| Sapphire | |
|---|---|
| |
| Preserved Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire at the Midland Air Museum | |
| Type | Turbojet |
| Manufacturer | Armstrong Siddeley |
| First run | 1 October 1948 |
| Major applications | Gloster Javelin Handley Page Victor Hawker Hunter |
| Variants | Wright J65 |
The Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire is a British turbojet engine that was produced by Armstrong Siddeley in the 1950s. It was the ultimate development of work that had started as the Metrovick F.2 in 1940, evolving into an advanced axial flow design with an annular combustion chamber that developed over 11,000 lbf (49 kN). It powered early versions of the Hawker Hunter and Handley Page Victor, and every Gloster Javelin. Production was also started under licence in the United States by Wright Aeronautical as the J65, powering a number of US designs. The Sapphire's primary competitor was the Rolls-Royce Avon.