Sir Frank Whittle Papers

Series I consists of design and technical reports: basic jet concepts, research and development, and bench and flight testing of gas turbine aircraft engines. The reports are arranged chronologically. The bulk of these reports were prepared by Power Jet Limited, a company in which Sir Frank Whittle played an elemental role. This series also includes reports by The British Air Ministry, The National Gas Turbine Establishment, as well as reports from a variety of other sources. The reports are rich with early jet aircraft technology at its beginning stage. Many of today's standard jet aircraft concepts are shown in their developmental phase. Ideas that were new and innovative in the 1930s-1940s, like water injection, afterburners, special jet fuel, inlet guide vane designs, turbo-props, thrust reversers, supersonic jets, etc. are discussed in these reports as possibilities for development.

Besides the test data on early British jets, some test data on America's first jet aircraft, the Bell YP-59, is included. Many of the reports carry interesting photographs, schematics, and technical drawings. Anyone studying the stepping stones to jet power will find these reports essential.

Series II contains correspondence, internal and external, mostly of Power Jets Limited and The British Air Ministry. It is arranged chronologically, with some groupings on specific subjects. Trip reports show the sharing of technology between various agencies within the British aircraft manufacturing community, as well as sharing with the United States. Most of the correspondence is technical in nature, and some reports are included as part of memos and letters. Security concerns and patent information are among the non-technical topics which show up in the series.

Series III contains loose photographs which were not part of technical reports. Most of the photographs are dated, but most are not labeled specifically. Many of the photographs are of various types of jet engines. There are also some interesting photographs of compressor damage caused by foreign objects.

Series IV consists of loose drawings and charts which were not part of any specific technical report. One large fold-out jet engine drawing is especially informative with different systems color coded. An organizational chart of Power Jets Ltd. is also included in this series.

Series V is made up of miscellaneous documents having to do with jet aircraft and engines. There are two Bibliographies of technical reports which will be of great use to researchers. This series also includes early histories of British jet aircraft development, and a script for a motion picture about jet aircraft.