Power Jets W.1

After a period of indifference, in June 1939 a demonstration of the Power Jets WU was made before a delegation of the Air Ministry, notably [[David Pye (engineer)|Dr

David Pye]], Director of Scientific Research. The demonstration was so successful that the Ministry quickly arranged to buy the engine to give Power Jets working capital, lending it back to them for testing.

File:IWM-CH14832A Gloster E28-39 205210674.jpg prototype W4041/G powered by the W.1A]]

At the same time, a contract was placed for a "flight engine", the W.1.{{Cite web |url=http://www.frankwhittle.co.uk/content.php?act=viewDoc&docId=6&docFatherId=1&level=sub |title=Power Jets: A brief biography |website=FrankWhittle.co.uk |access-date=23 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004135944/http://www.frankwhittle.co.uk/content.php?act=viewDoc&docId=6&docFatherId=1&level=sub |archive-date=4 October 2011 |url-status=dead}} Unlike the Whittle WU, that began bench testing in 1937, the W.1 was a symmetrical engine designed to facilitate, after development, installation in an aircraft. The W.1 used a double-sided centrifugal compressor of Hiduminium RR.59 alloy,{{cite web |url=https://www.imeche.org/docs/default-source/presidents-choice/jc12_1.pdf |title=The early history of the Whittle jet propulsion gas turbine |first=F. |last=Whittle |date=1945 |website=Institution of Mechanical Engineers}} reverse-flow 'Lubbock' combustion chambers and a water-cooled axial-flow turbine section using 72 blades with 'fir-tree' root fixings; the turbine was later modified to use air-cooling. The turbine blades were of Firth-Vickers Rex 78, a stainless steel developed under Dr. W. H. Hatfield. Design rating was {{convert|860|lbf|kN}} at 16,500 rpm, increased to 17,750 rpm above 4,000 feet. With the W.1 aircraft manoeuvring would subsequently be limited (by compressor-casing stress) to 2g. Maximum jetpipe temperature was 597 °C.

As development of the new design dragged on, it was decided to build a test unit "early engine" using any components that were deemed unairworthy along with test items. This was assembled to become the one-off W.1X. This officially unairworthy unit powered the Gloster E.28/39 on a short 'hop' during taxiing trials in April 1941, with flight trials taking place a month later with a definitive W.1 engine.

In February 1942, the E.28 was tested with the W.1A engine, reaching a speed of {{convert|430|mph|kph}} at {{convert|15000|ft|m}}.Smith 1946, p. 87.{{cite book |last1=Golley |first1=John |title=Whittle: The True Story |date=1987 |publisher=Airlife Publishing Ltd. |location=Shrewsbury |isbn=0906393825 |pages=166–171, 188}} For comparison, the Spitfire Mk. V in service at the time had a maximum speed of {{convert|374|mph|kph}} and the Mk. IX, not yet introduced, mounting an experimental engine reached {{convert|403|mph|kph}} at high altitude.{{cite tech report |title=Spitfire HF. Mk. IX BS.310 (Merlin 70) |publisher=Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down |date=9 April 1944 |url=http://www.spitfireperformance.com/spitfire-IX.html}} This purely experimental aircraft and the very first flyable engine outperformed one of the most advanced high-performance aircraft in the world.

After a visit to England in 1941, General Henry H. Arnold arranged for the W.1X to be flown to the U.S in October 1941, along with drawings for the more powerful W.2B engine, together with a team from Power Jets. The former became the prototype of first the General Electric I-A and then the General Electric I-16, and by April 1943 the latter had been developed to produce 1,650 pounds thrust (750 kgf).Smith 1946, p. 109.

In 1941, experiments with boosting the W.1's thrust by introducing a liquid coolant were initiated, the first fluid tried being liquid ammonia which proved too effective, resulting in the engine overspeeding and pushing the thrust and rpm indicators off the scales, before later trials changed to using water, and water-methanol. A system to trial the technique in the E.28/39 was devised but never fitted.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1947/1947%20-%201359.html |title=Thrust-Boosting of Jet Engines: Some Sensational British Results with Ammonia |first=F. |last=Whittle |date=14 August 1947 |magazine=Flight |page=177 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230032235/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1947/1947%20-%201359.html |archive-date=December 30, 2018}}

;W.1(T)

:Built from spares for bench-development only.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1945/1945%20-%202022.html |title=Early History of the Whittle Jet Propulsion Gas Turbine |first=F. |last=Whittle |date=11 October 1945 |magazine=Flight |page=401 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021131757/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1945/1945%20-%202022.html |archive-date=21 October 2012}}

;W.1(3)

:Modified W.1.

