Rocket Engine, Liquid Fuel, YLR-63-AJ-3

Shown here is the YLR-63-AJ-3 liquid-fuel rocket engine developed and built by the Aerojet-General Corporation for use as a built-in jet-assisted-take-off (JATO) on Republic Aircraft's F-84 fighter jet. Known as a super-performance engine, the YLR-63 was designed to increase the F-84's combat performance against Soviet MiG jets during the Korean War. The U.S. Air Force awarded the engine contract to Aerojet in 1953. The regeneratively cooled YLR-63 produced up to five thousand pounds of thrust and could be restarted multiple times.

Flight testing of the engine on F-84 aircraft began after the Korean War had ended. Consequently, the TLR-63 never became operational. It was the last of Aerojet's super-performance engines, having been replaced by more powerful jet engines equipped with afterburners. Aerojet gave this engine to the Museum in 1968.