Jet Man

The Making and Breaking of Frank Whittle, Genius of the Jet Revolution

The biography of Frank Whittle – RAF pilot, mathematician of genius, inventor of the jet engine and British hero.

The story of Frank Whittle – RAF pilot, mathematician of genius, inventor of the jet engine and British hero.
'Wonderful' David Edgerton, TLS
'A fascinating account' Aeroplane Monthly
'Casts new light on the intense, heroic character of Frank Whittle' Leo McKinstry
'[A] thorough dissection of the evolution of the jet engine. I recommend this mighty tome unreservedly' Journal of Aeronautical History
'A long overdue corrective of an extraordinary man' James Hamilton-Paterson
'A fine, deeply researched book' Military History Monthly

In 1938, a thirty-one-year-old RAF pilot and engineer named Frank Whittle – given special leave to pursue his own startlingly original concept of flight – presented the Air Ministry with a written proposal for a revolutionary jet-powered fighter aircraft. A ready response might have changed the course of history, but Whittle got no reply.

In this gripping and insightful biography, Duncan Campbell-Smith charts Whittle's success at building a pre-war jet engine against all the odds – and tracks his desperate struggle to have it launched into active service against Hitler's Luftwaffe. It arrived too late – but nonetheless transformed the future of aviation.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.