Armstrong Siddeley Stentor

Stentor
Armstrong Siddeley Stentor rocket engine showing the large main nozzle (top) and the smaller cruise nozzle (bottom)
Type	Rocket engine
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Armstrong Siddeley
First run	c.1960
Major applications	Blue Steel missile

The Armstrong Siddeley Stentor, latterly Bristol Siddeley BSSt.1 Stentor, was a two-chamber rocket engine used to power the Blue Steel stand-off missile carried by Britain's V bomber force. One chamber was used for initial boost, then, 29 seconds after release the boost chamber was shut down and a smaller cruise chamber was used for most of the flight.

Design and development

It was fuelled by hydrogen peroxide / kerosene propellant chemistry.

The engine incorporated an integral tubular mounting frame which was attached by six lugs to the rear bulkhead of the missile airframe, the complete engine being enclosed in a tube-shaped fairing with the nozzles at the rear.

Applications

• Blue Steel missile

Engines on display

Preserved Stentor engines are on display at the following museums:

• Royal Air Force Museum Cosford
• Midland Air Museum
• The University of Liverpool, in the Department of Engineering foyer.
• South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum. Doncaster
• Cambridge Science Centre, Cambridge

Specifications

Cut-away Stentor on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford

General characteristics

• Type: Liquid-propellant rocket engine
• Length: 58 in (147 cm)
• Diameter: 38 in wide, 44.5 in high (96 x 113 cm)
• Dry weight: 747 lb (339 kg) including oil and nitrogen
• Fuel: Kerosene
• Oxidiser: Hydrogen peroxide

Components

• Pumps:

Performance

• Thrust: Large boost chamber rated at 24,000lbf (106.8kN)
  smaller cruise chamber rated at 6,000lbf (26.7kN)
• Burn time:

See also

Related development

• Bristol Siddeley BS.605

Related lists

• List of aircraft engines