Leading edge protector

1. A component of a gas turbine engine, the component having a leading edge with two air-washed surfaces extending rearwardly therefrom to define opposing sides of the component;

wherein the component has a leading edge protector formed as a plurality of protector segments which succeed in a line along the leading edge, each protector segment including:

a sheath which covers the leading edge and the air-washed surfaces at regions adjacent the leading edge, and which overlaps with the neighbouring sheath of the succeeding segment, and

a former which defines the external shape of the component at the leading edge, the sheath of the protector segment wrapping around the former, wherein a clearance gap is provided between the formers of succeeding protector segments.

2. A component according to claim 1 , wherein each sheath is thickened at the leading edge.

3. A component according to claim 1 , wherein the former is bullet-shaped on a cross-section through the component perpendicular to the leading edge.

4. A component according to claim 1 , wherein spaced side plates of the sheath extend rearwardly from the former over the air-washed surfaces of the component.

5. A component according to claim 1 , wherein the overlap between each pair of neighbouring sheaths is produced by an insertion portion of one sheath which inserts inside an overlying portion of the other sheath.

6. A component according to claim 5 , wherein each sheath has an insertion portion at one end thereof and an overlying portion at the other end thereof.

7. A component according to claim 5 , wherein each insertion portion is formed by a reduced width region in which the distance between opposing sides of the respective sheath is decreased.

8. A component according to claim 5 , wherein sealant is applied to the protector at the external joins between overlapping sheaths, the sealant smoothing the air-washed surfaces of the component across the joins.

9. A component according to claim 1 , wherein each sheath of each protector segment is formed of a different material to the material of which the component is formed.

10. A component according to claim 1 which is formed of composite material.

11. A component according to claim 1 which is an aerofoil component, the air-washed surfaces being the aerofoil suction and pressure surfaces.

12. A component according to claim 1 which is a splitter fairing for splitting air flow between a core of the engine and a bypass duct of the engine.