IMPROVED TURBINE LUBRICANTS WILL BE NEEDED

ALTHOUGH PRESENT AIRCRAFT TURBINE lubricating oils have been very successful, the fact that aircraft of the future will need to fly faster and higher, will impose extra heavy duties on the oil, e.g., it it is expected that bulk oil temperatures may rise a further 150°F. These facts were stated by T. F. Davidson, and J. H. Way (Wright Air Development Center, United States Air Force), in a paper to the Society of Automotive Engineers at New York in April. They said that although during 1958 probably 80% of the U.S. Air Force gas turbines would be lubricated with oil to Specification MIL‐L‐7808, there would be considerable room for improvement. The areas where improvement is required are in connection with corrosion, oxidation and thermal stability, gear and bearing fatigue resistance and load carrying ability.