Rolls-Royce went into receivership on 4 February 1971 because its RB211 engine for the Lockheed TriStar cost about 460,000 pounds to build against a fixed pric…
The government offered all shares of Rolls-Royce plc for sale in April 1987, after about 16 years of state ownership.
In May 1973 the car and diesel business moved to Rolls-Royce Motors Holdings ahead of a share offer. Vickers bought it in 1980.
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar entered service with Eastern Air Lines on 26 April 1972, with three RB211-22 engines.
The RB211-22 was certified on 14 April 1972, about a year later than planned.
Congress allowed guarantees of up to $250 million of further credit for Lockheed. A Senate vote of 49 to 48 was cited.
540 engines at a fixed 350,000 pounds each, against a cost of about 460,000: a loss of at least 110,000 per engine.
The board said it could not continue the RB211 under the Lockheed contract and asked for a receiver. The government said it would acquire the essential businesses.
The Hyfil fan stage shattered in a bird-ingestion test in May 1970. A titanium back-up blade became the design.
Lockheed announced 94 TriStar orders and 150 sets of RB211-22 engines. The government arranged launching aid of up to 47 million pounds.
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