of ; completed a 50-hour qualification test demonstrating in March 1958, and then was designated as the YT55-L-3 with a power rating of LTC4B-7 Ungeared version of the LTC4B-2, with an integral oil cooler and tank; demonstrated in January 1960; the higher power rating resulted from increased turbine inlet temperatures, which came from small modifications learned from YT55-L-1 and YT55-L-3 development experience; completed 50-hour qualification test at power rating in February 1960, after which it was designated as the YT55-L-5; completed its 150-hour qualification test in September 1960, after which its designation changed from YT55-L-5 to the T55-L-5 production engine LTC4B-8 Civil designation for the T55-L-7 military engine; dry weight of also powered the original Bell 214 helicopter as a engine in 1970 LTC4B-8D engine powering the Bell 214A helicopter; uprated from the T55-L-7C; 433 engines produced between 1973 and 1977 for this military helicopter LTC4B-11similar to L-7 with two-stage gas generator turbine LTC4B-12 Turboprop engine with a power rating of and a weight of , more than the T55-L-11 that it is derived from; brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) of LTC4C-2 Civil designation for the YT55-L-1A military turboprop engine LTC4G-3 Turboprop engine with a maximum and normal power rating of ; high-performance version of the T55-L-1 LTC4G-4 LTC4K9-stage compressor LTC4K-2 LTC4M-1 LTC4R-1 Turboprop engine with a power rating of , weight of , pressure ratio of 8.2:1, and a BSFC of PLF1A-2 First experimental high-bypass turbofan engine produced in the United States, initially run in February 1964; two produced; used the engine core of the T55-L-7; geared fan stage, producing a static thrust of ; predecessor of the ALF 502 and LF 507 production turbofans; bypass ratio of 6:1; weight of maximum pressure ratio of 1.4:1 (fan) and 9.5:1 (engine), turbine inlet temperature of , maximum rated air flow for the gas generator and fan of , thrust-specific fuel consumption (TSFC) of PLF1B-2Turbofan with T55 / LTC4K 9-stage compressor gas generator core PLF1C-1 Turbofan based on the T55-L-7C turboshaft, producing of thrust; length, fan diameter, 6:1 bypass ratio, weight, TSFC of PLF1C-2 Turbofan based on the T55-L-11 turboshaft, producing of thrust; length, fan diameter, 8.2:1 bypass ratio, weight, TSFC of T5508D Certified September 16, 1975; dry weight ; engine powering the Bell 214B helicopter, which was produced between 1976 and 1981; 88 engines manufactured for that commercial helicopter; commercial version of the LTC4-8D AL5512 Certified November 7, 1980; turboshaft engine with a sea-level power rating of max continuous and 5-minute takeoff; 30-minute power rating of with one engine inoperative; dry weight ; used on the Boeing Model 234 (civilian version of the Chinook); based on the T55-L-712; produced between 1979 and 1985, with 44 engines manufactured; also used on the Boeing Model 360, a technology demonstrator helicopter, in 1987
Military variants YT55-L-1 Turboprop engine with a maximum and normal power rating of and a pressure ratio of 6:1 YT55-L-1A Turboprop version of the YT55-L-3, producing ; length , diameter , dry weight , pressure ratio 6.5:1, air mass flow , BSFC YT55-L-3 Turboshaft engine with a maximum and normal power rating of and a pressure ratio of 6:1; a geared engine that was initially selected to power the Army Chinook helicopter HC-1B (later designated as the CH-47A) in July 1958 by a joint Air Force/Army team T55-L-5 Turboshaft engine with a maximum and normal power rating of and a pressure ratio of 6:1; high-speed version of the T55-L-3 allowed for use on the Chinook instead of the geared YT55-L-3 engine due to August 1958 engine contract modification, with the reduction gearing now provided in the helicopter power transmission system instead of the engine; weight engine; first delivered for the Chinook in August 1960; powered first flight of the Chinook in October 1961; selected for the Curtiss-Wright X-19 tiltrotor aircraft in August 1962; 146 engines manufactured between 1960 and 1963 for the CH-47A T55-L-7 Turboshaft engine with a power rating of and a BSFC of ; completed 150-hour qualification test in September 1962 at a power rating; T55-L-7B Military and normal power rating of ; used on the CH-47A T55-L-7C Turboshaft engine with a maximum, military, and normal power rating of ; used on the CH-47B; BSFC of ; passed qualification testing in September 1966 YT55-L-9 Turboprop engine with a power rating of , weight of , pressure ratio of 6.4:1, and a BSFC of ; used on the Rockwell YAT-28E; also powered Piper Enforcer prototype aircraft for flight tests in 1971 and 1983-1984 T55-L-11 Turboshaft engine with a maximum, military, and normal power rating of ; used on the CH-47C; BSFC of ; completed 50-hour preliminary flight rating test (PFRT) in May 1967 T55-L-712 turboshaft engine used on the CH-47D, with production starting in 1978; 849 engines manufactured by 1989 T55-L-714 turboshaft engine used on the MH-47E Chinook SOF T55-GA-714A turboshaft engine used on the CH-47F; low-rate initial production started in December 1997 T55-L-714A 5,000 shp (3,729 kW) T55-GA-714C turboshaft engine to be tested on an CH-47F testbed aircraft, offering a 25 percent increase in power output and 10 percent reduction in fuel consumption compared to the T55-GA-714A; initial testing of the first engine began in November 2021 T55-L-714C6,000 shp (4,474 kW) T55-GA-715 A turboshaft engine upgrade kit proposed in 2008 for a growth version of the Chinook HTS7500
