Country of origin United Kingdom Application aircraft booster | Manufacturer Napier Thrust 4,000 lbf (17.8 kN) | |
 | ||
Propellant hydrogen peroxide / kerosene | ||
The Napier Scorpion was a British liquid-fuelled rocket engine developed and manufactured by Napier. It used hydrogen peroxide / kerosene propellant chemistry.
Contents
Scorpion
The first Scorpion NSc.1 was successfully flight-tested in a Canberra.
Double Scorpion
From 1956 the Double Scorpion NScD.1 was fitted experimentally to two Canberra light bombers, to improve high altitude performance.
A world altitude record of 70,300 feet (21,427 m) was set by Canberra WK163 on 28 August 1957. This was on the eve of cancellation of manned aircraft programmes by the 1957 Defence White Paper.
The Double Scorpion was also considered for use in the English Electric P.1A interceptor (which gave rise to the Lightning). The company Aerojet General was chosen for United States production.
Cancellation
The Scorpion project was cancelled in February 1959, at a reported total cost of £1.25 million.