Aircraft engine frame construction

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• an annular outer casing;
• an annular inner casing spaced radially inwardly from said outer casing for defining a bypass duct therebetween;
• a compressor disposed in said outer casing and upstream of said inner casing;
• a gas generator disposed in said inner casing and downstream of said compressor;
• said compressor being in flow communication with both said bypass duct and said gas generator;
• an annular support disposed in an aft end of said inner casing and in flow communication with said gas generator for supporting a rotor component of said gas generator, said annular support comprising:
• an outer ring;
• an inner ring spaced radially inwardly of said outer ring and defining a diffuser therebetween for diffusing gases discharged into said diffuser from said gas generator;
• a plurality of circumferentially spaced supporting struts extending between said inner and outer rings;
• a plurality of hollow fairings extending between said inner and outer rings;
• each of said fairings being spaced around a respective one of said struts for defining a chamber therebetween, said chamber being in flow communication with said bypass duct;
• and
• means for discharging air from said chamber of said fairing in a downstream direction.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a gas generator for discharging combustion gases;
• an afterburner for receiving said combustion gases, said afterburner including a flameholder and fuel pipes;
• and
• means disposed upstream of said flameholder and fuel pipes for discharging cooling air as a stratified annulus into said combustion gases for cooling said gases and said flameholder to prevent flashback in said afterburner.