41st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit AIAA 2005-3538

10 - 13 July 2005, Tucson, Arizona

HISTORY OF RAMJET PROPULSION DEVELOPMENT

AT THE MARQUARDT COMPANY – 1944 TO 1970

R. Carl Stechman*
Aerojet, Redmond WA

Robert C. Allen†
Port Hueneme, CA

REFLECTIONS “I’ve always felt that the Air Force got it’s dollars worth from
Marquardt. There’s a company which had a low overhead and an ingenious and resourceful
test group. There was a lack of friction there, and certainly no loss of communications
between the company and the Air Force. Roy Marquardt had that enlightened viewpoint – a
kind of over-optimistic air about him. But he usually came through with what he promised
because he was a natural engineer”- Weldon Worth, Chief Scientist, U.S. Air Force Aero
Propulsion Laboratory1

INTRODUCTION

It started with one engineer, a challenge and an opportunity. A handful of associates, a ‘first step’ completed
with confidence as promised, and the door for an exciting and profitable future was opened. The Marquardt
Company was a pioneer in the development of ramjet propulsion. In the mid-1940’s, the work focused on subsonic
ramjets with early flights on aircraft, and the production of ramjet engines for subsonic target drones. Within five
years the supersonic ramjet development activities began, and the associated technologies and resources rapidly
expanded, as financial support became readily available. The purpose of this paper is to present a historical
overview of the accomplishments of the Marquardt Company’s ramjet activities through the first 25 years of
business.

MARQUARDT AND THE RAMJET - HISTORICAL OVERVIEW 1944-1970

During that five-year ‘first step’ through 1949,

eight different subsonic ramjet configurations were
produced. One hundred eighty ramjet flight tests
were conducted with 43 engines. In addition,
Marquardt had received a contract to manufacture
558 20-in.-diameter subsonic engines for the
Martin Plover KDM-1 target drone (Fig. 1), at an
average price of slightly more than $1000 per
engine ($8000 in CY 2005) or about 50 cents per
ramjet horsepower.

During the next 20 years, 22 models of 11 basic

Fig. 1 KDM-1 target drone with Marquardt 20-in
ramjet designs were developed and flight-tested
subsonic ramjet
(all supersonic ramjets except for two subsonic

*
Chief Bipropellant Engineer, Member AIAA
†
Consultant
1
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Copyright © 2005 by Aerojet-General Corporation (Approval Log 2005-015). Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., with permission.
models). Of the 1,668 ramjet engines produced, 74 were subsonic engines (for the Army target drone program), and
1,594 were supersonic engines (1,202 were Bomarc production ramjets supplied to the Bomarc operational units).
The additional ramjets were evolutionary Bomarc models, or advanced design ramjets. The total company sales
from the operational and flight development programs amounted to approximately $150 million ($1.2 billion in CY
2005). At one time, during the peak of the Bomarc program, Marquardt employment exceeded 6,000.

Marquardt ramjet exploratory development activities that led to the production of two generations of Bomarc
engines, tailed-off in the early 1960’s. Some of the various concepts reflected possible applications to meet
advanced military systems, and others were requested by DOD agencies to expand the technology base. The total
company sales from the exploratory development programs for supersonic and hypersonic propulsion, for the time
period from 1957 through 1969, were approximately $65M ($400 million in CY 2005).

HOW IT ALL STARTED

“ In many ways the development of the subsonic ramjet is the story of Marquardt Aircraft. A group of engineers
became interested in the ramjet engine while working on a submerged reciprocating engine cooling project in 1942.
As a part of this project, the group analyzed the best way to utilize waste heat from the submerged engine and found
that if the flight speed was high enough, useful thrust not only could be recovered from the waste heat, but that it
was actually worthwhile to “waste” more heat by burning additional fuel in the duct. John K. Northrop was too
engrossed with the development of the turbodyne engine at this time to encourage pursuit of the waste heat
studies.”2 In 1944, the Bureau of Aeronautics awarded a
contract to the University of Southern California (USC)
specifically calling for the development of a 20-in.
subsonic ramjet (20-in. refers to the diameter of the
ramjet). The winning proposal activity had been led by
Roy Marquardt, Director of Aeronautical Research for the
University (Fig. 2). Since USC had no manufacturing
facilities, the Marquardt Aircraft Company was formed to
provide hardware and test equipment for the program on a
subcontract. Roy Marquardt, at the age of 26, with nine
friends, obtained $1000 in capital and opened for business
on November 3, 1944.

Approximately one year after the company was

established, Marquardt’s ‘now’ 12-man team moved to a
larger facility in Venice, California. With the increased Fig. 2 Roy Marquardt – 1955
workspace, and developing business, employees were
added daily. With limited production tooling, and a
minimum ground test capability, Marquardt still managed
to deliver its first 20-in. diameter subsonic ramjet to the
Navy in 1945. In the same year, the Air Force contracted
with Marquardt for the production of subsonic engines of
20-in. and 30-in. diameters.

In early 1946, with 20-in. diameter ramjets installed on

the wing tips, the Air Force flight-test vehicle – the P-51
Mustang, increased the speed of the aircraft by 40 miles
per hour (Fig. 3).
Fig. 3 Marquardt first subsonic ramjet test on P-51
Mustang

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 The Navy shortly thereafter began manned flight
tests with these engines installed on the Grumman F7F
Tigercat. The 20-in. diameter ramjet, which weighed
slightly more than 100 lbs, could provide as much thrust
as a turbojet that weighed 10 times more. In 1947, the
Navy extended their flight testing to include a Bell
Aircraft P-83 and the North American F- 82 twin
Mustang.

During the same time period, the Navy coupled the

20-in. diameter ramjet with the air-launched Gorgon IV
test vehicle, operated by the Martin Company. Four
Gorgon flights with Marquardt engines were made in
1947, and the ramjets were operationally demonstrated Fig. 4 F-80 turbojet aircraft with two XRJ31-MA-1
at Mach 0.8 and 10,000 feet. The following year, Martin ramjets over Van Nuys, CA airport (1948)
conducted additional flight tests, eventually
demonstrating a maximum speed of Mach 0.9.

In 1948, with 30-in. diameter subsonic ramjets

installed on the wing tips of the Air Force’s new F-80,
the pilot accelerated to 400 miles per hour, ignited the
two ramjets, and idled his main turbojet (Fig. 4). The
two ramjets provided 4000 pounds of thrust, and solely
propelled the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star with ease. A
48-in. diameter subsonic ramjet built by Marquardt in
1948 was test flown under Air Force sponsorship. This
engine, designed as an expendable auxiliary thrust unit
for a new interceptor airplane, was flight tested 17 times
while installed on a B-26 aircraft. By 1949, Marquardt
had produced and delivered a total of 43 subsonic
ramjets to the Air Force and Navy for flight test and
evaluation. (Fig. 5 shows three subsonic ramjet models –
20-in., 30-in., 48-in. diameters and an Air Force 20-in.
diameter supersonic ramjet, together at the MJL site.) Fig. 5 Marquardt 20, 30 and 48-inch subsonic ramjets and
20-inch supersonic ramjet (right) 1949

A BIG STEP FORWARD

In 1947 and 1948, Marquardt’s activities were directed
toward two supersonic engine designs. The Navy had
awarded a contract to Grumman for a cruise missile, to fly
400 to 500 nautical miles. Marquardt was selected to
provide a 28-in. diameter Mach 2.0 ramjet to power their
initial 0.6 scale flight test vehicle (Fig 6). Shortly
thereafter, the Air Force requested that Marquardt develop
a 20-in. diameter Mach 2.5 ramjet prototype for flight
evaluation, and the Air Force contracted with Lockheed
Aircraft to construct a recoverable ‘radio-controlled’ test
vehicle called the X-7. This test vehicle would become a
major ‘player’ in the development of the first generation Fig. 6 Grumman flight test vehicle XSSM-N-6 project
of Marquardt supersonic ramjet engines. RIGEL (circa 1947-48)

By 1948, supersonic ramjet technology showed such promise, and the demands from the military became so
great, that Marquardt recognized the need for immediate expansion. The Venice facilities were too small to support
the growing employee roster of engineers and technicians - now at 170. Manufacturing facilities were inadequate,

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test facilities for supersonic flight simulations were not onsite, and working capital requirements so significantly
increased that outside help was mandatory.

To provide the necessary assets for the future, Marquardt became a subsidiary of General Tire & Rubber
Company (subsequently General Tire evolved into the present Gencorp Aerojet) With the new source of support
began an immediate expansion program. In late 1948, the company moved to the World War II plant of Timm
Aircraft in Van Nuys, California. The plant facility had 110,000 square feet of floor space (compared with the
original 4,000 feet at Venice), and 28 acres for future growth. Employment doubled within a year after the move,
and construction of the Marquardt Jet Laboratory (MJL), which eventually grew to become one of the largest air-
breathing test facilities in the country, began in earnest in 1949. By this stage in the company’s history, Marquardt
had firmly established its niche in the air breathing propulsion spectrum as a leader in ramjet technology. By the
close of the first five years of operation annual sales had reached nearly $2 million dollars, and a pattern of
profitability had been established, which was to characterize the Company’s future operations.

The Bomarc program, initiated by the Air Force in 1949, was the result of coordinated research between Boeing
Aircraft (BO) and the University of Michigan Aeronautical Research Center (MARC) on long-range interceptor
missiles. Marquardt’s success in the Navy Rigel flight test program, which set new records for speed and altitude for
ramjet powered vehicles, and the development of the Air Force Mach 2.5 ramjet, were timely influences in
validating the program. At this time the company had backing from the Air Force, which associated ‘ramjet’ with
their interceptor missile. In 1951 Boeing awarded Marquardt a contract for the development and production of the
ramjet engines and the Aero Propulsion Laboratory at Wright Field was designated as technical manager for the
government, a position they retained in all subsequent Air Force ramjet programs.

Seeking greater financial latitude for its operations, Marquardt enlisted Laurence Rockefeller as a substantial
stockholder in 1950. The Rockefeller investment absorbed the holdings of General Tire, and provided the additional
capital required for construction of new test, research and engineering facilities, as well as the acquisition of
additional personnel. In 1952, Marquardt purchased the Van Nuys property previously leased, and became the third
largest employer in the west San Fernando Valley. In 1952, the Company made its first public offering of common
stock, and by the close of 1954, sales ‘to date’ reached $10M.

The Bomarc engine

development program
presented a new challenge for
Marquardt engineering.
Although initial supersonic
development experience had
been acquired with the Rigel
and Air Force supersonic
engine programs this new
program was notably
different from the
accumulated development
history. The Bomarc (Fig. 7)
Fig. 7 Bomarc cruise missile with two Marquardt ramjet sustainer engines
was designed to cruise at an
altitude of 60,000 feet at Mach 2.5 as an unmanned long-range interceptor missile for use against attacking enemy
aircraft. Bomarc would be launched vertically by an integral Aerojet rocket motor, while the climb out and cruising
flight was accomplished by two Marquardt ramjet engines.

Supersonic ramjets were required to meet rigid military specifications while operating over a large flight
envelope of Mach number and altitude including low Mach number boost assistance, climb and acceleration, long-
range high-altitude cruise, and terminal maneuvering for target intercept. This resulted in a desired operating
capability from Mach 2+ at 20K altitude up to Mach 2.8 at 70K altitude. At this time, the majority of Marquardt’s
prior design and test experience was mostly based on flight requirements where the operating conditions of altitude
and Mach number were either ‘point design’ or of limited ‘size’ (allowing a ‘point design’). However, this missile’s
operating envelope would dictate an engine design capable of operating mostly ‘off design’ during the flight

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operation. In addition, wide zones and ‘peaks’ of environmental and stagnation temperatures, internal-pressures,
structural loading, etc., created challenges for the internal aerodynamicists, combustion engineers and structural
designers. New technologies were being developed, new manufacturing techniques and materials systems were
required, and test facilities capable of creating high Mach numbers were the new challenge

KEY RESOURCES

PERSONNEL - There was an instant need for engineers with aeronautical or mechanical degrees, or working
experience – the latter difficult to find due to minimum industry related activities. However, there was a good
supply of young engineering graduates arriving on the market from their GI-funded College schooling, following
their World War II service. Marquardt hired many ‘mature’ young employees, and with their limited, but
experienced staff, took to further educating and involving the new hires in the various technical disciplines and
program challenges.

