To continue the
Norden bombsight and
link trainer threads, the following is a compilation of information about General Electric turbo(super)chargers.
Starting on
page 1, the 20 June 1945 edition of the
Index of Army-Navy Aeronautical Equipment for Turbosuperchargers and Regulators, Pumps, and Pump Accessories, T.O. 03-10-48, has a list of available turbochargers. A table on pages 6 and 6-1 compares their characteristics and identifying features:
Index of Army-Navy Aeronautical Equipment for Turbosuperchargers and Regulators, Pumps, and Pump Accessories wrote:
TABULATED AIR FORCE TYPES SHOWING TURBOSUPERCHARGER CHARACTERISTICS
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Air Force Type B-1 B-2 B-10* B-11 B-13 B-22 B-31 B-33 C-1 C-21 C-23 CH-5 Air Force Type
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Manufacturer G.E. G.E.-F.-A.C. G.E. G.E. G.E. G.E.-F.-A.C. G.E. G.E.-A.C. G.E. G.E. G.E. G.E. Manufacturer
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Manufacturer's Detail WW-8456209 WW-8467170 Manufacturer's Detail
Dwg. No. ϴ W-84868583 W-4868827 WW-8456675 WW-8456210 W-8402004 WW-8456556 WW-8467070 WW-8456684 WW-6651554 WW-8464156 WW-8464868 WW-8467261 Dwg. No. ○
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Gear Reduction (Rotor Gear Reduction (Rotor
to Tachometer) 9.5 to 1 9.5 to 1 9.5 to 1 9.5 to 1 9.5 to 1 9.5 to 1 9.5 to 1 9.5 to 1 5.25 to 1 5.25 to 1 5.25 to 1 5.25 to 1 to Tachometer)
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Air Force Detail Air Force Detail
Specification 28502-1 28502-2 28502-10 28502-11 28502-13 28502-22 28502-31 28502-33 28503-1 28503-21 28503-23 28503-55 Specification
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Rated Altitude‡ 25000 feet 25000 feet 25000 feet 30000 feet 25000 feet 30000 feet 30000 feet 30000 feet 25000 feet 25000 feet 27000 feet 35000 feet Rated Altitude‡
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Design R.P.M. 21,300 21,300 21,300 24,000 21,300 24,000 24,000 24,000 18,250 18,250 20,000 20,000 Design R.P.M
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Weight, Approximately 132 Lbs. 135 Lbs. 135 Lbs. 145 Lbs. 135 Lbs. 135 Lbs. 145 Lbs. 135 Lbs. 235 Lbs. 235 Lbs. 245 Lbs. 255 Lbs. Weight, Approximately
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Overall Dimensions, 15 x 26¼ x 15 x 26¼ x 15 x 26¼ x 15 x 25 x 15 x 26¼ x 15 x 26¼ x 15 x 26¼ x 18 x 26¼ x 18 x 26⅞ x 18 x 26⅞ x 18 5/16 x 27 x 28½ x 28 x Overall Dimensions,
Approximately 26½ inches 26½ inches 26½ inches 26⅝ inches 26½ inches 26½ inches 26½ inches 26½ inches 28½ inches 28½ inches 29⅜ inches 23½ inches Approximately
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Oil Leads Diameter ⅜" AC-811 ⅜" AC-811 ⅜" AC-811 ⅜" AC-811 ½" AC-811 ½" AC-811 ½" AC-811 ¾" AC-811 ¾" AC-811 Oil Leads Diameter
and Type Fitting Parker Parker Parker ½" AN-816 Parker Parker ½" AN-816 Parker Parker Parker Parker ¾" AN-816 and Type Fitting
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Rerated No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No YesꝞ Yes No Rerated
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Nozzle Box, Type Scroll Scroll Scroll Torus Scroll Scroll Torus Scroll Torus Torus Torus Torus Nozzle Box, Type
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Cooling Shroud None None None Installed None None Installed None None None Installed Installed Cooling Shroud
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Wastegate Upstream Upstream Upstream Upstream Upstream Wastegate
Installation exhaust Nozzle box Nozzle box Nozzle box Nozzle box Nozzle box ꝞꝞ Nozzle box exhaust exhaust exhaust exhaust Installation
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Upstream Straight and Upstream Upstream Upstream Upstream
Wastegate Type exhaust Angle Straight Straight Angle Straight ꝞꝞ Angle exhaust exhaust exhaust exhaust Wastegate Type
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Regular Regular Redesigned Regular Redesigned Regular Regular Redesigned Regular Regular Regular Split Phase
Diffuser 1000 h.p. 1000 h.p. 1400 h.p. 1000 h.p. 1100 h.p. 1000 h.p. 1000 h.p. 1100 h.p. 2000 h.p. 2000 h.p. 2000 h.p. 2100 h.p. Diffuser
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Oil Lines Position** ● ● ● --- ● --- --- --- ---*** ---*** ---*** ---*** Oil Lines Position**
NOTE: ● = oil in --- --- --- ○● --- ●○ ○● ○● ○● ○● ○● ○● NOTE: ● = oil in
○ = oil out ○ ○ ○ --- ○ --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ○ = oil out
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Air Force Setting Air Force Setting
Numbers 7 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 1, 2, 3, 4 2, 3 4, 5, 6 1, 2, 5, 6 2, 3 1 1 1 1 Numbers
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Built-in Sealing Ring None None None Yes None None YesꝞꝞ None None None Yes Yes Built-in Sealing Ring
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* The B-10 turbosupercharger is supplied to the British and there is no A. E. Ref. No. for this item. FORTHCOMING TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS ON TYPE B-11
** The ● indicates oil lines (in and out) are one over the other in relationship. The ○● indicates the oil lines are side by side and lay flush with the baffle plate. The following represents a list of changes to be incorporated on the present Army Air Force Type B-11 turbosupercharger.
