Image of the Air Force wings with the museum name underneath

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Williams International F112-WR-100 Turbofan

This type of small turbofan engine powered the X-36A, a remotely piloted aircraft used in 1996 to demonstrate the tailless agile fighter concept. Because the X-36A was a scaled-down version of a potential fighter design, the small Williams F112 engine was ideal for the project. The F112 also powered the U.S. Air Force's AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile.

Williams International has a long history developing small turbojets, and the F112-WR-100 was one of its most advanced models. The F112 is essentially a miniature version of turbofan engines used in many airliners and military aircraft. Turbofans are ideal for flight at high subsonic speeds, and small, fuel efficient ones like the engine on display give cruise missiles their characteristic long range.

In addition to its use in the X-36A and cruise missiles, the F112-WR-100 also powered the X-50A, which could rapidly transition from a rotary helicopter to a fixed-wing aircraft. The engine on display is a test model donated by Williams International to the museum in 1992.

TECHNICAL NOTES:
Compressor and turbine: Two-spool, counter-rotating
Thrust: 732 lbs. maximum
Weight: 161 lbs.
Bypass ratio: Approx. 1:1

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