The Whittle Reactionaries Prize 2000

Citation

(2000), "The Whittle Reactionaries Prize 2000", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 72 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2000.12772faf.004

The Whittle Reactionaries Prize 2000

The Whittle Reactionaries Prize 2000

Keywords: Awards, Aerospace

The Whittle Reactionaries Prize was presented for the first time to Mr John Whurr of Rolls-Royce for his paper "A 'compound rotary core turbofan' for the propulsion of subsonic transport aircraft". He presented it as part of one of the Aerospace Division's seminars: "Novel Aero Propulsion Systems International Symposium" on 4 September 2000. The prizes, a cheque for £1,500 and a medal, were presented to him by the Aerospace Division Chairman, Professor Riti Singh and Sir Frank Whittle's son, Mr Ian Whittle.

The Prize is endowed by a number of Sir Frank Whittle's colleagues, known as the "Reactionaries". Professor Singh thanked the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and particularly the Aerospace Division for having placed this prestigious prize within the Institution. He acknowledged the presence of Mr Ian Whittle and three of Sir Frank's colleagues – Mr Frank Redfern – Honorary Secretary of The Reactionaries, Mr Geoffrey Bone and Mr Walter Ogston (Plates 1 and 2).

John Whurr gained a 1st degree in Mechanical Engineering from Liverpool University and subsequently a Masters in "Gas Turbine Engineering" from the universities of Cranfield and Warwick, for which he was awarded the Whittle Prize for the overall standard that he achieved.

John joined the Advance Projects Group at Rolls-Royce in Derby in 1987 where he worked principally on engine performance modeling and thermodynamic cycle design. His current responsibilities include study and analysis of advanced/novel propulsion system concepts and project leadership of Rolls-Royce's studies of propulsion systems for supersonic transports.

Plate 1 Mr Whurr with Mr Whittle, the Reactionaries and the Aerospace Chairman at IMechE Headquarters. From top left: Mr Ian Whittle, Mr Geoffrey Bone, Reactionary; Mr Walter Ogston, Reactionary; From bottom left: Professor Riti Singh, Aerospace Division Chairman; Mr John Whurr, Prize Winner, Mr Frank Redfern, Reactionary

Plate 2 In the Whittle Room at ImechR Headquarters. From left to right: Mr Frank Redfern, Reactionary: Mr Ian Whittle, Mr Geoffrey Bone, Reactionary; Mr Walter Ogston, Reactionary; Mr John Whurr, Prize Winner, Professor Riti Singh, Aerospace Division Chairman

Sir Frank Whittle

Sir Frank Whittle, born in 1907, already as a young man in the 1920s had the vision of aircraft flying above the weather. This vision led him to the jet engine, a variant of the gas turbine. Frank Whittle took out his patent, British Patent No. 347,206 in January 1930. Whittle's first jet engine ran on 12 April 1937. Whittle was then just 30 years old. Whittle combined scientific genius with engineering talent and great design insight. These characteristics gave him the confidence to persist in the face of opposition and lack of recognition. Another of Whittle's undoubted strengths was his training and education. Whittle himself says that: "I must point out that a factor which contributed greatly to the work has been the very fine training I have received in the Royal Air Force".

The magnitude of Whittle's achievement can perhaps be appreciated by recognising that the world's three major "Prime manufacturers" of gas turbines, namely Rolls-Royce, Pratt and Whitney and General Electric all started their gas turbine businesses based on Whittle's W2/700 gas turbine. The W2/700 was used by Rolls-Royce to launch the Welland, which was followed by the Derwent, Nene and Tay. Pratt and Whitney entered gas turbines soon after the Second World War, using the Rolls-Royce Nene to form the basis of their J42. General Electric's first gas turbine, the 1-A, from which the J31 was derived, was based directly upon Whittle's W2/700 gas turbine. Whittle's early simple engine eventually resulted in today's large and complex industry.