○ (This relationship is true when the bucket wheel is in the down position as on a stand in a depot.) Under no circumstances is the following to be used as a guide in making these changes without reference to proper technical instruc-
*** On the type C turbosupercharger the oil ducts are cast as part of the pump and bearing housing. tions issued by the General Electric Company.
‡ The rated altitude for each type turbosupercharger varies as per the prescribed installation on the aircraft. This is due primarily to different engines of a. All bucket wheels which have dovetail buckets will be replaced by wheels having welded buckets.
equal horsepower requiring different manifold pressures, necessitated by differences in compression ratios. Another variation is different efficiencies in ducting. b. New sealing rings will be installed to incorporate the new type in production on the B-31 turbosupercharger.
ϴ All manufacturers of turbosuperchargers use General Electric drawing numbers. c. Anti-twist clamps will be used to secure the oil lines.
Ꝟ The C-21 is re-rated but the cooling and lubrication systems are not designed to allow its use at the higher speeds of the C-23; it is improved over the C-1 in d. The coil spring insert will be installed on the (oil in) line to prevent collapsing. (This insert should also be used on B-22
that it has a re-rated wheel and larger oil leads. and B-33.)
ꝞꝞ The B-31 turbosupercharger supersedes type B-11 and is interchangeable with it functionally and dimensionally except for the following:
a. The B-31 has an improved sealing ring which overcomes the service difficulties of the B-11 in regard to its sealing ring breaking OUTLINE OF PROCEDURE TO CHANGE SETTINGS:
loose and rubbing against the bucket wheel. 1. Remove nozzle box support bracket. 6. Remove nuts from front compressor casing studs.
b. Settings 2 and 5 of the B-31 have a rigid tachometer shaft extending through the cooling shroud. When two turbosuperchargers 2. Remove air-cooling shroud if it is installed. 7. Remove front compressor casing.
are used in parallel in the same nacelle only one of the tachometer connections is required for driving the control elements of the 3. Remove bolts around compressor casing flange. 8. Remove bolts holding nozzle box to pump casing arms.
turbosupercharger regulator. 4. Remove rear compressor casing. 9. Remove bolts holding nozzle box to baffle ring.
c. Settings 5 and 6 of the B-31 have the wastegate removed and replaced with a plate covering off the port. The wastegate instal- 5. Remove impeller, and install fiber sleeve in its place. 10. Rotate parts to desired angular positions and reassemble.
lation on these two models is upstream in the exhaust stack (only used on B-32 airplane.)
NOTE: Setting 1 and 2 of the B-31 have the same relationship of openings as setting 1 and 2 of Type B-11.
ABBREVIATIONS:
G.E.-General Electric Co. F.-Ford Motor Co. A.C.-Allis-Chalmers
(Source:
Index of Army-Navy Aeronautical Equipment for Turbosuperchargers and Regulators, Pumps, and Pump Accessories, T.O. 03-10–48, 1945, 6-6-1.)
Graham White wrote:
The alphanumeric designations of GE turbosuperchargers are as follows:
"B" or "C" represents the series of GE turbos and indicates the horsepower it is capable of handling. A "B" is rated at 1,000 hp and a "C" is rated at 1,500 hp.
