Gloster E.28/39

Gloster E. 28/39 Story

Even before Britain's first operational jet fighter, the Gloster Meteor, emerged during World War II (1939-1945) to make its claim and advance a career that lasted into the early Cold War, the nation needed a proof-of-concept and Test bed to demonstrate the feasibility of jet aircraft and general high-speed flight. This belongs to certain designs, one of which, perhaps the most striking, became the classic Gloster "E.

28./39". This single-seat, single-engine product was arranged by Gloucester Aircraft through the efforts of the Royal Aircraft Company (RAE) and engineer George Carter and Frank Whittle, inventor of the Whittle turbojet engine.

The result is a pair of airborne data collection platforms that help shape the future of jet propulsion in the UK and prove the country is a leader in jet propulsion.

E. 28/39, known primarily for its Air Department specification E. 28/39, also recognized under the names Gloster G. 40, "Gloster Whittle" and Gloster "Pioneer". The plane was the UK's first jet, but took off in May on the heels of the German Heinkel He 178 and the Italian Caproni-Campini N.1 (both detailed elsewhere on this page).

Aviation History in 1941.

Design work began in August 1939, a month before the official start of World War II. Subsequent research included wind tunnel testing, which resulted in a very modern-looking aircraft with nose air intakes. Monoplane tail, low-position monoplane (straight) and retractable tricycle landing gear. The sole pilot sat behind the nose and in front of the main aircraft.

The main aircraft are the former midships. The engine, buried in the rear of the fuselage, was ejected through a circular opening under the fin and in the rear of the tail.

Dimensions include a length of 25.3 feet, a wingspan of 29 feet, and a height of 8.9 feet. Curb weight is 2,885 lbs and MTOW is 3,750 lbs.

Equipped with Power Jets (Whittle's company) W1X turbojet, taxied in April 1941, the month the aircraft made a brief "jump" in the air. The official first flight was recorded on May 15, 1941 under strict safety precautions, proving that the design and engine were fully functional. In January 1942, the airframe received the newer, more powerful Power Jets W1A, which promised 1,050 pounds of power and was capable of consistently reaching speeds of 365 mph over time.

The second prototype, powered by a Rolls-Royce W2B turbojet (1,350 lb thrust), made its first test flight on March 1, 1943, at a speed of nearly 435 mph.

In June 1943, a more powerful 1,520 pound thrust turbojet engine design was installed and successfully flown, although as power increased, engineers had to overcome various speed-related obstacles inherent in high-speed Modified and manufactured on demand; as this advanced propulsion program develops, both pilots and engineers will understand the nuances of high-speed flight.

Before closing, the E. 28/39 managed to reach a top speed of 505 miles per hour and reached an altitude of over 30,000 feet with seemingly relative ease. Testing continued until 1944. At this point, the design more or less achieves its project goals and sets the framework for more advanced forms. The first prototype ended up in the museum collection of London's Science Museum in 1946.

The second prototype was lost during testing due to aileron failure in flight.

While the E. 28/39 was once considered a true fighter final product (depending on the results of its testing phase), it was never equipped with the originally planned 4 x 7.7mm Browning machine gun batteries.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes