| T56 / Model 501 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Turboprop |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Allison Engine Company Rolls-Royce plc |
| Major applications | C-130 Hercules E-2 Hawkeye P-3 Orion |
| Developed from | Allison T38 |
The Allison T56 is a single shaft, modular design military turboprop with a 14 stage axial flow compressor driven by a four stage turbine. It was originally developed by the Allison Engine Company for the Lockheed C-130 transport[1] entering production in 1954. It is now produced under Rolls-Royce which acquired Allison in 1995. The commercial version is designated 501-D. With an unusually long and numerous production run, over 18,000 engines have been produced since 1954. It has logged over 200 million flying hours.
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The engine evolved from Allison's previous T38 series. It was first flown in the nose of a B-17 test-bed aircraft in 1954. Originally fitted to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, the T56 was also installed on the P-3 and E-2/C-2 aircraft, as well as civilian airliners such as the Lockheed Electra and Convair 580. A shipboard version, the 501K engine, is used to generate electrical power for all U.S. Navy cruisers and destroyers currently in commission.
In the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules which first flew in 1996, the T56 is replaced by the Rolls-Royce AE 2100, which uses dual FADECs (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) to control the engines and propellers. It drives new six-bladed scimitar propellers from Dowty.
Notable applications include:
Notable applications include:
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