Thx, dokrotbimmer, for yr explanation of the nickel shortage for the German engines' reliability problems. In general, the British government didn't deserve Whiitle and his genius, the way they treated him, with their disbelieving, penny-pinching ways. Then giving his research to the USA. Then, finally, the post-way left-wing Labour government giving the USSR six of his engines as a fraternal gesture. The result; in Korea, we were fighting MiG's with those same engines! Sad story; not unique.
@crossleydd42 The brits used 'inconel' alloy for their engines, the Germans 'hastalloy' both are high temp. "superalloys" containing nickel,cobalt and chrome.
Most of the worlds supply of nickel and cobalt comes from Canada.. whitch was a big problem for Germany during the war.
Germans developed air-cooled turbine blades and high temp coatings to help compensate for the metal shortage problem, technology thats still used today.
@crossleydd42 No disrespect but.. the six Rolls-Royce Nene engines gifted to the Soviets were designed by Adrian Lombard not Whittle. Its a sad story really, if not for Whittles friend who encouraged him to patent his 1930 design (a design whitch was never built incidently) Frank Whittles work would be even less recognised in the history of jet aviation.
@doktorbimmer Thx for correcting me - it was even worse, them giving the Soviets R-R Nene engines! The Germans were very ingenious with their technology/inventions during WWII. Such a pity it was built on such misery and put to bad use. However, it's amazing how war brings such huge technological advances. The advances in aviation, even in WWI, were amazing.
@doktorbimmer This was simply a 1944 training film, which I re-edited, that showed wartime trainees how the original Whittle jet of 1937 - the world's first - actually worked. It was reverse flow because there was not enough money to build a new, longer shaft that would allow straight-through combustion. By the time this material was shot, frank Whittle was building the world's first turbofan engine, with axial flow.
Glad you liked it. I took the voiceover from one film by the cameraman and then cut his pictures from others to match the words. IT dates from 1943-4.
Whittle's jet engine was radial-flow...the German's build axial-flow engines which are much more efficient...now all modern jet engines are axial-flow
The first Whittle jets were centrifugal, because the latter's simplicity made them more reliable. Yet his first jet of 1931 allowed for axial compressors - and in 1943 Whittle began building the first ever turbofan with axial compressor. The Government cancelled it. The German axial engines were brilliant but unreliable - they went axial too soon.
@QuantaFilms I believe that much of the axial problem was that the technology was ahead of the metallurgy of the time. They could only get a few hours use out of the Junkers Jumo engine before it needed a complete rebuild. The BMW engine was the less reliable of the two engines.
@crossleydd42 The early German prototypes used similar nickel alloy in critical parts, had comparable reliablity and TBO. Due to wartime shortages of nickel the RLM order the production engines to use high chrome stainless steel that greatly reduced reliablity. Post war production of Jumo 004 engines used nickel and were very reliable.
When was this made? 1940? The description in this video of how a "jet" engine works is not only murky, but if you attempt to apply it to a modern turbofan engine, it's just plain wrong. There are MUCH better explanations on YouTube of how jet engines work. Grade: F (Brief and murky, and most of the information presented is wrong.)
The diagrams show the engine without an outer casing because - at this stage - it was assumed the engine would be embedded inside the fuselage (and not need an outer casing). The combustion therefore isn't really "outside" the engine. But it was indeed piped back to power the turbine - because of the short shaft, the engine had to use reverse flow.
@matteolegna I've allway's wondered why you would have diverted the airflow from being a direct line. is the centrifugal design more powerfull in compressing the air for ignition?
Thx, dokrotbimmer, for yr explanation of the nickel shortage for the German engines' reliability problems. In general, the British government didn't deserve Whiitle and his genius, the way they treated him, with their disbelieving, penny-pinching ways. Then giving his research to the USA. Then, finally, the post-way left-wing Labour government giving the USSR six of his engines as a fraternal gesture. The result; in Korea, we were fighting MiG's with those same engines! Sad story; not unique.
crossleydd42 2 weeks ago
@crossleydd42 The brits used 'inconel' alloy for their engines, the Germans 'hastalloy' both are high temp. "superalloys" containing nickel,cobalt and chrome.
Most of the worlds supply of nickel and cobalt comes from Canada.. whitch was a big problem for Germany during the war.
