News

Wren Educational Engines

Wren Turbines receives many requests from colleges, universities and commercial establishments for our engines with test stands and connecting points for monitoring engine temperatures and pressures for teaching, commercial or environmental research purposes.  Our first order for an engine/test stand used the Wren 75 -see below

After this further UK requests followed including orders from several engineering firms. Initially modified existing engines were supplied but we felt that engines purpose built for model aircraft were not ideal for the application.

These three modified Wren 160K Pro engines were dispatched via an educational supply company to universities in India, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia

Wren Turbines are now pleased to announce a new engine designed and manufactured solely for educational, commercial and research facilities. The first Wren 160KLAB engine was delivered on 3rd February 2012 to a UK based commercial educational supply company, with a second due for dispatch at the end of February to a UK university.

NEW RELEASE - WREN 160K LAB

The engine comes supplied with a range of measurement ports, reading dynamic temperatures, pressures and other key measures. The Wren 160KLAB can be supplied with complete engine mount and thrust gauge or as stand alone unit, for fitting to the customer's test stand.

For further information/statistics on the Wren 160KLAB and the standard equipment and options please e.mail: info@wrenturbines.co.uk in the first instance.

WREN SPRING OPEN DAY - Sunday 22nd April 2012, 10am to 4pm at the factory unit in Manvers Rotherham

Click here to download details of the OPEN DAY EVENTS

Click here to download DIRECTIONS to the Wren factory

See below photos of the gas turbine locomotive "GT3" powered by MW54 Turbo Prop which will be demonstrated by Tim Coles at the Open Day.

WREN FLEDGING!

Ready for Immediate Dispatch:

1 x Wren 75K Engine - cancelled order due to redundancy - £1,550 + free shipping.

WREN FLEDGING

Luke Bishop, aged 9, proudly shows off his Boomerang Sprint model, powered by a Wren 75, kero start engine. This is Luke's first experience of flying a turbine engine & Wren Turbines are very pleased that he has chosen to use one of their engines for his initiation in to the jet world.

Luke has been flying since he was 5 years old, passing his A and B tests at age 7. He has flown in many shows in Europe & the UK, more recently in front of a crowd of 5000 in Germany.

Luke is also sponsored buy Horizon Hobbies, Al's Hobbies & Boomerang Jets.

Look out for this remarkable young man who will be flying at Weston Park & Long Marston during the 2012 season.

WREN 44K TURBO PROP "Special Build"

Steve Bishop of Bishop Aviation, has recently taken delivery of a specially built Wren 44K Turbo Prop to be housed in his nearly complete Turbo Raven as pictured below. The Wren "special build" has been designed to withstand the aerobatic stunts that Steve is going to put it through during the 2012 season. The upgraded engine has a 9:1 heavy duty planetary gear box, larger prop shaft and heavy duty propshaft bearings and is uniquely internally fan cooled, which the original version is not. The engine still retains the same easy to fit bulk head mounting as the standard turbo prop, for strength & rigidity.

At this moment in time Wren Turbines are not looking to add this engine to their current range but if the engine proves a match for the rigorous flying routines of Mr Bishop during 2012 there may well be a change of heart.

SPRING OPEN DAY

Our Spring Open Day will be held on Sunday 22 April 2012, 10am to 4pm, at our factory unit in Manvers, Rotherham.  A full line up of the day's event will be published nearer the time.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wren Turbines would like to wish all its customer, suppliers & dealers a happy & healthy 2012.

WINTER STORAGE OF YOUR ENGINE:

If you are putting your engine to bed for the winter months the fuel pump manufacturers' advice is to run your fuel pump on oil ONLY (at 1-1.5 volts) for a few minutes before you pack the engine away and repeat this operation when taking your engine out of storage.  This will ensure the pump seal does not harden.

Please make sure that you then run the pump on your usual oil/fuel mix (5%/95%) for a few minutes more before placing back in your engine.

