Napier Scorpion

Scorpion
Country of origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer Napier
Application aircraft booster
Liquid-fuel engine
Propellant hydrogen peroxide / kerosene
Performance
Thrust 4,000 lbf (17.8 kN)

The Napier Scorpion was a British liquid-fuelled rocket engine developed and manufactured by Napier. It used hydrogen peroxide / kerosene propellant chemistry.[1]

Scorpion

The first Scorpion NSc.1 was successfully flight-tested in an Canberra.[2]

Double Scorpion

Double Scorpion

Double Scorpion, RAF Museum London
Manufacturer Napier
Application aircraft booster
Predecessor Napier Scorpion
Liquid-fuel engine
Propellant hydrogen peroxide / kerosene
Configuration
Chamber two
Performance
Thrust 8,000 lbf (35.6 kN)
Dimensions
Length 856mm (33.7in)
Diameter 584mm (23in)
Dry weight 98kg (216lb)
Triple Scorpion
Application aircraft booster
Predecessor Napier Double Scorpion
Liquid-fuel engine
Propellant hydrogen peroxide / kerosene
Configuration
Chamber three, independently fired
Performance
Thrust 12,000 lbf (53.4 kN)

From 1956 the Double Scorpion NScD.1 [3] was fitted experimentally to two Canberra light bombers, to improve high altitude performance.[2][4]

A world altitude record of 70,300 feet (21,427 m) was set by Canberra WK163 on 28 August 1957.[5] This was on the eve of cancellation of manned aircraft programmes by the 1957 Defence White Paper.

The Double Scorpion was also considered for use in the English Electric P.1A interceptor (which gave rise to the Lightning).[2] The company Aerojet General was chosen for United States production.[6]

Cancellation

The Scorpion project was cancelled in February 1959, at a reported total cost of £1.25 million.[7]

Notes and references

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Napier Scorpion.
  1. ↑ "United Kingdom Aerospace and Weapons Projects: Rocket Engines". Skomer.
  2. 1 2 3 "Scorpion" (PDF). Flight 73 (2579): 900. 27 June 1958.
  3. ↑ "Napier Double Scorpion" (PDF). Flight: 338. 30 August 1957.
  4. ↑ Compiled by Alan Vessey (1997). Napier Powered. Tempus. ISBN 0-7524-0766-X.
  5. ↑ "Napier Rocket Engines" (PDF). The English Electric Journal. June 1957.
  6. ↑ Popular Science. February 1958. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ↑ "Cancelled projects: the list up-dated" (PDF). Flight: 262. 17 August 1967.


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