Fundamental design information for critical ramjet functions explored and categorized in research laboratories
was just becoming available from government and academic institutions. New understandings of supersonic
external and internal air flow: equations, and charts from NACA research laboratories, Mach number tables from
the U.S. Navy Bumblebee propulsion program, previously undefined ramjet combustion design criteria for flame
stabilization and flame spreading from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Johns Hopkins University,
associated empirical expressions for reaction rates of fuel and air, set forth by such key investigators as J.P.
Longwell at Esso and E.A. DeZubay at Westinghouse, were accumulated, studied and immediately put to use by the
Marquardt engineering staff. Employment leaped from about 250 to over the 1000 mark by 1952.

EARLY RAMJET TEST FACILITIES

It was recognized that an extensive engine

test program, to evaluate and document the
ramjet engine, would be required to ensure
conformance with the demanding performance
specification. Component and full-scale
development testing across this large
operational flight envelope (Fig 8) would
require test facilities for both low altitude and
high altitude – the full simulation capability
was not available in any ‘one’ national
‘adaptable’ test facility.

Marquardt’s first test facility (1945) was

located at the Kaiser Steel mill in Fontana, CA.
A 13,000 HP blast furnace compressor was
used to supply the ram air needed for testing
the subsonic ramjets. A tee was installed in the Fig. 8 Ramjet operating envelope - ground tests
Kaiser main airflow duct and was diverted to
the test article as required. The need for higher flow and a dedicated test facility led to the installation of two test
cells at the Marquardt facility in Van Nuys, CA, called the Marquardt Jet Laboratory (MJL).

Marquardt’s planned ramjet test facility would offer engine test coverage with two major test cells. The facility
was configured to provide an open test cell for low-altitude supersonic simulations (sea level to 30,000 ft.), and a
second test chamber for high-altitude supersonic simulations (30,000 ft. to 60,000 ft). The required inlet air for each
test operation would be provided from the 60,000 pounds of air, stored at 265-psia in six large storage tanks. These
storage tanks were to be serviced by a compressor station, which would recharge the tanks following each test. The
delivered air was to be heated by either turbojet exhaust heat exchangers, or by direct-fired heaters to establish the
air temperature as appropriate for the simulated flight condition.

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 Test Cell 1 was the low altitude facility. Stored air provided approximately 45 seconds of so-called freejet test
time at maximum flow conditions for the flight envelope. Both freejet and direct-connect tests would be conducted
in this test cell. Approximately half-a-dozen freejet nozzles, covering a range of Mach 1.5 to 2.5 were fabricated
and used during the development and ‘qualification’ test phases. Freejet testing of ‘flight weight’ engines in this test
cell would assess the structural integrity of the engine at the severest operating envelope flight conditions (engine
mass flow greater than 100 pps and combustion gas temperatures in excess of 3000°F).

Test Cell 2, was the high-altitude facility. This test facility was used with direct-connect heavy-duty ‘boiler
plate’ test engines for mid- to high-altitude combustor development – 30,000 to 60,000 ft with engine air flow of
approximately 20 to 60 pps. The test cell was a horizontal cylindrical steel cylinder 12 feet in diameter and 80 feet
long. Test access was to be provided through an 8-foot door in the downstream end of the cell. Viewing ports were
located strategically so the test item could be monitored during the test. Exhauster system capability, to establish a
‘choke’ pressure ratio for the ramjet nozzle, was provided by a turbo exhaust system, operable either in parallel or
series operation. Operation was not continuous, and the stored 60,000 pounds of air would restrict daily test time,
since recharging of the tank would require several hours.

It was recognized that additional high-altitude test facilities would be required to maintain an acceptable pace of
testing. The Ordnance Aerophysics Laboratory (OAL), in Daingerfield, Texas, available and test proven, provided a
key test cell option, for mid- and high-altitude testing for the period November 1951 into the early 1960’s. This
remote test facility with a ‘continuous’ air supply, and ‘unlimited’ fuel supplies of JP fuels and 80-octane gasoline,
provided a needed resource to accumulate development data. Unique test environments, close proximity to the cell
with direct view of the ramjet exit combustion colors, and an awareness of the engine noise character at each
operating point, provided the test development engineer with equally as important information as the thousands of
instrumentation readings for the hundreds of operating conditions simulated during the test week.

A suitable inlet ‘model’ test facility, to develop and define the inlet performance for the ramjet, was available
with the LTV (Ling Temco Vought) High-Speed Wind Tunnel (HSWT). This blowdown-type facility, located near
Dallas, Texas, had a 4ft x 4ft x 5ft test section, and with ambient air temperature could simulate flight conditions up
to Mach 5.0. Scaled inlet models, on the order of one-fifth to one-half size, permitting angle-of-attack up to 20
degrees, were the norm. Different levels of inlet diffuser pressure to simulate engine power settings were obtained
by varying an aft plug to change the model exit area, thus changing the diffuser operating pressure ratio. From the
time period 1948 to 1968, twenty-one different aerodynamic
inlet concepts for various Marquardt ramjets were evaluated
during approximately 100 test programs, in the LTV
HSWT.

ADDITIONAL AND UPGRADED FACILTIES –

Air Force dispersal policy, effective in 1955, required that
the Bomarc engine production facilities be located outside
the Southern California area. Marquardt selected Ogden,
Utah, as the site for its new manufacturing plant, and in
1956 leased facilities in which to begin operations. Shortly
after construction started on the Ogden Plant, the Company
received a Government facilities contract providing for
design and construction of a ramjet acceptance test facility
to be located on 2,150 acres of land at Little Mountain, on
the shores of the Great Salt Lake, about 15 miles west of the Fig. 9 Marquardt Jet Laboratory (Circa 1960)
new Ogden plant. This test facility, dedicated in 1959, was
used primarily for acceptance testing of the production Bomarc ramjet engines.

In support of the follow-on Bomarc RJ43-MA-11 development program, the Air Force authorized a major
upgrade in the MJL Van Nuys Test Facility (Fig. 9). An upgraded high-capacity air system, capable of delivering up
to 180,000 pounds for blowdown tests at variable pressure and mass flow, was completed. Air was stored at three
pressure levels: 60,000 pounds at 250 psi, 60,000 pounds at 600 psi, and 60,000 pounds at 3,000 psi. In addition,
the recharge time was reduced to two hours for the low and intermediate pressure systems and 12 hours for the

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high- pressure system. Several smaller test cells for component testing were also added. The improved test
capability essentially eliminated the future need for the X-7 flight-test vehicle, since the required engine operating
information could be obtained through the ground test facility at a lower cost, and in less time.