SPRING OPEN DAY

Please note that the Spring Open Day will be held on Sunday 22nd April (10am to 4pm) at our factory unit in Manvers, Rotherham.  A full line up of the day's events will be notified nearer the time.

Supersport Re-Launched at the Autumn Open Day

Wren Turbines would like thank all those attended their Autumn Open Day on 16th October and trust that everyone enjoyed themselves and gained some in site into the making of the Wren combustion chamber from a demonstration given by Steve Ebbage and Mike Murphy.                                                                                                                                                                

Many customers attended with their engines and models to carryout a DIY gas to kero start conversion under the tutelage of Mike Murphy and Paul Hardman.  Two customer have since returned to the Wren factory after seeing this to collect the necessary components and instruction manuals to carry out their own conversions at home.

We used the day to announce the re-introduction of the Wren Supersport whose popular demand continued after it was phased out during 2010, following the introduction of the Wren 100 engine.

The Supersport hits the mid-range of our sports engine line up, with a thrust of 18lbs/8.2kg. It is an enduringly reliable engine and many customers have been flying their engines trouble free for several years. At the time of its launch it was the most powerful small engine in its class.

Customer Jo Cannella received the very first Superport engine in 2004 and flew this, without an interim service, for 7 years (45+ hours). The engine was sadly pronouced beyond economic repair this Summer. Mr Cannella took possession of his new Supersport engine at BMFA Nationals this August and Wren look forward to seeing him in another 7 years!

The Supersport is available in gas or kero start.  The 2010 price of the engine has been reduced by £200 to £1,699 (inc VAT).  The engine statistics are shown below:

Thrust 18lbs (8.2kg)
Weight 35.2oz (1000gms)
Overall size - 9.8"x3.5" (250mm x 89mm)
Weight ancillaries (inc' battery) 6.4oz (180gms)
Max rpm 160,000
Idle rpm 45,000
Idle thrust 0.65Lbs (0.3kg)
Fuel consumption @ max thrust, 9.8oz/min (280 ml/min)

Initially all enquires about the Wren Supersport or the kero conversion should be made via info@wrenturbines.co.uk or telephone the main office on 01709 877 439.

The VC10 Project, which is being sponsored by Wren Turbines, houses 4 x Wren Supersport Engines Kero Pro. The VC10 made its grand entrance at the Open Day with its very first public running of the engines and taxied along the car park in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

The project team members are Terry Mason, Steve Mitchell, Bill James and Colin Leach.

The model is a replica of the VC10 kmk3 RAF air to air refuelling aircraft - its statistics are:

VC10 Statistics
Span 16 ft (4.9 m)
Length 18ft 10 ins (5.7 m)
Weight approx 130 lbs
10 flap sections and trimmable tailplane
Conventional balsa and ply construction laminated with Fibretech cloth (Fibretech are also sponsoring the project) and resin

The charity auction in aid of the Sheffield Children's Hospital raised £423 - thank you to everyone who took part in this.

AUTUMN OPEN DAY 16 OCTOBER 2011

Our Autumn Open Day agenda has now been set and is listed below.

COME AND JOIN US ON OPEN DAY AND GO KERO START!

(Doors Open at 10am)

• Meet/greet the Wren Team, fellow modellers and engine enthusiasts at our factory in Rotherham

• Kero Talk and Demonstration on how to upgrade your gas start engine to kero start with the Wren DIY Kero Kit.

•  Bring along your model with your engine and carry out your own kero upgrade with the engine in situ on the day (subject to engine age/type).  Book a place in advance to save possible disappointment on the day.

• See engine running demonstrations and aircraft installations

• Model Shop Trade Stands

• Free "While U Wait" balancing service

• Engine Clinic - diagnostic and minor servicing/repair

• Be the first to see new Wren innovations

• Special deals on engines bought/ordered on the day

• Full range of Wren engine spares and accessories

• Charity Auction of "useful" bits and pieces in aid of Sheffield Children's Hospital

(hot food/drinks stalls on site with ice cream van flypast )