Allison YT-56-A-3 Turboprop The T-56, a jet engine that uses a propeller to produce most of its thrust, was originally designed to power the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. Because the T-56 compressor and turbine rotate at a high speed (13,820 rpm), a reduction gearbox is used to allow the propeller to turn at a much slower, more efficient speed. The production T-56 engine delivers approximately 4,000 hp to the propeller, while an additional 800 pounds of thrust is produced by the jet exhaust. Its maximum operating altitude is 55,000 feet. The T-56 evolved from Allison's T-38 engine and was first flown in the nose of a B-17 test-bed aircraft in 1954. The engine on display is a prototype of later engines in the T-56 series. TECHNICAL NOTES: Compressor: 14-stage axial Turbine: 4-stage axial Gear reduction ratio: 12.5 to 1 Weight (without propeller): 1,610 lbs. Maximum operating altitude: 55,000 ft. Cost: $150,000 Click here to return to the Featured Accessions index.