In the 1960 time period, Marquardt established a Research Field Laboratory (RFL) for applied research, and
exploratory development testing of advanced concept air-breathing engines, systems and components. This RFL
was located approximately 25 miles northwest of MJL near Saugus, California.

TEST ENGINES - Two different types of test engines were utilized for the ramjet development testing –
‘Boiler Plate’ and ‘Flight Weight’. Unlike aerodynamic testing, which results are ‘scalable’ (with attention to
Reynolds number), full-size test hardware is required for all combustion testing - the combustion process must be
tested full scale.

Boiler Plate - The ‘boiler plate’ engines, constructed from thick steel material, machined to accurate internal
lines, with up to 100 instrumentation locations, flanged and bolted together, were the work-horse engines for the
combustor development tests conducted in both Cell 1 and Cell 2.

The boiler plate engine provided an accurate representation of the ramjet engines internal lines from the cowl lip
station, around the inner body, to the exit nozzle throat station. The combustion chamber, sonic exit nozzle and exit
pressure rake in the aft end of the combustor, were also heavy duty, and in addition water-cooled, so they were not
affected by the extended flame contact. The boiler plate engine could also be fitted with a ‘heavy duty’ cowl to
permit freejet testing in facilities that provided that option. The boiler plate direct connect inlet entry was
configured with an ‘upstream’ choke point area for metering the inlet air, such that the air flow Mach number at the
‘cowl’ station was the same Mach number that would occur if the ramjet engine was operating at the design Mach
number.

The nominal procedure for a test week at a remote location with a boiler plate engine, was to essentially evaluate
several flame holder and fuel injection options over a range of flight conditions, defined by engine mass flows of
approximately 20pps to 60pps (10 pps increments), for inlet air temperatures simulating the operational mach
numbers. At each test condition, data would be taken for several fuel/air operating points between the lean and rich
fuel/air ratio blow-out conditions (i.e. points where the flame front would extinguish).

Flight Weight – These engines were accurate simulations of the material and configuration for the flight
engine. Since the basic engine design was for ‘nacelle
attachment’, there were no special structural arrangements
required to install and orient the engine properly with the
freejet nozzle. The engines were instrumented with standard as
well as high-speed sensors – usually not in as many locations as
the boiler plate engine, but an adequate number so that a basis
for comparison with boiler plate engine data, and for
subsequent flight operations, can be established.

DEVELOPMENT FLIGHT TEST VEHICLE- The

development of the Bomarc ramjet engine required an extended
series of ground tests to develop the engine and document the
engine performance. The high-altitude ground test facilities,
used for basic system development, were not capable of
providing all the necessary information.

The Air Force initiated development of the X-7 vehicle

(Fig. 10) in 1946, contracting with Lockheed to deliver an
unmanned ramjet test vehicle for speeds up to Mach 3.0. The
X-7 was air-launched from B-29 or B-50 carrier aircraft, and
was boosted to ramjet ignition speed by a single, large, Fig. 10 X-7 Test vehicle with Marquardt
expendable solid-fueled rocket booster attached to the vehicle’s ramjet engine after flight test (circa 1960)

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tail. An unusual feature of the X-7 was the method of recovery. Following termination of ramjet operation, a
multistage parachute system slowed the drone to a descent in a vertical nose-down attitude. The nose consisted of a
long spike, which penetrated the ground upon impact. Therefore, the vehicle literally rammed itself, nose first, into
the desert floor, preventing damage to the rest of the airframe and the test engine.

The initial X-7 flight vehicle design was flown in 1951 in combination with the first ramjet Marquardt delivered
to the Air Force – the 20-in. Mach 2.5 XRJ43-MA-1. In 1954, an improved version, designated X-7A-3, was
introduced. It had a redesigned wing and a new booster installation, consisting of two smaller boosters located at the
fuselage sides under the wings. The new configuration allowed a semi-recessed carriage under the fuselage of the
B-50 carrier, much simpler than the under-wing arrangement necessary with the single, large booster. This vehicle
at 38-ft. long, with a 20-in. body diameter, and weighing approximately 8000 lbs., was slightly larger than the initial
design.

The initial Bomarc ramjet development program was supported by 90 X-7 flight tests of 47 development
engines, leading to the qualification of the RJ-43-MA-3. Later, with the improved ground test facilities, the follow-
on RJ43-MA-11 development program ‘required’ only 28 flight tests with 12 development engine models.

During the time period 1951 to 1960, the Marquardt Company powered a total of 142 X-7 flights with 74 20-in.
to 36-in. diameter ramjet engines. The final flight of the X-7 vehicle occurred during July 1960. The X-7 vehicle
was a key asset in the development of the first generation ramjet engines.

OPERATIONAL, ADVANCED FLIGHT TEST, and GROUND TEST RAMJETS

OPERATIONAL RAMJETS

RJ43-MA-3 (1951 –1960)

The RJ43-MA-3 ramjet (Fig. 11)

was 28 inches in diameter, 173 inches in
length with a weight of 495 lbs.
Aluminum was used for the ramjets
forward metal structure, and high-
temperature alloys were used for all
components directly exposed to
combustion.

The flameholder consisted of a ‘V’

gutter center pilot can, with radial ‘V’ Fig. 11 RJ43-MA-3 ramjet (1951—1960)
elements providing blockage of the air
stream. The ramjet fuel was injected into the air stream, using approximately 40 pintle nozzles installed in two
circular manifold rings, positioned upstream of the flame holder. The fuel air mixture was initially ignited by a flare
installed in the center pilot can. Once ignited, the engine remained burning as long as the design-operating
environment was maintained. During ground test, the flare was replaced by a spark-igniter or a hydrogen-air-spark
igniter, to facilitate the multiple re-ignitions, especially when exploring the “blowout limits”.

