This is a small presentation that gives the significant milestones of jet engine development all over the world.

1. Zafar I Jami
Aircraft Engines & Components’ Consultation Services
(AECCS).
(Website-www.aeccs.com)
A Brief History of Jet Engines -
Z.I.Jami
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2. Disclaimer of Liabilities:
While usual care has been taken for
accuracy of the Data by confirming
them from webs and published sources,
the author will in no way be responsible
for any harm or inconvenience resulting
due any inaccuracy contained in this
presentation.
Nonetheless shall be obliged for any
correction provided by the readers..
A Brief History of Jet Engines - Z.I.Jami
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3. What is a Jet Engine?
 It is an Engine that works on
the Newton’s Third Law of
Motion:
 Every Action Has a Reaction.
 It is a reaction engine that
discharges a jet of fast
moving gas backward whose
reaction pushes the aircraft
forward.
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4. The two Types of Reaction
Engines.
 The reaction engines broadly work on one of the two
principles:
 The Gas Turbines: Which has been described earlier, uses
the air from the atmosphere as its working fluid, and is the
main topic of this presentation.
 The Rockets : Which carry the Oxidant (like Liquid Oxygen)
with them along with the fuel and do not depend upon the
atmospheric air.
 Though both work on the reaction of exhausting gasses,
yet, when we say a Jet Engine we commonly mean a
Gas Turbine Engine.
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5. How a Jet Engine Works?
Briefly stated, such engines work in
following sequence:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
It sucks air from front,
compresses it to higher pressure in
the compressor,
adds fuel and burns it at very high
temperature
hot gases pass through turbines to
extract power sufficient to run its
compressor and other accessories
and then
The gas is allowed to expand and
escape at a very high velocity
producing THRUST, that pushes
the aircraft forward.
Turbofans also run a fan in front to
that pushes air in bypass for
additional thrust.
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6. Earliest Use of Jets.
 The earliest piece of equipment that worked on this
principle was invented by Hero (10-70 AD), which was
a sphere spinning due steam discharging from its
nozzles. Nonetheless, it apparently was only a Toy.
A Brief History of Jet Engines
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7. Earliest Use of Jets --II.
 In 13th century, Chinese and Arabs used firework that
worked on principle of Rocket. These soon progressed
into being used to propel weaponry – though not very
accurately.
 However their practical use, that is propelling an
aircraft had to wait till the Second World War.
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8. Jet Engines for the Aircraft
 First workable (Gas Turbine) engine designed on the
Jet principle was developed by a German engineer
Hans Von Ohain in 1935.
 In 1937 its workable version HeS1 was tested to power
an aircraft being specially built by Dr. Heinkel – He
178 (first flight in Aug 1939) that was finally
powered by a larger engine HeS 3
 Thus German He 178 is the First Aircraft to fly purely
on jet engine.
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9. British Developments.
 Independently, Frank Whittle, an RAF
Cranwell College cadet submitted a workable
design of a jet engine in 1928 and was granted a
patent in 1930. Original proposal was for a two
stage axial compressor feeding a centrifugal one.
 But, due to low priority assigned, a simpler
workable engine called W-1, was produced in 1941
which gave 1000 pounds of thrust using a single
stage Centrifugal Compressor and powered a
Gloster E28/39 Aircraft.
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10. Jet Aircraft in World War 2
 Germany was practically the only country whose jet aircraft
took active part in air to air combat. Their two of the successful
Jet aircraft were
 Me262- that flew as the world’s first jet fighter in 1944 and
was credited with shooting down several of Allies’ most
advanced propeller driven fighters and Bombers.
◦ Unfortunately for them, because of Hitler’s obsession with
bombers, it was converted into a Bomber, thus delaying the
production program.
 The other was a larger Arado’s Ar 234 Bomber using
same engines. This became World’s First Jet Bomber.
 Both aircraft used Junker’s Jumo 004 engines(the first
jet engine in mass production -1943) producing
around 2,000 Lbs of Thrust.
 The other engine was BMW 003 which powered later versions
of Ar 234 due shortage of Jumo 004s required for Me262.
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11. Post War Developments.
 With the defeat of Germany and destruction of its
factories, Britain was the undisputed pioneer in
the Jet Engines.
 Their early designs were based on W-1 hence used
Centrifugal Compressor which, though more
sturdy, could not handle as much air as axial
compressors that were used on German engines.
 Two of the earliest jet aircraft produced in UK
were:
 Gloster Meteor, the first post war jet fighter aircraft.
and
 Vampire, the first Carrier based Jet Fighter.
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12. Early Jet Engines in USA.
