preview

Research Paper On Frank Whittle

Decent Essays

Frank Whittle, Jet Engine Pioneer “A nation’s ability to fight a modern war is as good as its technological ability.” (BrainyQuote} said Sir Frank Whittle, the inventor of the jet engine. Born on 1 June 1907, Whittle was the son of a working class family, his father was a mechanic and inventor. Whittle had been fascinated with airplanes and engines from the age of four. Since Whittle’s family couldn’t afford to send him to the RAF College at Cranwell, Whittle was determined to enter as an apprentice. At the age of fifteen Whittle was rejected for being too short to pass the medical exam. Whittle was not discouraged, within three years he grew three inches and got into good physical condition. It wasn’t until he passed the physical in 1923 that …show more content…

Dr. Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain conceived his version of jet propulsion in 1933 when he realized that the noise and vibration of the propeller piston engine seemed to destroy the steadiness and smoothness of flying. Von Ohain received his own patent in 1936 since it had important differences from Whittle’s 1930 patent. (National) With a working model von Ohain signed a consulting agreement with Heinkel Company to develop his turbojet ideas. The HeS.3B engine was installed in the He-178 airplane; the first turbojet-powered aircraft made its first flight on 27 August 1939. Heinkel Company did not curry the favor like the Messerschmitt Company. Thus the Me-626 was the first jet plane to see combat in World War II, but was too late to save Hitler’s Germany. …show more content…

Whittle’s first prototype met with limited success in 1937. The National Academy of Science’s Committee on Gas Turbines reported that Whittle’s jet engine “couldn’t fly.” Whittle’s response was, “Good thing I was too dumb to know this.” Whittle’s E.28/39 engine first flew in the Pioneer airplane on 5 May 1941, tested by pilot Gary Sayer. Whittle’s next hurdle was the control of his invention. Now that Whittle had proved himself, the aircraft industry and government wanted outsource production of the jet engines to the companies that had made the piston driven engines. Rover was the first company given the building contract but quickly fell behind schedule. In 1943 the contract was given to Rolls Royce. Whittle thought that development should have been left with his company Power Jets, they knew what they were doing. The plans and an engine were sent to America to copy for its experimental P-59 Airacomet. Whittle was impressed with the level of enthusiasm the Americans showed. Meanwhile the Meteor was not ready to enter combat until 1944. The Me-626 airplane (German) never saw action with the Meteor because Hitler decreed that the Me-626 should be used as a ground attack aircraft instead of a fighter. The British 619 Squadron was the first unit to operate jet powered fighters in victory in August 1944. The Allies win the war but Whittle loses another battle.

Get Access