Whittle Causes Revolution

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 266, 10 November 1945, Page 9

Whittle Causes Revolution

LONDON, Oct. 25. After 40 years of records, for the first time the air speed record has been successfully assailed by aircraft without propellers. There have been successive speed attempts since 1905 subject to certification by the Federation Aeronatitique Internationale (F.A.L) to secure official international recognition. Now the greatest revolution has occurred as a result of Air Commodore Whittle’s pioneer work, although both the Gloster Aircraft Co. and Rolls Royce Ltd., makers of the present Meteor aircraft and its jet propulsion engines, respectively have been previously concerned in record-breaking attempts which were, of course, in ali cases with one orthodox system of pro pulsion. For speed records by both airplanes and seaplanes, attempts must always be made under F.A.I, requirements over a straight line course, 3 kilometres (1.8 miles) in length, particulars of which must first of all havo been deposited with the federation. Before attempting the actual record the machine must have made two normal and officially observed landings. During the record attempt the machine has to cover the course twice in each direction in one continuous flight, timing being by an automatic apparatus approved by the Federation so that an average of four speeds can be takeu as the speed for the record. To be recognised the new record must beat the old one by at least 8 kilometres per hour (approximately 5 m.p.h.) As speeds increase the uninitiated may wonder why flights are carried out at what may appear to be a dangerously low level. The risk takeu is required by a standard rule of the F.A.I. for all records which have been set up since 1906 when a Frenchman set up the Federation’s first record of 41.3 k.m. per hour. These Tules state that while the machine is airborne and throughout its flight, it must never exceed a height of 400 metres (1300 ft) and when on the actual course it most maintain a constant height of not more than 75 metres (about 250 ft.) In the first world war the Federation’s activities were completely curbed for 5 years and resumed in 1919. This time the break caused by the war lias meant that the existing world’s speed record is that recognised by the Federation up to the outbreak of the war. It was set up in a Messerschmitt aircraft at Augoburg in the spring of 1939, the speed achieved being 468.94 m.p.h. Britain’s outstanding part in aerial speed achievements can of course, be traced particularly to her Schneider successes. Between the wars the event brought the names both of the Gloster and Rolls Royce into prominence during the time when Great Britain was winning the trophy thrice in succession and so retaining it. It was the Gloster V.I. which established the world’s speed record of 336.3 m.p.h. at. Calshot on September 10, 1929. One of the earliest records set up by Britain was a seaplane speed of 364.92 k.m. per hour in 1925 achieved by Biard in a supermariuo aircraft with a Napior i engine. In 1929 Stainforth flew at 541.10 k.m. per hour in a Gloster seaplane with a Napier engine. The same year Orlebar in a supermarine S.V.I

(Rolls Royc£) flew at 575.70 k.m. per hour. In 1931 Stainforth again broke the record with 655 k.m. per hour in a supermarine S. VIB (Rolls Royce). Today jet ' aircraft are flying at speeds the lowest of which corresponds with tho maximum formerly attained. British initiative in this technique is an outstanding feature of its history. Speeds put up by the Gloster Meteor aircraft are due to the combination of ultra modern design and a new form of jet propulsion provided by two Rolls Royce “Derwent” engines which are the lightest and most powerful units of their class in the world.

It is interesting to note that the Meteor first flew operationally against flying bombs from Manston from where the recent tests were flown.