The 16,000-pound Bomarc ‘A’ missile (Fig. 7), (which used two of these ramjets), length was 46 ft 9 inches, the
span of the swept wing was 18 ft. 2 inches and the fuselage diameter was 35 inches. The missile was boosted to
takeover velocity with an integral liquid fuel booster rocket supplied by Aerojet. Although the ramjet engines were
not designed to provide positive thrust at subsonic and transonic flight Mach numbers, they were ignited early in the
boost phase, primarily to reduce the cold flow drag of the engines. The operating altitude of the missile system was
listed at 40,000 to 64,000 ft. for a Mach range of 2.3 to 2.85. Two RJ43-MA-3 ramjets were installed on two
individual pylons attached to the underside of the Bomarc Missile fuselage. Thrust and drag loads from the engine
were transmitted from the engines to the vehicle through the mounting structure.

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 The ramjet engine inner body contained a ram air-driven fuel pump and an on-board fuel control system. The
engine diffuser was designed to provide a thickened inner annular structure, starting just aft of the engine cowl and
ending just in front of the flameholder. To maintain the diffuser function, the ‘thickened’ structure was blended so
that the flow area through the diffuser increased at a specified ‘rate’ as the air traveled aft. The open forward end of
the main longeron, designed with a connect to the inner body, was used to provide the ram air for the fuel system
ram air turbine installed in the ramjet inner body.

Flight-testing of the Bomarc missiles began in 1952. In 1955, two Bomarc ramjet engines, developing 20,000
lbs of thrust, propelled the Bomarc A to a speed in excess of 1,700 miles an hour. The first production Bomarc
missile was completed at the Boeing plant on Seattle in 1957. A major ramjet milepost was witnessed in 1958 with
successful completion of a qualification test program of the RJ43-MA-3 Bomarc engine for high rate production.

“From June 1953 until January 1966, 260 RJ43-MA-3 ramjets were flown on the IM99A Bomarc Missile. Of
this complement, 254 engines were applicable for reliability considerations. Based on the exhibited performance,
seventy development engines reflected an “unbiased estimate” of reliability of 97.6 percent. The corresponding
reliability of 184 prototypes and production engines flown was projected at 98.6 percent.” The annual cost of
maintenance was calculated as $760 for the six-month maintenance check and two-year overhaul cycle.

RJ43-MA-5 (1956 –1960)

To satisfy the need for a very high performance target drone to test
the growing inventory of DoD surface-to-air missiles (Nike Hercules,
Nike Ajax and Bomarc), a relatively unmodified version of the X-7
system was contracted by the USAF from Lockheed shortly after the
final flight of the X-7 program. The target named the Kingfisher was
designated by the Air Force as XQ-5. The program was soon
transferred to the U.S. Army and eventually in June 1963, the XQ-5
was re-designated as AQM-60A.

For this application the missile was to be launched from the ground
(Fig. 12), and the boost path of High Mach number at low altitude,
introduced a flight environment not encountered in the early ramjet
designs. During ground boost to higher altitudes, the engine would be
required to operate at Mach 2.0 to Mach 2.4 from near sea level to
40,000 ft. at high-power settings. The anticipated increase in internal
engine pressures and high combustion temperatures, imposed design
conditions necessitating some special attention to structural integrity
for short time at low altitude.

The XRJ43-MA-5 ramjet designed for Lockheed, by Marquardt for

this application evolved from the production RJ43-MA-3 ramjet. The Fig. 12 XQ-5 (shown at launch)
engine was identical to the predecessor, except for the combustion incorporating a Marquardt RJ43-MA-5
chamber, which now was cylindrical in shape with an internal sheet
metal 70% supersonic exit nozzle, and also incorporated the selected use of thermo-coatings for the combustion
chamber, exit nozzle and flameholder elements.

The modified boiler-plate engine was development tested, and a flight weight engine was successfully flight
qualified by freejet testing in the MJL low-altitude test cell. During the period 1958 through 1960, 14 test flights of
the XQ-5 were accomplished with seven flight engines - two ramjets flying one flight, four ramjets flying two
flights, and one ramjet flying four flights.

However the performance of the Kingfisher proved to be a bit too high for the interceptor missiles, and
relatively few hits were scored. This was somewhat embarrassing to the military and the manufacturers of the
SAM’s, and therefore political pressure played a role when the Kingfisher flight program was cancelled in the mid-

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1960’s. Production of the X-7/XQ-5 series had ended in 1959, after 61 X-7/XQ-5 missiles of all variants had been
built.

RJ43-MA-11 (1956 – 1962)

The RJ43-MA-11 ramjet, 28

inches in diameter and 171.5 inches in
length, weighed 535 pounds (Fig. 13).
The inlet capture ratio (Ac/A3) of
51.5%, incorporated an isentropic
spike with a design Mach number of
2.7, and the combustor exit nozzle had
a 70% flow area. Magnesium was
used for the ramjets forward metal
structure, and high-temperature alloys
were used for all components directly
exposed to combustion.
Fig. 13 RJ43-MA-11 ramjet
The step-type-gutter flameholder,
with a center pilot can and radial
elements. The unique design reduced the internal drag associated with the flameholder, without decreasing the
combustor efficiency and stability. Ramjet fuel, sprayed into the air stream through approximately 50 upstream
pintle nozzles installed in a circular manifold ring and on radial struts, positioned approximately 18 inches upstream
of the flame holder, was ignited by a flare installed in the center pilot can. Once ignited, the engine remained
burning, as long as the design-operating environment was maintained. During ground test, the flare was replaced by
a spark-igniter or a hydrogen-air-spark igniter, to facilitate the multiple re-ignitions, required with the ground test
procedures.

The Bomarc ‘B’ missile length, slightly shorter than the Bomarc ‘A’, was 45ft., the span of the swept wing was
18 ft. 2 inches and the fuselage diameter was 35 inches. The missile was boosted to takeover velocity with an
integral solid fuel booster rocket supplied by Thiokol. Although the ramjet engines were not designed to provide
positive thrust at subsonic and transonic flight Mach numbers, they were ignited early in the boost phase, primarily
to reduce the cold flow drag of the engines. The operating altitude was listed at sea level to more than 70,000 ft. for
a Mach range of 2.3 to 3.0.

The RJ43-MA-11 underwent more detailed ground testing than the predecessor did, since advanced test facilities
permitted freejet tests in the high-altitude operating zone. MJL Cell 8 became the prime test cell. The ramjet
completed Preliminary Flight Rating tests in September 1959 based on the YRJ43-MA-9 model, and the
Qualification testing of the RJ43-MA-11 was completed in August 1960.

