Turbomeca Artouste

The Turbomeca Artouste is an early French 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 300 kW. 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 420 - 440 kW.

Variants

 * Artouste I:
 * Artouste II:
 * Artouste IIB, IIB1:400 hp for takeoff, 330 hp continuous
 * Artouste IIC, IIC1, IIC2, IIC5, IIC6:400 hp for takeoff, 330 hp continuous (limited by engine gearbox)
 * (Without gearbox limit, ratings are 523 hp for takeoff and 473 hp continuous)


 * Artouste IIIB:420 kW for takeoff, 405 kW continuous (limited by engine gearbox)
 * (Without gearbox limit, sea level ratings are 858 hp for takeoff and 690 hp continuous)


 * Artouste IIIB1, IIID:440 kW for takeoff, 405 kW continuous (limited by engine gearbox)
 * (Without gearbox limit, sea level ratings are 858 hp for takeoff and 690 hp continuous)


 * Continental T51:Licence production and development of the Artouste in the United States
 * Turbomeca Marcadau:A turboprop variant, the Marcadau was a development of the Artouste II, producing 300 kW 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