build review 1:18 WS-15 Turbofan Engine - SKYMECH - via EngineDIY (Build Review)

[James H]

1:18 WS-15 Turbofan Engine - SKYMECH - via EngineDIY
Available from EngineDIY for $89.99

 

 

 

 

The Shenyang WS-15, codename Emei, is a Chinese afterburning turbofan engine designed by the Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute, and manufactured by the Shenyang Liming Aircraft Engine Company. The WS-15 is intended to become the main engine of the Chengdu J-20 stealth aircraft, enabling it to super-cruise, improve its range, manoeuvrability, and upgrade potential for future weapon systems. It will eventually replace the Shenyang WS-10, which currently serves as the interim engine of J-20, while the WS-15 is being refined. Delivery of the Chengdu J-20B fighter aircraft, which will feature the new engine, to the Chinese armed forces could begin in 2025.

 

 

Development of the WS-15 afterburning turbofan engine began in the early 1990s. In 2005, the engine performed successfully on the testbed. An image of the core appeared at 2006 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition. In 2009, a prototype achieved 160 kilonewtons (36,000 lbf) and a thrust-to-weight ratio of 9. The thrust target was reported as 180 kilonewtons (40,000 lbf) in 2012.

Abridged from Wikipedia

 

The kit

 

This is a surprisingly lightweight package with very simply line illustration and 'Jet Engine' given as the product name. The website does show this to be the WS-15 turbofan engine as mentioned above. Opening the box reveals just two deep trays of parts for this build, and unlike the Trent-900 I recently reviewed, there are more pre-built assemblies in this kit. In fact, the whole model took about 45 mins to build, and that's including my photo and test time. Don't let that out you off though, as this is a fun build! All parts are made from 3D printed plastic, and in various colours. There are a number of print lines, but to be fair, they don't detract, with parts made in various metallic colours. Also included are some screws and a screwdriver. The only parts that aren't plastic are some bearings to help smooth operation.

 

 

The instructions come in the form of a simple printed and folded sheet, with only ten stages from start to finish. These are very simple to follow and will present zero problems for the builder.

 

Work begins on the 'three level fan' unit. This is supplies a complete unit, and you simply need to screw the main shaft onto it.

 

 

The outer housing for this unit is now fitted. All I did to fit this was gently prise the housing, and the fan assembly popped into place very easily. As you can see from the photos, the 3d printing is exceptional and looks very good.

 

The air inlet assembly is now screwed into place. Note that this has a bearing which provides smooth drive at the front of the engine. 

 

More in a moment...

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[James H]

With the front screwed into place, the unit that the instructions call the 'diverging room' is now screwed to the rear of this, complete with another bearing. I'm not convinced about that unit name, but hey, it all fits together very, very smoothly.

 

 

 

The outer duct shell is now screwed onto our assembly. Of course, this aligns with the cutout in the main unit.

 

 

The five stage compressor and high pressure turbine housing is now clipped into the shell, again using a little prising of the plastic, and this unit is slotted into the main jet engine, ensuring alignment. 

 

 

This unit is called the 'tail power module', which is a good description as this is where the engine will derive its power, strangely enough! This fits in a certain way, so the metal power contacts are positioned as in the second picture down. 

 

Finally, the tail cone is screwed into place, and that is it!

 

 

The base unit comes complete with a set of batteries. The switch is also on the underside, which isn't really the best design as you need to remove the engine from the base to operate the switch. With the switch 'on', the engine is sat on the base, making sure the contacts on the engine seat with those on the base. The engine is immediately powered.

 

 

 

Here you can see the engine in operation with the fan blades blurred. Also, the tail exhaust has red lighting to give a sense of power. There is no sound on this model, but I'm glad, to be honest. 

 

Conclusion
Without a doubt, this is the simplest and quickest engine I've built so far, but that's no bad thing. This model was great fun to build and there's still a sense of satisfaction to see it operating. If you want a relatively cheap, dead simple to build, and very attractive little project to sit on your shelf or desk, then this is defintelyone to go for. A total novice could build this with no issues. The overall quality can't be faulted, and I really do recommend this gorgeous little model!

 

My sincere thanks to EngineDIY for sending out this kit for review on Model Ship World. To buy directly, click the link at the top of this article.