Buick (Wright/Armstrong Siddeley) Sapphire J65-B-3 Turbojet Engine

Type: Turbojet

Thrust: 32,026 N (7,200 lb) at 8,200 rpm

Compressor: 13-stage axial

Combustor: Single annular chamber

Turbine: 2-stage axial

Weight: 1,224 kg (2,696 lb)

With Air Force encouragement, Wright Aeronautical entered the aircraft gas turbine business when its President Roy T. Hurley traveled to Britain and obtained manufacturing licenses from Bristol for its Olympus turbojet engine, and Armstrong Siddeley for its Sapphire turbojet that had begun development in 1946. Following additional U.S. development, particularly of the compressor and turbine, Wright military qualified the Sapphire as the J65, with production beginning in 1952 and ending in 1957. Wright and Buick built a total of 10,023 J65 engines that powered aircraft such as the Republic F-84 Thunderstreak and RF-84F Thunderflash, the Martin B-57A and RB-57B Canberra, the North American FJ-3 and FJ-4 Fury, Douglas A4D-1 Skyhawk, Grumman F-11 Tiger, and Chance-Vought Regulus missile.

A total of 3,343 J65-B-3 model engines were built, powering the Republic F-84 and RF-84 jet aircraft. The Buick Motor Division of the General Motors Corporation built this J65-B-3 model artifact.