"H" indicates that this turbo is intended for high altitude operation, which in fact all R-4360 turbos were.
"M" means that the turbo has multiple compressor stages, i.e., two stages of compression.
The number indicates the level of development.
(Source:
Graham White, R-4360: Pratt & Whitney’s Major Miracle (North Branch, MN: Speciality Press Publishers, 2006), 174.)
Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company wrote:
At the present time, the General Electric Company
produces four types of Turbo Superchargers for ser-
vice in airplanes. The engine horsepower range for
which each type is designed and its maximum safe
rotor speed are as follows:
Type A - 500 to 800 H.P. - 25,000 R.P.M.
Type B - 800 to 1400 H.P. - 21,300 R.P.M.
(Improved Construction Permits
24,000 R.P.M. Continuous or
26,400 R.P.M. 5 min. Duration)
Type C - 1800 to 2200 H.P. - 17,000 R.P.M.
Type D - 1400 to 1800 H.P. - 19,700 R.P.M.
(Source:
Familiarization Manual for the Minneapolis-Honeywell Electronic Turbo Supercharger Control System (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Aeronautical Division, Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company, n.d.), 4.)
Turbocharger Models by Aircraft- Production
- B-17E and B-17F - B-2[1][2]
- B-17G - B-2 or B-22[3]
- B-24D, E, G and H - B-2 or B-22[4][5]
- B-24J and M - B-22[5]
- B-24N - B-31[5]
- B-29 and B-29A - B-11 or B-31[5][6]
- B-32 - B-31[5]
- B-36 - BH-1[White]
- B-50 - CH-7A1 or CH-7B1[White]
- C-87 - B-2 or B-22[5]
- C-97 - 7SBH-4B1, CH-7A1 or CH-7B1[White]
- F-5E - B-13 or B-33[5]
- F-7A and F-7B - B-2 or B-22[5]
- FG-3 - Unknown
- P-38E, F and G - B-2 or B-22[5]
- P-38H, J and L - B-13 or B-33[7][5]
- P-47B through D-3 - C-1[8]
- P-47D-5 through D-6 - C-21[8]
- P-47D-10 and subsequent - C-23[8]
- P-47G - C-1 or C-21[5]
- P-47M - CH-5A1[9]
- P-47N - CH-5A1 or CH-5B1[9]
- P-61C - CH-5-A3[10]
- Prototypes
- XB-28 - Type C[11]
- XB-32 - B-11[11]
- XB-33 - C-2 or Type CMC[11]
- XB-35 - BH-1 or Type EM[12][11]
- XB-39 - CM-2A1 or CH-5[11]
- XF4U-3 - Unknown
- XF6F-2 - Unknown
- XF-11 - BH-1[12]
- XF-12 - Unknown
- YP-37 - Unknown
- XP-39 - Unknown
- XP-49 - B-10[11]
- XP-54 - Type B or Type CM[11]
- XP-58 - E-2[11]
- XP-60A - B-14[11]
- XP-62 - E-2 or Type CM[11]
- XP-67 - D-2 or D-23[11]
- XP-69 - Type CM[11]
- XP-71 - Type EM or E-2[11]
- XP-72 - Type EM[11]
- R6O/R6V - BH-3 or GT15-2[White]
Identification Features- Cooling Shroud: Installed/None
- A band of metal wrapped around the area between the nozzle box and compressor casing.
- Nozzle Box Type: Scroll/Torus
- A scroll type nozzle box is asymmetrical, while a torus type is not.
- Wastegate Type: Straight/Angle/Upstream Exhaust
- An upstream exhaust exits through the center of the of the device and, as such, will only have one rather than two openings on the nozzle box.
Attachment:
Attachment:
(Source:
Index of Army-Navy Aeronautical Equipment for Turbosuperchargers and Regulators, Pumps, and Pump Accessories, T.O. 03-10–48, 1945, 2-3.)
A few notes:
- It may be the General Electric designation sequence functions like that of Stearman and B-22 should be read as "B-2-2" or the second modification of the B-2.
- Inclusion of the word "Type" in the turbocharger models by aircraft list indicates that the model number was not known.
- The source listed as "[White]" is Graham White, R-4360: Pratt & Whitney’s Major Miracle (North Branch, MN: Speciality Press Publishers, 2006), 174.
- Another useful reference is a Turbosupercharger Field Service Manual.
EDIT (25-02-21): Added XF-11 and XF-12 entries; changed P-47M/N and XB-35 entries; added excerpt from familiarization manual about horsepower and rotor speeds of types.