
Jet Man: The Making and Breaking of Frank Whittle, Genius of the Jet Revolution (Paperback)
Duncan Campbell-Smith (author)- In stock
'Wonderful' David Edgerton, TLS
'A fascinating account' Aeroplane Monthly
'Casts new light on the intense, heroic character of Frank Whittle' Leo McKinstry
'[A] thorough dissection of the evolution of the jet engine... I recommend this mighty tome unreservedly' Journal of Aeronautical History
'A long overdue corrective of an extraordinary man' James Hamilton-Paterson
'A fine, deeply researched book' Military History Monthly
In 1938, a thirty-one-year-old RAF pilot and engineer named Frank Whittle - given special leave to pursue his own startlingly original concept of flight - presented the Air Ministry with a written proposal for a revolutionary jet-powered fighter aircraft. A ready response might have changed the course of history, but Whittle got no reply.
In this gripping and insightful biography, Duncan Campbell-Smith charts Whittle's success at building a pre-war jet engine against all the odds - and tracks his desperate struggle to have it launched into active service against Hitler's Luftwaffe. It arrived too late - but nonetheless transformed the future of aviation.
Publisher: Head of Zeus
ISBN: 9781788544702
Number of pages: 560
Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'A fascinating account' * Aeroplane Monthly *
'A long overdue corrective account of an extraordinary man' -- James Hamilton-Paterson
'Casts new light on the intense, heroic character of Frank Whittle and his revolutionary invention' -- Leo McKinstry
'There's much to ponder in this biography of a stoic and overlooked British hero' * Choice Magazine *
A fine, deeply researched book... [It] does great credit to a true aviation pioneer' * Military History *
The author has done a first rate job in illuminating the struggles of this engineering icon in such a gripping manner. That he has made such good use of Whittle's notes and diaries is evident and adds so much to the book. As such, I expect it will become an historical document of some importance... This book is highly commended to all those with an interest in aviation, be they aircraft or engineering enthusiasts' * Pennant *
'An important and stimulating addition to the literature and highly recommended' -- The Aviation Historian
'[A] thorough dissection of the evolution of the jet engine. Campbell-Smith has climbed every mountain of paper records unearthing the numerous political and technical hurdles from primary sources... I recommend this mighty tome unreservedly' * Journal of Aeronautical History *
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