The Theseus was the Bristol Aeroplane Company's first attempt at a gas-turbine engine design. A turboprop delivering just over 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) was chosen rather than compete with companies that were already developing turbojets. A heat exchanger to transfer waste heat from the exhaust to the compressor exit was necessary to meet a requirement for a fuel consumption comparable to a piston engine. The heat exchanger was abandoned after tests showed it had a high pressure loss and saved much less fuel than had been expected.
As well as being one of the first engines to feature a free-turbine turboshaft, free propeller turbine, the Theseus was the first turboprop in the world to pass a Type certificate, type test in January 1947. Following 156 hours of ground runs and the receipt of a test certificate from the Ministry of Supply on 28 January 1947, two Theseus engines were fitted in the outer positions of a four-engined Avro Lincoln for air tests.
After ground and taxying test the Lincoln first flew on 17 February 1947.
The engine was also installed in two Handley Page Hermes, Handley Page Hermes 5 development aircraft.
It was soon superseded by the Bristol Proteus, Proteus design with more power.
Applications
*Avro Theseus Lincoln
[Test bed only]
*Handley Page Hermes, Handley Page Hermes 5
Bristol Theseus on public display
East Midlands Aeropark Castle Donington.
Variants
;Theseus Series TH.11
:Variant without heat exchanger
;Theseus Series TH.21
:Variant with heat exchanger
;Theseus 502:
Specifications (Theseus Th.21)
See also
*List of aircraft engines
References
Notes
Bibliography
*Gunston, Bill. ''World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines''. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989.
External links
"Bristol Theseus I"a 1945 ''Flight'' article
''Flight'' 30 November 1950
{{BristolAeroengines
1940s turboprop engines
Bristol aircraft engines, Theseus
Mixed-compressor gas turbines