Continental T51 Explained

The Continental CAE T51 was a small turboshaft engine produced by Continental Aviation and Engineering (CAE) under license from Turbomeca. A development of the Artouste, it was followed by three additional turboshaft engines, the T72, the T65, and the T67. However, none of these engines, including the T51, entered full production. CAE abandoned turboshaft development in 1967 after the XT67 lost to the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T (T400) to power the Bell UH-1N Twin Huey.^[1]

Variants and derivatives

XT51-1: (Model 210) Based on the Turbomeca Artouste I; 280 shp.^[1]

XT51-3: (Model 220-2) Based on the Turbomeca Artouste II; 425 shp.^[1]

XT72: (Model 217-5) Based on the Turbomeca Astazou; 600 shp.^[1]

XT65: (Model 217-10) A scaled-down version of the Astazou; competed against the Allison T63 to power the Light Observation Helicopter; 305 shp.^[1]

T65-T-1:^[2]

XT67: (Model 217A) two engines driving a common gearbox; based on the Turbomeca Astazou X and T72; 1,540 shp.^[1]

Model 210:Company designation for the XT51-1

Model 217-5:Company designation for the XT72

Model 217-10:Company designation for the XT65

Model 217A:Company designation for the XT67

Model 217A-2A:Company designation for the T67-T-1^[2]

Model 219:similar to 220–2 with extra axial compressor stage

Model 220-2:Company designation for the XT51-3

Model 227-4A:Company designation for the T65-T-1^[2]

Model TS325-1:Alternative company designation for the T65-T-1^[2]

Model 327-5:Turboprop version of the T65-T-1^[2]

Applications

XT51-1

• XL-19C Bird Dog
• Sikorsky XH-39 (S-59)

XT51-3

• Bell 201 (XH-13F)

XT67

• Bell 208

XT72

• Republic Lark (license-built Aérospatiale Alouette II)

Further reading

• Book: Gunston, Bill . World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines, 5th Edition . 2006 . Sutton Publishing Limited . Phoenix Mill, Gloucestershire, England, UK . 0-7509-4479-X .

External links

• Turbomeca website

Notes and References

1. Book: Leyes II, Richard A. . William A. Fleming . The History of North American Small Gas Turbine Aircraft Engines . Smithsonian Institution . Washington, DC . 1999 . 113–121 . 1-56347-332-1 .
2. Book: Wilkinson, Paul H. . Aircraft engines of the World 1966/77 . 1966 . Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. . London . 21st . 78–79.