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Genesis: Frank Whittle and the Invention of the Jet Engine

Genesis: Frank Whittle and the Invention of the Jet Engine

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Author: John Golley
Publisher: The Crowood Press
Category: Book

List Price: $24.95
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Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars 4 reviews
Sales Rank: 196814

Media: Paperback
Pages: 288
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 8 x 7.9 x 0.9

ISBN: 185310860X
Dewey Decimal Number: 629
EAN: 9781853108600
ASIN: 185310860X

Publication Date: August 15, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
This is the story of a genius throttled by British government bureaucracy. Although gagged for decades by the secrecy of that period, the story can now be told in full and these revelations provide a fascinating insight into the attitudes of the wartime government and military establishment, attitudes that led to one of the greatest inventions of all time being offered freely to those who were to become Britain's main aircraft manufacturing competitors.



Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars From innovation to product   June 9, 2007
Slorba (Helsinki, Finland, EU)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Although this book is mostly for aviation aficionados it gives it's own insight to the issue of making innovation into a product.

I liked the way book took it's reader into the battle of innovator proving his inventions merits to an industry for which the very invention was a disruption of long lines of established products. Franks obstacles can be common for many other developers/engineers that want to make a product that changes the world.



4 out of 5 stars Depressing story of beaurocracy at its worst...   December 16, 2002
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I found the book interesting however if you're hoping for a good explanation of the JET engine, the developments and aircraft, this book is NOT for you. Not enough meat, diagrams or pictures. See instead other works like Klaus Hunecke's excellent book "Jet Engines".

If you're an avid historian and want to know how a visionary RAF officer/engineer worked himself to near death for little reward or advancement within a government system that tried hard to stymie him at every step, this is indeed a moving,fascinating and somewhat depressing book... they even gave his engines away to the Russians and Americans.


5 out of 5 stars Young Jet Genius   November 11, 2001
Hubert N. Greenwood (Aurora, Colorado United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Perhaps a little too detailed for casual readers, the story of Frank Whittle's struggle to develop the jet engine. From his early days at Cranwell, through his battles with government and corporations, through his final success. A great addition for the aviation historian.


4 out of 5 stars Jet Engine History Revealed!   October 4, 2001
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

If you are an aficionado of turbine engine history you owe it to yourself to find out how it all started. John Golley gives an exhaustive account of Frank Whittle's struggle to develop and perfect the first jet aero engine. The technical difficulties are discussed, but the emphasis is on Whittle's battles with the British government over private versus government control of patents, R&D funding, and development work. It also illustrates how war-time necessities can actually delay experimental work when priorities are placed on existing technology (i.e. piston engines). Well written with great detail on who, what, where, and when. Working in the engineering field myself, I would have liked to have more detail on the "nuts & bolts", but this is a minor complaint. There is more than enough detail in this area for the average reader.