;W.1X

:Early W.1 built from non-airworthy parts and intended for ground use only (aircraft taxi tests). Later sent to the US in October 1941, becoming the first jet engine to run in North America.

;W.1A

:Based on W.1, 1,450 lbf (6.45KN) air-cooled turbine disc and incorporating features intended for W.2. Used for second series of test flights of E.29/39 W4041/G beginning on 16 February 1942, and fitted with fuel barostat. Later featured modified oil 'ring main' system to prevent oil freezing at altitude.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1949/1949%20-%201792.html |title=No Airscrew Necessary... |first=Robert J. |last=Blackburn |date=27 October 1949 |magazine=Flight |page=556 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044216/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1949/1949%20-%201792.html |archive-date=1 December 2017}}

;WR.1

:Experimental low-pressure design built by Rolls-Royce under contract to Power Jets.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1951/1951%20-%200881.html |title=The Secret Years |date=11 May 1951 |magazine=Flight |page=552 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201540/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1951/1951%20-%200881.html |archive-date=29 October 2013}}

• Gloster E.28/39

The Gloster E.28/39 and the Power Jets W.1 engine that powered it are on public display at the Science Museum, London.

The W.1A is kept at the RAF College Cranwell, and the W.1X at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC.

File:PowerJetsW.1.JPG]]

{{jetspecs

|

|ref=Jane'sJane's 1989, p. 266.

|type=centrifugal flow turbojet

|length=

|diameter=

|weight={{convert|700|lb|kg|abbr=on}}

|compressor=single-stage double-sided centrifugal flow

|combustion=10 reverse-flow

|turbine=single stage axial flow

|fueltype=kerosene

|oilsystem=

|power=

|thrust={{convert|850|lbf|kN|abbr=on}} at 16,500 rpm

|compression=

|aircon=20.6 lb/s (9.3 kg/s)

|turbinetemp=

|fuelcon=1,170 lb/h (531 kg/h)

|specfuelcon={{convert|1.376|tsfc}}

|power/weight=

|thrust/weight=1.214

}}

{{jetspecs

|

|ref=Jane's

|type=centrifugal flow turbojet

|length=

|diameter=

|weight={{convert|700|lb|kg|abbr=on}}

|compressor=single-stage double-sided centrifugal flow

|combustion=10 reverse-flow can

|turbine=single stage axial flow

|fueltype=kerosene

|oilsystem=

|power=

|thrust=~{{convert|1032|lbf|kN|abbr=on}}

|compression=~3.8:1

|aircon=~25.4 lb/s (9.3 kg/s)

|turbinetemp=~{{convert|1430|F|C}}

|fuelcon=~1401 lb/h (~636 kg/h)

|specfuelcon=~{{convert|1.358|tsfc}}

|power/weight=

|thrust/weight=~1.474

}}

NASM-A19500082000 NASM2016-000437.jpg

NASM-A19500082000 NASM2016-000436.jpg

NASM-A19500082000 NASM2016-000434.jpg

NASM-A19500082000 NASM2016-000439.jpg

NASM-A19500082000 NASM2016-000440.jpg

{{Aircontent

|related=

• General Electric I-A
• General Electric J31
• Rolls-Royce Welland
• Power Jets W.2

|similar engines=

• Heinkel HeS 3

|lists=

• List of aircraft engines

|see also=

}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |title=Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II |publisher=Studio Editions Ltd |location=London |year=1989 |isbn=0-517-67964-7}}
• {{cite book |last=Gunston |first=Bill |title=World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines |publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd |location=Cambridge |year=1989 |isbn=1-85260-163-9}}
• {{cite book |last=Kay |first=Anthony L. |title=Turbojet History and Development 1930-1960 |publisher=The Crowood Press |location=Ramsbury |year=2007 |edition=1st |volume=1 |isbn=978-1-86126-912-6}}
• {{cite book |last=Smith |first=Geoffrey G. |title=Gas Turbines and Jet Propulsion for Aircraft |publisher=Flight Publishing Co. |location=London |year=1946}}
• {{cite journal |last1=Stroud |first1=Nick |title=Fire in the Belly |journal=The Aviation Historian |date=2017 |issue=20 |pages=90–97 |issn=2051-1930}}

{{commons category}}

• [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1945/1945%20-%202022.html Flight, October 1945 - The Power Jets W.1]

{{Power Jets aeroengines}}

W.1

Category:1940s turbojet engines

Category:Centrifugal-flow turbojet engines