During the year, Marquardt received a $12 million contract from the Air Force for the production of additional
Bomarc ramjets at Ogden. The Company had now received $30 million in orders for ramjet engine production at the
Ogden facility. At one time, during the peak of the Bomarc program, employment exceeded 6000 people

“The IM-99 B missile flight test program initiated in 1959, utilized eight XRJ43-MA-7 and thirty-two YRJ43-
MA-9 development engines. The final “unbiased estimate” of reliability of the development engines following the
resolution of certain minor development problems was 97.5 percent.” 144 RJ43-MA-11 production engines were
used for flights conducted to January 1966. The demonstrated reliability demonstrated by the 144 RJ43-MA-11
production engines was ascertained to be 97.5 percent. This group of engines experienced three malfunctions, all of
which were attributed to ignition flare problems. The annual cost of maintenance was calculated as $362 for the
one-year maintenance check and four year overhaul cycle.

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 MA74-ZAA (1960 –1962)

During the early 1960’s the Redhead

Roadrunner target missile (Fig. 14), was developed
for the Army. The MQM-42A target missile, with
a length of 24.9 ft, a 12 inches body diameter, a
small swept back wing surface with aft control
surfaces, weighed approximately 770 lbs. The
ramjet was attached to the top of the vehicle, near
the aft end of the fuselage. The MA74-ZAA
ramjet engine, (Fig. 15) sized at 16.5-in. diameter,
was 90.7 inches long, and weighed 91 pounds. The Fig. 14 Redhead Roadrunner with MA74-ZAA ramjet
engine, with a 36 % capture size normal shock
inlet and a 70% exit size, incorporated a conical
can burner, and could operate on either JP-4 or 80-
octane gasoline.

The target vehicle utilized a small under-slung

booster rocket to accelerate the vehicle to the
required ramjet takeover speed, where the booster
jettisoned. The target assembly was installed on
top of the ground launcher vehicle, with the rail Fig. 15 MA74-ZAA ramjet
inclined at a small angle of attack for launch.

The optional operating conditions of the target were Mach 0.9, Mach 1.2 and Mach 1.5 from sea level to 10,000
ft., with a nominal range of from 35 to 40 nm. It was originally planned that the 16.5 inch diameter subsonic ramjet
would also provide a flight capability at Mach 2.0 and 60,000 foot altitude. However the ramjet could not meet the
mission power requirements. Operational flights were conducted from 1961 through 1968, with target vehicles
flown at subsonic and supersonic speed, at low- and medium-high altitudes to exercise and tune the military’s
terminal defense systems. During the operation time period, 90 flights were flown with 70 engines. Fifteen target
vehicles were destroyed by the ‘Hawk SAM’ system

MA150-XAA (1964 – 1967)

In 1964, the Army, interested in a supersonic high altitude target, contracted with Marquardt for a 19-in.diameter
subsonic ramjet for use with the MQM-42A target vehicle. This ‘new’ engine, 104.3 inches in length, weighing 154
lbs, was geometrically similar to the 16.5-in. diameter MA74 engine, operational with the Target Missile. During
high-altitude ground tests of the development engine, the larger engine demonstrated the necessary thrust to meet
the 60,000-ft. Mach 2.0 flight requirements. The first test flight with the MA-150 engine took place in June 1965.
Three additional operational flights were conducted by the end of 1966, prior to cancellation of the program. The
target simulations were no longer of primary interest to the DoD.

MA20S-4 (1963 – 1968)

During 1963, Lockheed’s Skunk Work’s representative approached Marquardt for assistance in a program they
had been developing, which now required a propulsion system. The X-7 ramjet test vehicle, utilized primarily to
assist the Bomarc ramjet development activities, was designed and developed for the Air Force by this operating
division of Lockheed. The earlier 142 flights of ramjet engines with the X-7 vehicle had provided the Lockheed
engineering staff with a notable experience base and operational understanding of the Bomarc type ramjets. From
this vantage point, and their known operating specifications, Lockheed engineering had ‘prescribed’ a use for a
‘modified’ RJ-43-MA-11 production ramjet (MA20S-4), for a high-performance surveillance drone called the D-21
(Fig. 16).

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 The D-21 cruised at Mach 3.3 at an
altitude of 90,000 feet with a range of over
3400 nautical miles. The drone was operated
by the Air Force and carried an ejectable film
camera system. After the film had separated,
the drone was destroyed instead of being
recovered. The drone was originally paired
with the Lockheed SR-71 for launching at
Mach 3+. However, due to a separation
failure during an early flight-test, the original
program was cancelled and the remaining
drones were converted for launch from the B-
52. For the B-52 installation, a rocket engine Fig. 16 D-21 Drone with Marquardt integral MA20S-4 ramjet
was added to boost the D-21B to supersonic engine
speeds (Fig. 17) where it’s ramjet engine
would ignite. Mounting points were installed
on top of the drone’s fuselage to mate with
the B-52 wing Pylons.

XRJ59-MA-1 (1955 –1957) Fig. 17 D-21B Drone flight (B-52 drop and rocket boost ).

This 17 foot-long, 36-in. diameter Mach 3.0 ramjet was Marquardt’s first flight-type supersonic ramjet with a
conical flameholder. The design was development only, and was sized for future interceptor missiles and ASM
systems. Following an initial flight failure, three engines successfully powered the X-7 flight test vehicle six times,
with one of the engines flying three times.

XRJ59-MA-3 (1958-1959)

This advanced Mach 4 design (Fig.18),

similar to the XRJ59-MA-1, except for a
higher temperature structure and a modified
inlet diffuser, demonstrated the ramjet
speed capability by driving the X-7 vehicle
to Mach 4.31 – nearly 3000 miles per hour.
This engine weighed 1050 pounds and was
17 feet in length. Two of these flight
engines were flown on the X-7 vehicle.
Also, long endurance capabilities were
demonstrated by means of a continuous
Fig. 18 Marquardt XRJ59-MA-3 (Mach 4.31) 36” ramjet
32.5 hr. ground test run equivalent to flight
three times around the World at high
supersonic speeds.