 USA could not produce a design of its own till much after
the Second World War. During later years of war, Britain
supplied details of their engines that started jet Engine era
in USA.
 GE was tasked by the US Government to produce Jet
Engines based on British (Whittle’s) designs and
developed J31 and then J33 that later powered
Lockheed’s F-80 fighter and T33 (first jet trainer).
 GE’s J47 was first US designed jet engine powering
F86 and several other aircraft in late 40s and early 50s.
 P&W purchased RR Nene license to produce their first
jet engine J42.
 Another engine, produced by Wright as J-65, was
Armstrong Siddeley’s Saphhire, that powered B-57 light
bomber – also a licensed production of British Canberra’
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13. Early Jet Engines in USSR.
 Although, USSR could get its hands on some German
scientists and factories working on Jet Engines,
Nonetheless, they too had to use a British engine to
power their early jet fighters.
 In early 50s, Britain sold RR Nene jets having
centrifugal compressors that were copied and produced
first as Klimov RD-45 and then as VK-1 that powered
their first Jet fighter MiG15, and then larger MiG17.
 Later they used axial compressor technology that was
originally used in Germany (Jumo 004 and later
drawings), to produce RD-9 series engines that
powered their first supersonic (MiG 19) aircraft.
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14. Early Jets in Other Countries.
 FRANCE: Like, USSR, France could get its hands on
German factories in France working on BMW 003, and
later model axial compressor Jet Engines.
 The French company SNECMA, developed it into ATAR 101 in
1948, which powered first French fighter Dassault Ouragan
(1951) and later Super Mystere fighter bomber (with
afterburner-ATAR 101 F&G).
 Later models ATAR 08 and 09 powered several models of
Mirages and other fighters/bombers.
 P.R. CHINA: In early 50s, USSR sold MiG15 with Klimov
VK1 that were copied & produced as Wopen WP-5.(1952)
 Later they produced afterburning RD-9 series engines as
WP 6 that powered their Supersonic J-6 (MiG 19)
Fighter aircraft.
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15. Course of Later Developments.
 The major areas of development since then can be broadly
grouped into efforts for:
 Increasing Thrust of the engine.
 Increasing Pressures and
Temperatures inside the
engine - to get higher thrust and efficiencies.
 Improving Thrust to Weight ratios.
 Reduction in fuel consumption,
Noise and Emissions.
 These goals have been targeted through use of:
 Improved metallurgy and manufacturing processes.
 Multi-shaft designs (two and three spools)
 Turbofans (with ever increasing bypass ratios); lately, increasing
the Bypass Ratios to > 10:1.
 Geared Turbofans making possible use of smaller turbines for large
fans.
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16. Some Firsts in jet Engines and Aircraft
 As a number of manufacturers have worked on similar
ideas concurrently, or under license from the same
source, it is often difficult to point out who
incorporated it first.
 Following, however, are some firsts in the Technologies
that appeared on aircraft in the years mentioned
against them.
 This could be different from the year when the concept
was first tested or certified.
 Engines’ names have been marked in RED.
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17. Few Firsts in Jet Engine Technologies
 First use of Variable Stator
 GE J47 -1947 (IGV only) &
vanes
 First engine powering the
aircraft designed to go
supersonic
GE J79 (IGV+VSVs) – F1041954.
 PW Engine (J57) USAF
F100 Super Sabre.
 First engine to power a
 RD9 axial compressor
USSR designed supersonic
aircraft.
 First Turboprop engine in
production
Engines -earlier
designation AM5-with
afterburner– in early 1950s
(MiG 19)–.
 RR Dart Engine- 1952
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18. Few Firsts in Jet Engine Technologies (2)
 First Commercial Jet





Transport
First twin spool jets
First Turbofans
The only aft fan
commercial Design
The only three spool
engine design
First Geared Turbofan
design
 DH Comet – RR Avon
Engines - 1951
 RR Avon and PW J57
 RR Conway and PW JT3D
 GE CJ805 series Convair 880
aircraft.
 Rolls Royce - RB211. later
the Trent series. 1972
 Garrett (now Honeywell)
TFE731 (1972) –powering
Learjet 35 (1973) and later
several other aircraft.
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19. Conclusion
 Jet Engine is undoubtedly the most important
development in the Aviation Industry.
 For the last over 60 years, jet engines have remained in
the front line for powering civil as well as military
aircraft all over the world.
 They are expected to keep this lead at least till the time
the hydrocarbon fuel is freely available in the world.
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20. AECCS
Aircraft, Engines and Components’ Consultation Services
www.aeccs.com
A Brief History of Jet Engines - Z.I.Jami
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