Published : 2025-08-16
On August 16, 1954, China's first aircraft engine was successfully trial-produced at the state-owned 331 Factory.
This M-11 aviation engine is a 5-cylinder, radial, air-cooled piston engine. It has a rated power of 1,490 horsepower and a rated speed of 1,760 rpm, with a take-off power of 160 horsepower and a maximum cruising speed of 2,000 rpm. The entire engine weighs 180 kilograms.
Back in April 1954, China decided to replicate the Soviet Yak-18 propeller aircraft and produce the primary trainer aircraft M-11 engine. This was a brand new project for China.
In the early stages of the project, the construction personnel successfully trial-produced 55% of the components of the entire engine, but more than 10 components, including the crankshaft and propeller shaft, had not yet been successfully produced.
Additionally, the lack of metallurgical technical data, thermal process production manuals, and metallurgical standard images forced Chinese researchers to purchase from abroad, dissect some engine specimens, and find methods from them.
At that time, researchers focused on the mechanical processing of the 10 unfinished major components as the main targets and adopted parallel operation measures to ensure trial production.
At the same time, they concentrated relevant research forces to overcome technologies such as the conditioning treatment of the crankshaft and propeller shaft, mechanical performance testing, magnetic particle inspection, grain size inspection, partial carburising of the distributor cam, and local gas nitriding of the crankshaft gear.
After relentless efforts by the researchers, the first batch of three engines was finally assembled and passed the national appraisal. A total of 16 engines were delivered that year, exceeding the plan by 80%.
On this basis, China actively developed aircraft engines with independent intellectual property rights.
After years of development, in 2002, China independently developed its first aircraft engine with completely independent intellectual property rights, the "Kunlun" turbojet engine, ending the history of China not being able to independently develop aircraft engines and becoming one of the few countries in the world capable of independently developing aviation engines.
In 2005, China successfully designed and finalised the "Taihang" aircraft engine, achieving a historic leap from medium thrust to high thrust, from turbojet to turbofan, on the road of independently developing aircraft engines.
