Power Jets W.1

type	Turbojet
manufacturers	{M
first run	14 December 1940
major applications	Gloster E.28/39
developed into	General Electric J31

W.1
Preserved Power Jets W.1 at the Science Museum (London)

The Power Jets W.1 (sometimes called the Whittle W.1) was a British turbojet engine designed by Frank Whittle and Power Jets. The W.1 was built under contract by British Thomson-Houston (BTH) in the early 1940s. It is notable as being the first British jet engine to fly, as the "Whittle Supercharger Type W1", powering the Gloster E.28/39 on its maiden flight at RAF Cranwell on 15 May 1941.

Design and development

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 Dr 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.

At the same time, a contract was placed for a "flight engine", the W.1. 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, reverse-flow combustion chambers and a water-cooled axial-flow turbine section; this 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.

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.

After a visit to England in 1941, General Henry H. Arnold arranged for the W.1X to be shipped to the U.S, along with drawings for the more powerful W.2B engine. The former became the prototype of the General Electric I-16 and by April 1943 had been developed to produce 1,650 pounds force (750 kgf).

Variants

W.1(T)

Bench-testing only.

W.1(3)

No details.

W.1X

Intended for ground use only (aircraft taxi tests).

W.1A

1,450 lbf (6.45KN) air-cooled turbine disc

General Electric I-16

American-built version of W.1A. This is the only version of the W.1 to go into mass production.

Applications

• Gloster E.28/39

Engines on display

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

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

Specifications (W.1 early development engine)

Data from Jane's

General characteristics

• Type: Centrifugal flow turbojet
• Length:
• Diameter:
• Dry weight: 700 lb (320 kg)

Components

• Compressor: Single-stage double-sided centrifugal flow
• Combustors: 10 reverse-flow can
• Turbine: Single stage axial flow
• Fuel type: Kerosene

Performance

• Maximum thrust: 850 lbf (3.8 kN) at 16,500 rpm
• Air mass flow: 20.6 lb/sec (9.3 kg/s)
• Fuel consumption: 1,170 lb/hr (531 kg/h)
• Specific fuel consumption: 1.376 lb/hr/lb (38.98 g/s·kN)
• Thrust-to-weight ratio: 1.214:1

Specifications (W.1 later development engine)

Data from Jane's

General characteristics

• Type: Centrifugal flow turbojet
• Length:
• Diameter:
• Dry weight: 700 lb (320 kg)

Components

• Compressor: Single-stage double-sided centrifugal flow
• Combustors: 10 reverse-flow can
• Turbine: Single stage axial flow
• Fuel type: Kerosene

Performance

• Maximum thrust: ~1,032 lbf (4.59 kN)
• Overall pressure ratio: ~3.8:1
• Air mass flow: ~25.4 lb/sec (9.3 kg/s)
• Turbine inlet temperature: ~1,430 °C (2,610 °F)
• Fuel consumption: ~1401 lb/hr (~636 kg/h)
• Specific fuel consumption: ~1.358 lb/hr/lb (~38.47 g/s·kN)
• Thrust-to-weight ratio: ~1.474:1

Specifications (General Electric J-31-GE-1 production engine))

Data from </ref>

General characteristics

• Type: Centrifugal flow turbojet
• Length: ~72 in (1,828.8 mm)
• Diameter: ~41.5 in (1,054.1 mm)
• Dry weight: ~865 kg (1,907 lb)

Components

• Compressor: Single-stage double-sided centrifugal flow
• Combustors: 10 reverse-flow can
• Turbine: Single stage axial flow
• Fuel type: Kerosene

Performance

• Maximum thrust: ~1,610 lbf (7.2 kN)
• Overall pressure ratio: ~4.5:1
• Air mass flow: ~33 lb/sec (9.3 kg/s)
• Fuel consumption: ~1980 lb/hr (~898 kg/h)
• Specific fuel consumption: ~1.23 lb/hr/lb (~34.84 g/s·kN)
• Thrust-to-weight ratio: ~1.861:1

See also

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

References

Bibliography

• Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9
• Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1998. ISBN 0-517-67964-7
• Smith, Geoffrey G.Gas Turbines and Jet Propulsion for Aircraft, London S.E.1, Flight Publishing Co.Ltd., 1946.
• Kay, Anthony L. (2007). Turbojet History and Development 1930-1960. 1 (1st ed.). Ramsbury: The Crowood Press. ISBN 978-1-86126-912-6. 

External links

• Flight, October 1945 - The Power Jets W.1