Germans developed air-cooled turbine blades and high temp coatings to help compensate for the metal shortage problem, technology thats still used today.
doktorbimmer 1 week ago
@crossleydd42 No disrespect but.. the six Rolls-Royce Nene engines gifted to the Soviets were designed by Adrian Lombard not Whittle. Its a sad story really, if not for Whittles friend who encouraged him to patent his 1930 design (a design whitch was never built incidently) Frank Whittles work would be even less recognised in the history of jet aviation.
doktorbimmer 1 week ago
@doktorbimmer Thx for correcting me - it was even worse, them giving the Soviets R-R Nene engines! The Germans were very ingenious with their technology/inventions during WWII. Such a pity it was built on such misery and put to bad use. However, it's amazing how war brings such huge technological advances. The advances in aviation, even in WWI, were amazing.
crossleydd42 1 week ago
Wow! reverse flow centrifugal whittle engine! This sucker's been obsolete for like 60 years!
Not relevant to the modern jet engine used today.
doktorbimmer 1 month ago
@doktorbimmer This was simply a 1944 training film, which I re-edited, that showed wartime trainees how the original Whittle jet of 1937 - the world's first - actually worked. It was reverse flow because there was not enough money to build a new, longer shaft that would allow straight-through combustion. By the time this material was shot, frank Whittle was building the world's first turbofan engine, with axial flow.
QuantaFilms 2 weeks ago
@QuantaFilms Whittles first design was never built, his 'WU' ran 8 months after von Ohains did in 1936.
This video depicts a 'W1' type engine designed in 1940.
Frank Halford designed the first successful straight flow Centrifugal engine.
Frank Whittle is not credited for designing the Axial flow type used today.
The Jumo 012 was the worlds first Turbofan engine.
doktorbimmer 2 weeks ago
Fantastic bit of film, thanks for posting.
jacklav1 2 years ago
Glad you liked it. I took the voiceover from one film by the cameraman and then cut his pictures from others to match the words. IT dates from 1943-4.
QuantaFilms 2 years ago
The old school :P
whiteskullwhiteskull 2 years ago
Whittle's jet engine was radial-flow...the German's build axial-flow engines which are much more efficient...now all modern jet engines are axial-flow
RifledBarrel 2 years ago 4
The first Whittle jets were centrifugal, because the latter's simplicity made them more reliable. Yet his first jet of 1931 allowed for axial compressors - and in 1943 Whittle began building the first ever turbofan with axial compressor. The Government cancelled it. The German axial engines were brilliant but unreliable - they went axial too soon.
QuantaFilms 2 years ago
@QuantaFilms I believe that much of the axial problem was that the technology was ahead of the metallurgy of the time. They could only get a few hours use out of the Junkers Jumo engine before it needed a complete rebuild. The BMW engine was the less reliable of the two engines.
crossleydd42 3 months ago
@crossleydd42 The early German prototypes used similar nickel alloy in critical parts, had comparable reliablity and TBO. Due to wartime shortages of nickel the RLM order the production engines to use high chrome stainless steel that greatly reduced reliablity. Post war production of Jumo 004 engines used nickel and were very reliable.
doktorbimmer 2 weeks ago
When was this made? 1940? The description in this video of how a "jet" engine works is not only murky, but if you attempt to apply it to a modern turbofan engine, it's just plain wrong. There are MUCH better explanations on YouTube of how jet engines work. Grade: F (Brief and murky, and most of the information presented is wrong.)
lonewolfintj 2 years ago
It's from a 1944 training film made by one of Frank Whittle's engineers. There's nothing inaccurate about the text. It does not refer to a turbofan.
QuantaFilms 2 years ago
Suck, Squeeze, Bang and Blow :)
zaction 2 years ago
so the combustion actually took place "outside" the engine in those tanks and was then piped back into the power the turbine at the rear?
esthnocentriquaville 3 years ago
The diagrams show the engine without an outer casing because - at this stage - it was assumed the engine would be embedded inside the fuselage (and not need an outer casing). The combustion therefore isn't really "outside" the engine. But it was indeed piped back to power the turbine - because of the short shaft, the engine had to use reverse flow.
QuantaFilms 3 years ago
Today axial compressors are used rather than centrifugal; in that way the combustion chamber is more "in line" whit the rest of the engine.
matteolegna 2 years ago
@matteolegna I've allway's wondered why you would have diverted the airflow from being a direct line. is the centrifugal design more powerfull in compressing the air for ignition?
circusboy90210 1 year ago