C130 Ex Snoopy

[Mackrick]

Marshall Aerospace C130 ex snoopy flew yesterday with the first flight of the Europrop International TP400 powerplant for the A400M military transport, a test lasting 1h 15min. A single example of the engine has been fitted to the left inboard position on a Lockheed Martin C-130K test-bed aircraft. The TP400's response was tested in several aircraft configurations at speeds up to 165kt (305km/h) and to a height of 8,000ft (2,440m).

[Spitfire]

Amazing - looks like its going to be one hell of an engine

TP400

[Mackrick]

needs 50 flight hours on the wing before the A400M can fly though so it will be a while.
They only took the engine up to 30-35% power as well so its one big engine.
It is the largest and most powerful engine in the west.

[IanM]

Why Ex Snoopy????

[Stevieboy]

Here's a clue Ian

[Mayfly]

Snoopy was a weather ship owned by the British Met Office, she regularly flew into Atlantic storms as part of a £10b European project - now as you can see she is a test bed used by MA

[Mackrick]

In 2005 Marshall Aerospace acquired the UK MoD’s former lone C-130 W Mk2 from Qinetiq which was last operated by DERA. Also known as "Snoopy", Marshall Aerospace originally converted this aircraft from a standard RAF C-130K Mk1 to the one-off C-130 W Mk2 in 1975 in order to meet a UK MoD requirement for a capable meteorological research platform. The platform amassed around 11,800 flight hours between 1975 and its retirement from service in 2001.

Once delivered to Cambridge, work to modify the aircraft begun with the removal of its long nose boom, radar and wing pods and the aircraft underwent a period of scheduled maintenance. Following a preliminary design review, Marshall Aerospace completed detailed design work for the engine's integration, including modifications to the aircraft’s wings, fuselage, pylon and aircraft systems. The test aircraft will operate one EPI TP400 on its left inner wing station, with its eight-bladed Ratier-Figeac propeller. At 5.33m (17.5ft), this is over a metre larger in diameter than the C-130's standard 4.11m propeller.

The C-130-based flights will inform the development and integration of the TP400 with the A400M, and sees Marshall working alongside Airbus Military, MTU, and the Rolls-Royce and Snecma joint venture EPI.

[Saracenman]

i saw Snoopy at Boscombe years ago - have to say, I'm glad the nose has now gone - she was perhaps the ugliest machine I'd ever seen!

good to see that we are still at the forefront of A400 development though

sm

[Xplumberlives]

i saw Snoopy at Boscombe years ago - have to say, I'm glad the nose has now gone - she was perhaps the ugliest machine I'd ever seen!

good to see that we are still at the forefront of A400 development though

sm

BIG noses eh!

[Mackrick]

She flew again last week and they managed to get the new engine up to full power.. all went well according to my contacts..

[Saracenman]

funny - i was speaking to an ex-558 engineer the other day - heard much the same! still no firm in-service date for the mighty 400M though - guess we'll be getting new Hercs before that anyway

[Mackrick]

Can't say but I think wedgy will be happy before we see one.

[Wedgy]

[Saracenman]

Amazing - looks like its going to be one hell of an engine

oooooooooo - that would make a lovely job of a few kittens

sm

[Mackrick]

It looks like its going to different to say the least.

Although the engine and gearbox is the same for each engine there are 2 different props. On the wing viewed from the front the inboard prop turns towards the outboard one (Clockwise) and the outboard one turns towards the inboard one (Anti-clockwise). Something to do with reducing vibration and a cleaner airflow over the wing.

Now any engineers amongst you can probably see that there is a murphy in the making here. Engine rotation so I am told is controlled at installation by a mechanical selection on the gearbox. Now I wonder who will be the first to miss this / fit the right prop or the wrong prop to the engine.

It would never happen !

[Stevieboy]

Now any engineers amongst you can probably see that there is a murphy in the making here. Engine rotation so I am told is controlled at installation by a mechanical selection on the gearbox. Now I wonder who will be the first to miss this / fit the right prop or the wrong prop to the engine.

It would never happen !

I'm sure that we can rely on a bit of poke yoke.

[Saracenman]

is there any talk of re-engining the Herc fleet with those new kitten-slicers?

commonality of components etc.............????

sm

[Mackrick]

wont happen SM. Snoopy had some real heavy mods carried out just to hang one engine.

[Saracenman]

hmmm - thought it was much too like a good idea

[Sad Sam3]

Evening all,

Funny to read this, I've just applied for a job up at Boscombe and wondered what had happened to Snoopy as she was one of the aircraft I was playing with last time I was there.

[Saracenman]

blimey - she left BD ages ago!

[Sad Sam3]

blimey - she left BD ages ago!

So did I, and you can't see that much from the road!

Plus they kept moving here around for the year I was there cos they could not decide what to do with her.

[Dan4th]

EYE always thought Snoopy was a BOY dog....

D.

[Saracenman]

fair enough - and you're right about the visibility from the road too - used to be much better

and Danf - you should see Snoopy's knackers

sm

[Dan4th]

WAIT!

Didn't they "pick his pockets" at some point?

Something about the Decency Police or something....

Dan4th