SNECMA Atar 101
| Industry | Aerospace, Aircraft engines |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1945 |
| Founder | Hermann Östrich and former BMW engineers |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Turbojet engines (ATAR series) |
SNECMA ATAR 101 represents a French-designed axial-flow turbojet engine created by SNECMA. Its roots trace back to BMW designs from the wartime era and it evolved through a sequence of increasingly powerful versions. Named after its founding team, Atelier Technique Aéronautique de Rickenbach, the project included Hermann Östrich alongside former BMW engineers. This engine served as the powerplant for several prominent French jets following World War II, such as the Vautour II, Étendard IV, Super Mystère B2, and the prototype Mirage III-001.
Design and development
After World War II, France aimed to develop its own gas turbine technology within the aviation industry. To achieve this, the government recruited German specialists headed by Dr. Hermann Östrich, previously affiliated with BMW, who assembled the Atelier Technique Aéronautique de Rickenbach near Lake Constance. By October 1945, the ATAR 101 design was nearly finalized. A contract signed in December 1945 required all manufacturing processes to be conducted on French soil.
In order to improve collaboration with SNECMA—the nationalized engine manufacturer—the design team moved to Decize and was renamed Aeroplanes G.Voisin, Groupe 'O' . Production of components commenced at SNECMA in May 1946, with the engine's first test run occurring on 26 March 1948.
Early variants utilized conventional commercial-grade steel, which limited operational lifespan; a 150-hour endurance benchmark was only reached by 1951. The introduction of advanced materials greatly enhanced engine durability. The initial flight-capable ATAR 101A took to the skies on 10 November 1950, installed in a Martin B-26G Marauder (F-WBXM). During a significant restructuring in June 1950, Groupe O became part of SNECMA. Flight trials were subsequently conducted on multiple aircraft including the SNCASE S.E.161 Languedoc, SNCASO S.O.30P Bretagne, SNCASE S.E.2060 Armagnac, and a Gloster Meteor F.4.
Ongoing improvements in metallurgy, aerodynamics, compressor design, combustion chambers, and turbine technology led to the commercially successful ATAR 101B. This version and its successors powered the multipurpose SNCASO S.O.4050 Vautour interceptor, bomber, and reconnaissance platform. Development throughout the 1950s culminated in the afterburning 101G model, which laid the foundation for subsequent ATAR 8 and ATAR 9 engines.
Variants
Source: Turbojet: History and Development 1930–1960: Volume 2:
- 101V
- Prototype engines used during initial testing phases.
- 101A
- Engines designated for flight testing on airborne test platforms.
- 101B
- First production model utilized in prototype aircraft and experimental setups. It debuted on a Dassault MD.450-11/12 Ouragan on 5 December 1951 and was also installed in a Gloster Meteor F.4 as well as the S.O.4050-01 Vautour prototype.
- 101C
- Featured an enhanced compressor and combustion system; maximum rotational speed rose from 8,050 to 8,400 rpm with thrust rated at .
- 101D
- Introduced a variable area eyelid nozzle replacing the previous translating bullet design.
- 101D3
- 101E
- By 1954, the 101E3 variant achieved thrust of , enabled by a new compressor delivering a 15% higher pressure ratio.
- 101E3
- 101E4
- 101E5
- 101F
- Afterburner-equipped version based on the 101D.
- 101G
- Afterburning variant derived from the 101E.
- 101G2
- 101G3
- 101G4
Applications
- Martin B-26 Marauder (used in engine development)
- SNCASE S.E.161 Languedoc
- SNCASE S.E.2060 Armagnac
- Dassault MD.450-11/12 Ouragan
- Gloster Meteor F.4 (for engine development purposes)
- Dassault Mystère B prototypes and Mystère C production models
- Dassault Mystère IVB (prototype version only)
- Dassault Étendard IV (prototype)
- Dassault Super Mystère B2
- Dassault Mirage III (prototype variant)
- SFECMAS Gerfaut
- Nord Griffon
- SNCASE S.E.212 Durandal
- SNCASE S.E.5000 Baroudeur
- Leduc 0.22
Bibliography
- Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England: Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989.