Olympus 22R Mk.320 Jet Engine

For anyone with knowledge of British Aviation History or the TSR2 story this item will need no description or explanation. This engine representing the pinnacle of the British Aviation Industry and the Bristol Siddeley / BAC quest to build the: Tactical Strike and Reconnaissance, Mach 2 Aircraft (TSR-2). Quite possibly the greatest aircraft that never was.

The TSR2 program was the BAC and Royal Air Force venture to build the ultimate MACH 2 Tactical strike and reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft design and development was way ahead of its time and was considered to be the most advanced and capable military aircraft of it time prior to the cancellation of the project on the 6th April 1965. The newly elected labour government of the day deemed the project to be too expensive with projected costs of £1700 Million over 15 years and cancelled the project with immediate effect. Only one prototype aircraft had got to the test flight stage when all aircraft, engines, blueprints and tooling were ordered destroyed to prevent this state of the art technology getting into enemy hands. Miraculously two completed but un-flown aircraft survived and are now preserved with one example in the RAF museum at Cosford and the other at the Duxford imperial war museum. The engine is one of the production batch TSR2 engines and is in its original transport stand. Overall a seriously impressive piece of engineering. The front stage fan is mirror polished Titanium. This engine would make a serious addition to any Major collection. A Stunning display engine ready to exhibit. Data Plate Reads:Bristol Siddeley OlympusMk: 32001SERIAL: OL22223 AM Number: A667191 It has been used to illustrate the TSR2 aircraft and shows XR220 on display at Royal Air Force museum Cosford. Worldwide containerized shipping and delivery can be arranged at buyer's expense. Engine dimensions in the stand: length 3.5m. height 1.45m. width 1.35m. Weight approx 3000 kg A Monumental Piece of Aviation Heritage! Serial Number: 22223 date 1963