With Air Force encouragement, Wright Aeronautical entered the aircraft gas turbine business when its President Roy T. Hurley traveled to Britain and obtained manufacturing licenses from Bristol for its Olympus turbojet engine, and Armstrong Siddeley for its Sapphire turbojet that had begun development in 1946. Following additional U.S. development, particularly of the compressor and turbine, Wright military qualified the Sapphire as the J65, with production beginning in 1952 and ending in 1957. Wright and Buick built a total of 10,023 J65 engines that powered aircraft such as the Republic F-84 Thunderstreak and RF-84F Thunderflash, the Martin B-57A and RB-57B Canberra, the North American FJ-3 and FJ-4 Fury, Douglas A4D-1 Skyhawk, Grumman F-11 Tiger, and Chance-Vought Regulus missile.

A total of 3,343 J65-B-3 model engines were built, powering the Republic F-84 and RF-84 jet aircraft. The Buick Motor Division of the General Motors Corporation built this J65-B-3 model artifact.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Date 1953 Country of Origin United States of America Type PROPULSION-Turbines (Jet) Designer Armstrong Siddeley
Wright Aeronautical
 Manufacturer Buick Motor Division, General Motors Corporation (Wright Aeronautical Division)
 Physical Description Type: Turbojet Thrust: 32,026 N (7,200 lb) at 8,200 rpm Compressor: 13-stage axial Combustor: Single annular chamber Turbine: 2-stage axial Weight: 1,224 kg (2,696 lb) Dimensions Length 292 cm (115.0 in.), Diameter 95 cm (37.5 in.)
 Inventory Number A19600245000 Credit Line Transferred from the U.S. Air Force Museum, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
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