Pratt & Whitney J57-P-420 Information

[Manderallen]

Good afternoon,

For some time, I have been interested in information on the Pratt & Whitney J57-P-420. I have every book on the F-8 Crusader I can find. That has provided some information but there is many holes in the story. In Naval Fighters #16 there are engine ratings that refer to Military ratings of 12,400 lbs st and Afterburning ratings of 19,600 lbs st on page 104. All references are in relation to late F-8H and F-8J models. Wikipedia lists many variants but nothing that lists more in relation to this late Navy variant.

Does anyone here have any other details on this model of the J57? Also, any information on what changes allowed the increase in thrust from the J57-P-20a? Lastly is there any usage of the 420 in the French Navy's Crusaders?

Thank you in advance. Hope you all are having a great weekend.

Brad

(If I need to place my thread in a different area, please advise.)

 

[CV12Hornet]

The F-8H and F-8J Standard Aircraft Characteristics sheets have some basic information:

https://www.aahs-online.org/images/Navy_SAC/F-8H.pdf

https://www.aahs-online.org/images/Navy_SAC/F-8J.pdf

This at least confirms the thrust outputs, but not much else.

As far as the French Crusaders, they appear to have kept the P-20 engine, being mostly stock F-8Ds in design.

 

[BlackBat242]

The trial aircraft for the French modifications was F-8D BuNo 147036, but the French aircraft were a modified version of the F-8E (F8U-2NE), not the F-8D.
The F8U-2NE was the final production version of the Crusader for the US Navy. It was an improvement of the F8U-2N with a new and even larger APQ-94 search and fire-control radar that gave it improved all-weather capability. The larger scanner required by the radar necessitated an enlarged and slightly extended nose cone, increasing the overall length of the F8U-2NE by three inches. The radar scanner was surmounted by a housing for an infrared scanner that was used in conjunction with the Sidewinder missiles. The French Crusaders also carried the IRTS scanner (see photo below)

The F8U-2NE differed from previous Crusaders in having a substantial air-to-ground capability. On all but the first few examples of the F8U-2NE, there were two underwing pylons provided, each capable of carrying a 2000-lb bomb. The F8U-2NE could carry the full range of attack weapons, up to 5000 pounds, a typical load being four 1000-pound bombs plus eight Zuni unguided rockets carried on launchers attached to the sides of the fuselage.

The French Crusader was designated F-8E(FN), with the FN standing for "French Navy".

]The F-8E(FN) had to be modified so that it could operate safely aboard French aircraft carriers, which were somewhat smaller than their American counterparts. In order to reduce the approach speed, the maximum angle of incidence of the variable-incidence wing was increased from five to seven degrees. The drooping wing leading edges were separated into two sections in order to increase the amount of camber that could be achieved when they were extended. A boundary layer control system was added, which blew pressurized air from the engine compressor through adjustable air vents that exhausted over the trailing edge wing flaps. The airflow pressure automatically increased with the angle of flap deflection. The maximum angle of deflection of the trailing-edge flaps was increased. The surface area of the tailplane was increased.

The quartet of four 20-mm cannon was retained, as well as the ability to carry four fuselage-mounted AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles. However, provision was also made to accommodate the French-built Matra R530 air-to-air missile, which existed in both infrared and semi-active radar homing versions. One R530 was carried on each side of the fuselage on rail launchers. Often, an infrared-homing R530 would be carried in one side of the fuselage, with a radar-homer on the other side. To accommodate the R530 in its radar-homing version, a Magnavox AN/APQ-104 radar was fitted, together with a modified AN/AWG-4 fire control system.

 

[Manderallen]

Thank you for the replies gentlemen. You seem to be finding the same information that I have been able to uncover. I have a ton of books on the Crusader and outside of engine ratings there just isnt much information. Most other major fighter programs that I have books on in my library have quite a bit on engine development. That sadly is not the case for the F-8. I even have Jane's Aero Engines. That book has a wealth of information on different engines but just average information on the mass of J-57 variants.

There is documentation of P-420s pulled from the late fighter models and transferred to the Reconnaissance planes for the Navy at the end.