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An assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor and a vane assembly disposed downstream thereof. A portion of an outer platform of the vane assembly defines an axial sliding joint connection with the combustor, and includes a plurality of depressions located in an outer circumferential sur

An assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor and a vane assembly disposed downstream thereof. A portion of an outer platform of the vane assembly defines an axial sliding joint connection with the combustor, and includes a plurality of depressions located in an outer circumferential surface thereof opposite the combustor. The depressions are disposed in regions of expected higher thermal growth about the circumference of the outer platform such that thermal growth of the entire outer platform is substantially uniform circumferentially therearound.

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The invention claimed is: 1. An assembly for a gas turbine engine, the assembly comprising a combustor and a vane assembly downstream from the combustor, the vane assembly including a plurality of airfoils radially extending between annular inner and outer platforms defining an annular gas path the

The invention claimed is: 1. An assembly for a gas turbine engine, the assembly comprising a combustor and a vane assembly downstream from the combustor, the vane assembly including a plurality of airfoils radially extending between annular inner and outer platforms defining an annular gas path therebetween, at least the outer platform forming a first sliding joint connection with an adjacent outer combustor wall such that relative axial displacement therebetween is permitted, a radial clearance gap being defined between the outer platform and the outer combustor wall, said radial clearance gap being minimized at engine operating temperature such that radial sealing between the outer platform and the outer combustor wall is substantially provided, and wherein the outer platform includes a plurality of radial depressions located in an outer circumferential surface thereof opposite said outer combustor wall, said radial depressions being solely disposed in regions of expected higher thermal growth about the circumference of the outer platform such that thermal growth of the outer platform is substantially uniform circumferentially therearound and thus said minimized radial clearance gap is maintained during engine operation to prevent binding contact between the outer platform and the outer combustor wall, each depression providing a reduced thickness of the outer platform over the entirety of the surface of an associated one of the regions of expected higher thermal growth. 2. The assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said radial depressions are disposed in said outer platform in circumferential alignment with at least a leading edge of each of said airfoils. 3. The assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said radial depressions are flats formed in the outer circumferential surface of the outer platform. 4. The assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said flats are machined flats. 5. The assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer combustor wall which is opposite said outer circumferential surface of the outer platform includes a wall section insert which is one of cast and machined. 6. The assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the wall section insert is fixed to a portion of the outer combustor wall composed of sheet metal. 7. The assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the inner platform forms a second sliding joint connection with an adjacent inner combustor wall, the second sliding joint connection permitting relative axial displacement between the inner platform and the inner combustor wall. 8. The assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein the inner platform includes a plurality of second radial depressions located on a circumferential surface thereof opposite the inner combustor wall, each of said second radial depressions extending over the entirety of a region of expected higher thermal growth about the circumference of the inner platform such that thermal growth of the inner platform is substantially uniform circumferentially therearound. 9. The assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein the outer platform and the inner platform include upstream ends which respectively mate with the outer and inner combustor walls to form the first and second sliding joint connections, the upstream ends of the outer platform and the inner platform project upstream from a leading edge of the airfoil. 10. The assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein the outer and inner combustor walls comprise a bifurcated flange at an exit of the combustor, the bifurcated flange having a first flange portion and a second flange portion radially spaced apart therefrom in a direction away from the annular gas path, thereby defining an annular gap between the first flange portion and the second flange portion within which the upstream ends of the outer platform and the inner platform are received. 11. An assembly for a gas turbine engine, the assembly comprising: a combustor having a combustor wall circumscribing a gas path therewithin and an exit duct end, the exit duct end having an outer flange portion radially spaced from the combustor wall in a direction away from the gas path to form an annular slot; a vane assembly disposed downstream of the combustor, the vane assembly including a plurality of airfoils extending between annular inner and outer platforms; and a portion of at least the outer platform extending axially within said annular slot and defining a sliding joint connection between the combustor and the vane assembly, the sliding joint connection permitting relative axial displacement between the vane assembly and the combustor, said portion of the outer platform including a plurality of radial depressions located in an outer circumferential surface thereof opposite said outer flange portion and extending only partly through the outer platform in a radial direction relative to said annular outer platform, said radial depressions being solely disposed in regions of expected higher thermal growth about the circumference of the outer platform such that thermal growth of the outer platform is substantially uniform circumferentially therearound, each region of expected higher thermal growth having a reduced thickness between the outer circumferential surface and an opposed inner circumferential surface of the outer platform and that substantially over all the surface of expected higher thermal growth. 12. The assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein a radial clearance gap is defined between the outer circumferential surface of the outer platform and the outer flange portion, a maximum amount of said substantially uniform circumferential thermal growth of the outer platform during engine operation being predetermined such that said radial clearance gap is minimized but maintained at engine operating temperature, thereby providing substantial radial sealing between the outer platform and the combustor while preventing binding contact therebetween. 13. The assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein said radial depressions are disposed in said outer platform in circumferential alignment with at least a leading edge of each of said airfoils. 14. The assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein said radial depressions are flats formed in the outer circumferential surface of the outer platform. 15. The assembly as defined in claim 14, wherein said flats are machined fiats. 16. The assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein a second sliding joint connection is provided between the inner platform and the combustor exit duct end. 17. The assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein the inner platform forms a second sliding joint connection with an adjacent inner combustor wall, the second sliding joint connection permitting relative axial displacement between the inner platform and the inner combustor wall. 18. The assembly as defined in claim 17, wherein the inner platform includes a plurality of second depressions located on a circumferential surface thereof opposite the inner combustor wall, said second depressions being disposed in regions of expected higher thermal growth about the circumference of the inner platform such that thermal growth of the inner platform is substantially uniform circumferentially therearound.