De_Havilland_Gnome
Rolls-Royce Gnome
1950s British turboshaft aircraft engine
The Rolls-Royce Gnome is a British turboshaft engine originally developed by the de Havilland Engine Company as a licence-built General Electric T58, an American mid-1950s design.[1] The Gnome came to Rolls-Royce after their takeover of Bristol Siddeley in 1968, Bristol having absorbed de Havilland Engines Limited in 1961.
A licence to manufacture the T58 was purchased in 1958. The T58 had begun bench testing in 1955[2] and by 1958 had already been used in helicopters and de Havilland were able to test their first engines in a Westland Whirlwind and Wasp helicopters in August 1959 and March 1960 respectively.[3]
A free-turbine turboshaft, it was used in helicopters such as the Westland Sea King and Westland Whirlwind. The design was sub-licensed to Alfa-Romeo.[4]
There were two series produced: the "H" turboshaft for helicopter use, and the "P" turboprop for fixed-wing aircraft.[3]