Ok I don't want to create a new thread so I'm asking the question here.
What was wrong with the TF104 / 106 / 30 / 306 family of Pratt turbofans ? And how did it impacted SNECMA own take at improving that engine ?
I presently have the following (scattered) elements
- TF30 started as the F6D subsonic turbofan
- Trouble started when Pratt made it supersonic for the F-111B and later the Tomcat
- Even subsonic, it wasn't that good, as A-7 got a massive performance boost when USAF, then USN, switched to Allison TF41 / Spey
- SNECMA seemingly made a better job than Pratt on TF306, correcting a turbine blade problem
- Mirage F2 and Mirage G seems to have flown pretty well (1966-69 and 1967-71 respectively)
- So did the TF30s A-7, never heard of deadly compressor stalls issues for A-7s and Mirage F2 / G
- Before that however, TF106 in Mirage III-T and III-V 01 seemingly sucked immensely
- compressor stalls seems to be a common feature between SNECMA issues and the Tomcat own problems
- yet as far as the F-111A was concerned, the intakes were trickier too, so not TF30 fault there
Was there some kind of flaw in the TF30 compressor ? something akin to rampant compressor stalls that could be aggravated by ill-suited intakes - as shown by the Mirage III-T (too small intakes) and F-111 (intakes done wrong) ?