MA 51 (1958 – 1961)

The Hyperjet engine (Fig. 19) was one of

the first engines to integrate the best features of
ramjet and rockets engines. Actuation of the
supersonic inlet from a closed (rocket) to open
position enabled a transition to ramjet operation
following the boost phase. The engine also
contained an internal “Plug” nozzle, which
provide the high pressure of a rocket mode with
the low pressure of the ramjet mode by axial
movement of the plug. Test flights conducted Fig. 19 MA-51 Hyperjet (Rocket/Ramjet)

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with the 12-inch diameter configuration demonstrated capability of static thrust as well as acceleration to hypersonic
velocities following takeover at Mach 3.2

MA177XAA (1963 – 1969)

The LASRM (Low Altitude Short Range

Missile) is powered by an Integral Rocket Ramjet
(IRR) - a fixed geometry ramjet with an integral
solid propellant booster designed primarily for
low-altitude air launch. The MA177XAA ramjet,
which incorporates four aft inlets at 90-degree
locations, used high-density Hydrocarbon
(Shelldyne-H) fuel for ramjet cruise. The solid
propellant rocket, which accelerates the missile
system from launch to the cruise Mach number,
is cast integrally within the ramjet combustion
chamber. The system converted from boost to
ramjet mode following ejection of the rocket
nozzle insert, the four plugs at the ramjet inlet
Fig. 20 LASRM installed prior to flight test.
diffuser exits, and the introduction and ignition
of the Shelldyne-H ramjet fuel. The proposed missile design by the Air Force for a B-52 Launched SRAM (Short
Range Attack missile) to fly the operational specification of 50 nm at Mach 2.5 at near sea level, was solid rocket
propelled. Through detailed analysis, Marquardt determined that within the volume allocations of the B-52 rotary
launcher, there was not enough volume to provide the amount of rocket propellant to meet the specification.
Marquardt studies established the feasibility of an integrated rocket-ramjet propulsion system with an aft multi-inlet
system, which could fit the rotary launcher interface, and meet the requirements of speed and range. A 1964 critical
ground test component program at Marquardt demonstrated the feasibility of integrating the inlet, combustor and
rocket components into a single unit.

Based on these results, the AF contracted with Marquardt in 1965 for a flight demonstration program of the
LASRM (Fig. 20) to show proof of the principle of the application of the IRR in a representative vehicle. As prime
contractor, Marquardt assumed responsibility for the complete propulsion and fuel management system. The vehicle
responsibility was subcontracted by Marquardt to the Columbus Division of Rockwell International and the rocket
booster to Aerojet. A low-altitude flight test program was accomplished, in which the technical feasibility of the
integral rocket ramjet propulsion system was demonstrated. Although the concept was validated, the Air Force
decided to select the solid rocket option, made possible by modifying the requirements to accept a lower attack
velocity. A major decrease in the missiles radar cross section ensured the desired missile survivability, even with the
less than desired attack velocity.

ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT/GROUND TESTING

A sample of the various programs that were directed

toward the development of supersonic propulsion, using
ramjets and combinations of ramjet and rockets, are shown
in the following section.

PLUTO (1956 – 1964)

In 1956 Marquardt was designated prime contractor for the

AF Nuclear propulsion program. Using an AEC-supplied
reactor, a direct connect test of a 60” diameter boilerplate
ramjet was demonstrated. On May 14, 1961, the world's
first nuclear ramjet engine, Tory-II-A, operated for just a
Fig. 21 Nuclear ramjet test bed
few seconds. Subsequently the Tory II-C (Fig. 21) operated

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for 292 seconds at a thrust level of 38000 pounds at a simulated airspeed of Mach 2.8. Despite other successful tests
the Pentagon, sponsor of the "Pluto project," ended funding for the program on July 1, 1964, seven years and six
months after it was initiated.

MA-24XEA (1958 – 1959)

This variable geometry ramjet (Fig. 22), configured

for internal mounting with a vehicle-provided inlet
system, was designed for extended cruise at Mach 4 and
90,000 ft. The engine accelerated the vehicle from a Mach
2, 40,000 ft. takeover condition. The ramjet was 33.5-in.
in diameter, 89-in. long and weighed 585 lbs. The
engine’s hydraulic- pneumatic fuel system and air turbine
driven fuel pump were installed in the ramjet center-body.
The variable convergent- divergent exit nozzle, providing
variations from 0.12 to 0.65%, was designed with a non-
protuberant aft-end geometry for a low radar signature
during cruise flight. The operational development activity Fig. 22 MA-24XEA variable geometry ramjet
for the MA24-XEA was suspended when the launch
aircraft program was abruptly terminated.

MA107 –XGA (1964- 1968)

The hydrogen-fueled hypersonic ramjet (Fig. 23)

development involved a base mounted ramjet test
engine with variable geometry, plug-type exit nozzle.
The entire thrust chamber and exit nozzle were
regenerative cooled with hot hydrogen gas that would
be previously used to cool the airframe. The engine
was capable of operating up to Mach 8 @120K ft &
Mach 3 at 60K.
Fig. 23 Hypersonic ramjet regenerative cooled
SERJ –176 E -4B (1967- 1970’s) combustor with plug

The supercharged ejector ramjet (SERJ)

(Fig. 24) is a composite engine combining
the merits of the turbofan, the rocket and
the ramjet, into an integrated system
capable of operating over a sea level static
to Mach 4.5 range. The engine utilizes a gas
generator mounted on the centerline to
directly power the high-ratio fan. The
engine has multi-mode operational
capability and can be operated as a
turbofan, augmented turbofan (turbofan
plus afterburner), a ramjet, an ejector
ramjet, or as a supercharged ejector ramjet.
Fig. 24 Supercharged Ejector Ramjet (SERJ)
To achieve this versatility, variable
freejet-direct connect Phase ‘0’
geometry is used in the fan, the gas
generator turbomachinery, and the exit
nozzle system. The end-item engine would be used on advanced military aircraft such as the Navy Advanced Deck
Launched Interceptor (ADLI) and/or the USAF Advanced Manned Interceptor (AMI) aircraft. It was noted in 1970,
that the completed ground test technology programs provide a suitable technology level for a credible preliminary
engine design.

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EXPLORATORY DEVELOPMENT

During the latter part of the 1960’s, Marquardt’s major ramjet activities were focused on exploratory
development programs for the ‘undefined’ Hypersonic Aircraft applications and for compact Integral Rocket
Ramjet concepts, suitable for advanced air launch missiles. Two programs associated with hypersonic flight and
aerospace plane are shown below.

