Patent ID: 7363763

Claim:
A gas turbine engine combustor comprising: an inboard wall; an outboard wall; and a forward bulkhead extending between the inboard and outboard walls and cooperating therewith to define a combustor interior volume, wherein, at least a first wall of said inboard and outboard walls comprises: an exterior shell having a plurality of apertures; and an interior heat shield comprising a plurality of leading panels adjacent the bulkhead, each panel having: an interior surface; an exterior surface; a perimeter having leading and trailing edges and first and second lateral edges; a plurality of cooling gas passageways having inlets on the panel exterior surface and outlets on the panel interior surface; and a rail, protruding from the exterior surface and recessed from the leading edge by 3-10 mm along a majority of the leading edge, the shell's apertures positioned to direct cooling air against the panel exterior surface between the leading edge and the rail.