Lycoming T53

T53
Cutaway view of an early T53 turboprop, with single stage HP and power turbines
Type	Turboshaft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Lycoming Engines Honeywell Aerospace
First run	~1955 [1]
Major applications	AH-1 Cobra Kaman K-MAX OV-1 Mohawk UH-1 Iroquois
Developed into	Lycoming T55

The Lycoming T53, (company designation LTC-1) is a turboshaft engine used on helicopters and (as a turboprop) fixed-wing aircraft since the 1950s. It was designed at the Lycoming Turbine Engine Division in Stratford, Connecticut by a team headed by Anselm Franz, who was the chief designer of the Junkers Jumo 004 during World War II.

A much larger engine, similar in overall design, became the Lycoming T55. Both engines are now produced by Honeywell Aerospace.

Variants

Military designations

T53-L-1B

860 hp (645 kW)

T53-L-11

825 hp (615 kW)

T53-L-13B

1400 shp (1044kW) improved L-11

T53-L-701

1,400 hp (1044 kW) Turboprop variant used on Mohawk and AIDC T-CH-1

T53-L-703

1,800 hp (1343 kW) improved durability variant of the L-13B

Civil designations

T5311A

1100 shp (820kW)

T5313A

1400 shp (1044kW) commercial variant of the L-13

T5313B

1400 shp (1044kW) commercial variant of the L-13

T5317A

1500 shp (1119kW) improved variant of the L-13

LTC1K-4K

1550 shp (1156kW) direct drive variant of the L-13B

Applications

• AIDC T-CH-1 (T53-L-701)
• AIDC XC-2
• Bell 204B (T5311A)
• Bell 205A (T5313B)
• Bell 205A-1 (T5313B and T5317A)
• Bell AH-1 Cobra (T53-L-703)
• Bell UH-1H Iroquois (T53-L-703)
• Bell XV-15 (LTC1K-4K)
• Boeing Vertol VZ-2 (YT53)
• Canadair CL-84
• Doak VZ-4
• F+W C-3605
• Grumman OV-1D Mohawk (T53-L-701)
• Kaman HH-43 Huskie
• Kaman K-1200 (T5317A)
• Kaman K-MAX
• Ryan VZ-3 Vertiplane
• DB Class 210, diesel railway locomotive

Specifications (T53-L-701)

Data from Flight International^[2]

General characteristics

• Type: Turboshaft
• Length: 58.4 in (1,483 mm)
• Diameter: 23 in (584 mm)
• Dry weight: 688 lb (312kg)

Components

• Compressor: 5-stage axial compressor and 1-stage centrifugal compressor
• Combustors: reverse flow
• Turbine: 2-stage high pressure turbine; 2-stage power turbine

Performance

• Maximum power output: 1,451 shp (1,082 kW)
• Overall pressure ratio: 7.4
• Air mass flow: 10.7 lb/s (4.853 kg/s)
• Power-to-weight ratio:

References

• Gunston, Bill (2006). World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines, 5th Edition. Phoenix Mill, Gloucestershire, England, UK: Sutton Publishing Limited. p. 132. ISBN 0-7509-4479-X. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lycoming T53.

• Honeywell T53 page
• Honeywell T53 Worldwide Parts Distributor page