HYPERSONICS/AEROSPACE PLANE

MA 194 (1965 –1968)

The dual mode Scramjet program contracted by the

Air Force typifies the activity addressed during
exploratory development. The MA 194 (fig. 25) was
designed to provide subsonic and supersonic combustion
in a fixed geometry engine. Development of fuel injectors
and combustion techniques for burning fuel in a
supersonic environment led to the ground test of various
systems. Both hydrogen and liquid hydrocarbon fuels, the
latter with additive oxidizers, were investigated in this test
series. Funding for a flight test was obtained, but the
technical challenges associated with the required material Fig. 25 AM194 dual mode Scramjet (Ground test)
systems were at that time insurmountable, and the
program was relegated to a series of ground tests.

LACE/ACE (1959 – 1964)

The Marquardt Company originally patented the concept of the liquid air cycle engine in 1958. The
development tests include the LACE (Liquid Air Cycle Engine) and ACES (Air Collection and Enrichment System)
where oxygen from the atmosphere was
separated and used in the combustion
cycle. The project was part of the
aerospace plane program. By late 1960
Marquardt had a testbed system running
that was capable of running a 275-
pound thrust engine for minutes (Fig.
26). The Marquardt Company Fig. 26 LACE ground test configuration
continued to conduct tests on the engine
through 1964. However, the company encountered frost buildup on the heat exchanger surface, which drastically
changed heat exchanger performance. The Marquardt Company abandoned the liquid air cycle engine in 1968 with
cancellation of the Marquardt aerospace plane program, because the technology was insufficient and no application
was seen for a liquid air cycle engine.

EPILOGUE
The cadre of engineers, technicians, factory workers and support personnel, who filled the work stations in
the Marquardt facilities during the ‘Ramjet-Years’, stepped aside a long time ago. The late 1950’s and early 1960’s
saw the peak production of ramjets, and a subsequent fall-off of ramjet development programs.

It’s been 35 years since the ramjet history, documented herein, was accrued. Important resources and capable
ground test facilities that spawned the numerous developments are no longer available. The OAL ramjet test facility
was closed in August 1967 and in June 2000 the primary assets and technology of Marquardt was sold to Primex
Aerospace (now Aerojet). In February 2002, the Van Nuys, CA, engineering, manufacturing and MJL test facilities
were demolished.

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 Although these last 35 years have witnessed several ground and flight demonstrations of advanced missile
concepts (ALVRJ, ASALM, SLAT, DRPTV, and VFDR), the using agencies declined follow-on operational
developments. The nature of the threats we were facing was no longer from sophisticated military adversaries.
Existing capability is good enough for the ‘foreseeable’ future, and “if we lose our ‘ramjet’ industry, and if we
decide that we really need it, we’ll just throw a few billion dollars at it.” So it was said in 1975.

As we look to the future for ramjet propulsion, we can note that various U.S. and foreign ramjet defensive
missile systems, built pre-1970 have been reassigned to provide aerial targets in support of test and training for
ground and shipboard defense systems. Following an unsuccessful attempt by the Navy (not propulsion related) in
the late 1980’s to adapt the Air Force ASALM flight vehicle to the Navy ‘SLAT’ target requirement, as an anti-ship
cruise missile simulator, the Navy let a contract in 2001 to Orbital Sciences Corp., for the development of the
GQM-163A Coyote – a solid ducted rocket aft inlet ramjet Mach 2.5 Sea Skimming Target. The SSST incorporates
a modified ALVRJ aft inlet system and uses an Aerojet VFDR type ramjet sustainer that can provide speeds of
Mach 2.5 at sea level. On the basis of the successful flight program to date, follow-on production by the Navy is
anticipated.

Although there are scattered activities in hypersonic and Scramjet research and exploratory development
throughout the industry, future opportunities for developing an end-item product will always depend on
identification of a credible need and a deliverable package. It is our opinion that at this date, such is yet to be
defined.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Bob Allen joined Marquardt in June 1951 as the 422nd employee. After a few months in ‘basic’ training he was
assigned as a combustion development engineer for the Bomarc engine. The next 10 years were spent in the various
national test facilities as well as the MJL test cells, designing and testing the numerous combustors for the evolving
ramjets. Early in 1960, he was assigned to Preliminary design, and in 1965 promoted to Manager of Advanced
Products for supersonic and hypersonic ramjet applications. In this role, he had access to most major airframe
advanced design staffs as well as cognizant Navy and Air Force agencies. In 1969 he was promoted to Vice
President of Propulsion, including ramjets and reaction control systems.

Carl Stechman joined Marquardt in 1959 as a thermal engineer. His first job was to decipher the infrared
photographs taken of the RJ-43 ramjet engine during the X-7 test flights. Subsequently he worked on the LACE
and ACES thermal systems. As part of that study he developed the analysis procedures and the IBM 704
FORTRAN computer code for hydrogen regenerative cooled combustion chambers and subsequently designed the
predecessor to the hypersonic ramjet hot hydrogen regenerative cooled combustion chamber. In 1964 he was
assigned to work on the Project Apollo reaction control systems rocket engines and never ventured back to air
breathing propulsion.

References /Bibliography
1. Reflections, The Marquardt Corporation Twentieth Anniversary, The Marquardt Corporation, 1964
2. Marquardt, Roy, “Prelude to Power”, Marquardt Aircraft Company, MP 552, dated (approximately 1956)
3. “A summary of Marquardt Van Nuys Propulsion Activities 1944 to 1970”, Marquardt Publication MP 1681A, dated
May, 1970
4. “RJ-43 Ramjet Engine Series”, Marquardt Aircraft Company, Brochure, dated December, 1957
5. Marquardt, Roy, “ In aircraft…In guided Missiles…In the Future” MP 508 , dated January 26, 1953
6. MA-15 Subsonic Ramjet Engine, Marquardt Brochure MP-501
7. RJ57 and RJ59 Supersonic Ramjet Engines, Marquardt Brochure 558
8. RJ59 engine Performance Achievements, Marquardt Brochure MP 656, dated June 30, 1958
9. Marquardt Propulsion Systems, Marquardt Brochure MP 777, dated September, 1959
10. Aerospace Plane Propulsion System, Marquardt Brochure MP 903A, dated December 1, 1960
11. Marquardt Annual Reports (18), 1953 to 1970
12. Fry, R. S. “A Century of Ramjet Propulsion Technology Evolution”, Journal of Propulsion and Power, January-
February, 2004

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