Industrial and marine variants TF20 A marine gas turbine first used in the early 1960's aboard the experimental landing vehicle LVHX-1.Schuegenpflug, Hermann, Wilcoxson, Tony, Luz, Michael (2010). FROM THE JEFF (B) TO THE SSC AND BEYOND, TF MARINE GAS TURBINES A DEVELOPMENT STUDY. Paper Number GT2010-23659. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. p. 2 TF25 An upgrade of TF20, replaced the original 14 T cane fuel vaporizers with 28 fuel nozzles. Initially rated for , but uprated to by 1969. TF35 Introduced in 1971 with a substantially redesigned turbine including partial core cooling. Changes increased length by . Produced between and .Schuegenpflug, Hermann, Wilcoxson, Tony, Luz, Michael (2010). FROM THE JEFF (B) TO THE SSC AND BEYOND, TF MARINE GAS TURBINES A DEVELOPMENT STUDY. Paper Number GT2010-23659. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. p. 2, 3 TF40 Turbine blades replaced with lower aspect ratio models, cooling extended to entirety of core and outer shroud. Rated at continuous and intermittent by 1975. Used on JEFF (B) prototype for LCAC.Schuegenpflug, Hermann, Wilcoxson, Tony, Luz, Michael (2010). FROM THE JEFF (B) TO THE SSC AND BEYOND, TF MARINE GAS TURBINES A DEVELOPMENT STUDY. Paper Number GT2010-23659. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. p. 3, 4Silver, S., Lauriat, T. B. (1983). THE TF40B, A 4000 HP CLASS MARINE GAS TURBINE FOR THE U.S. NAVY LCAC (PDF). Paper Number 83-GT-18. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. p. 4 TF40B Improved TF40 used on production LCAC, introduced better sealing and increased combustion temperatures. Rated at continuous and intermittent.Schuegenpflug, Hermann, Wilcoxson, Tony, Luz, Michael (2010). FROM THE JEFF (B) TO THE SSC AND BEYOND, TF MARINE GAS TURBINES A DEVELOPMENT STUDY. Paper Number GT2010-23659. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. p. 4, 5 ETF40B Enhanced TF40B developed in the 1990's to address increasing payload requirements for LCACs with the United States Marine Corps deployments of M1 Abrams in high heat environments. First variant to use CAD in its development, and first to utilize a FADEC. Rated at continuous and intermittent.Schuegenpflug, Hermann, Wilcoxson, Tony, Luz, Michael (2010). FROM THE JEFF (B) TO THE SSC AND BEYOND, TF MARINE GAS TURBINES A DEVELOPMENT STUDY. Paper Number GT2010-23659. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. p. 5, 6 TF50A A developmental contemporary of ETF40B designed for commercial marine applications, using the compressor of ETF40B and a combustor and gas generator derived from the LF 507 turbofan. Rated at continuous and intermittent.Schuegenpflug, Hermann, Wilcoxson, Tony, Luz, Michael (2010). FROM THE JEFF (B) TO THE SSC AND BEYOND, TF MARINE GAS TURBINES A DEVELOPMENT STUDY. Paper Number GT2010-23659. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. p. 6, 7 TF60B Development started in 2004, designed to provide 30% more power than ETF40B. Competed to power the Ship-to-Shore Connector but lost to Rolls-Royce MT7.Schuegenpflug, Hermann, Wilcoxson, Tony, Luz, Michael (2010). FROM THE JEFF (B) TO THE SSC AND BEYOND, TF MARINE GAS TURBINES A DEVELOPMENT STUDY. Paper Number GT2010-23659. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. p. 7, 8
Applications T55/LTC4 Bell 214 Bell 309 KingCobra Boeing CH-47 Chinook Boeing Chinook (UK variants) Boeing Model 360 RC-135E - One T55-L-5 fitted on the port wing inboard of the main engines to drive a generator providing power to the aircraft's phased array radar. Boeing Vertol BV-347 Curtiss-Wright X-19 North American YAT-28E Trojan Piper PA-48 Enforcer Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant Unlimited hydroplanes
HTS7500 Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant X
TF series LVHX-1 Coastal Patrol Interdiction Craft 1 Paek Ku class patrol gunboat SES-100 surface effect ship VCA-30 hovercraft VCA-36 hovercraft N500 Naviplane Stockholm-class corvette JEFF (A) JEFF (B) Landing Craft Air Cushion Solgae-class LCAC Finnish hovercraft Tuuli Patricia Olivia II catamaran fast ferry Visby-class corvette Pershing 115 yachts Wally 118 yachts
Specifications (T55-L-714A)
See also
References
Bibliography
External links
Honeywell T55 page