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E.28/39

Gloster Aircraft Company · Experimental prototype · United Kingdom · WWII (1939–1945)

E.28/39 — Experimental prototype
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The Gloster E.28/39 (also called the Gloster Whittle and the Gloster Pioneer) was the first British jet-powered aircraft and the first jet-engined aircraft of any nationality after the German Heinkel He 178. Gloster Aircraft built 2 E.28/39 prototypes between 1940 and 1941. The aircraft first flew on 15 May 1941 with a single Whittle W.1 turbojet (860 lbf) — the first flight of a jet-engined aircraft outside Germany and the foundation of the entire British jet-aviation industry. The E.28/39's flight test programme directly seeded development of the Gloster Meteor production fighter that entered service in 1944.

The E.28/39 was a small all-metal mid-wing single-seat aircraft. Power: a single Whittle W.1 / W.2 / Halford H.1 turbojet (860-2,300 lbf depending on engine variant). The W.1 engine, designed by Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, was the world's second jet engine to fly (after the German von Ohain HeS 3B used in the Heinkel He 178 in 1939). Maximum speed about 466 mph; service ceiling 32,000 ft. The aircraft was unarmed; it was a flying test bed for jet-engine and jet-airframe technology, not a combat aircraft.

The 15 May 1941 first flight at RAF Cranwell with Gerry Sayer at the controls is one of the foundational moments of British jet aviation. The Whittle W.1 engine ran for 17 minutes; the aircraft reached about 280 mph. Subsequent test flights through 1944 explored the aircraft's flight envelope and engine alternatives. The original W.1 engine was replaced with the W.2 (1,250 lbf) and Halford H.1 (2,300 lbf) for later flights; the H.1-engined airframe reached 466 mph at 30,000 ft on 14 March 1943. Two prototypes were built; one was lost in a 1943 accident. The surviving airframe is preserved at the Science Museum, London.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Gloster E-28/39 was the first British jet plane. It first flew on 15 May 1941. A pilot named Gerry Sayer flew it at RAF Cranwell in England. It was a huge moment for British aviation.

The plane used a special engine called the Whittle W-1. An engineer named Frank Whittle designed this jet engine. It was only the second jet engine ever to fly in the world. A German plane had flown with a jet engine two years before.

The E-28/39 was a small all-metal plane with one seat. It could fly at about 466 miles per hour. That is faster than most propeller planes of the time. It could also climb up to 32,000 feet in the sky.

The plane was not built to fight. It was built to test jet engines and new ideas. Only two were ever made. The lessons learned helped build the Gloster Meteor, a real jet fighter that entered service in 1944.

One of the two planes still exists today. You can see it at the Science Museum in London. It is smaller than a school bus, but it changed the history of flight.

Fun Facts

  • The Gloster E.28/39 was the first jet plane ever to fly in Britain.
  • It first took to the sky on 15 May 1941 at RAF Cranwell.
  • Frank Whittle designed the jet engine that powered this plane.
  • The plane could reach about 466 miles per hour — faster than most propeller planes of its time.
  • It was smaller than a school bus but helped change the future of flight.
  • The plane had no guns — it was built just to test new jet technology.
  • Only two of these planes were ever built.
  • You can still see the surviving plane at the Science Museum in London today.

Kids’ Questions

What made the Gloster E.28/39 so special?

It was the first jet-powered plane ever to fly in Britain. Before this, all planes used propeller engines. This small plane proved that jet engines could work, and it changed aviation forever.

Who built the engine for the E.28/39?

A British engineer named Frank Whittle designed the jet engine. It was called the Whittle W.1. It was only the second jet engine in history to power a flying plane.

Did the E.28/39 carry any guns?

No, the E.28/39 had no guns at all. It was not a fighter plane. It was built just to test jet engines and new ideas about how jet planes should be designed.

Can I see a real E.28/39 today?

Yes, you can! One of the two planes that were built still exists. It is on display at the Science Museum in London. You can see the very plane that helped start British jet aviation.

Variants

E.28/39 W.4041/G
First prototype. First flight 15 May 1941 with Whittle W.1 engine. Lost in 1943 accident.
E.28/39 W.4046/G
Second prototype. First flew with Halford H.1 engine 1 March 1943; reached 466 mph. Preserved at Science Museum London.

Notable Operators

Royal Air Force / Gloster Aircraft Company
Sole user. Test flights from RAF Cranwell, RAF Edgehill, RAF Farnborough 1941-1944. Programme transitioned into the Gloster Meteor production fighter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was the Gloster E.28/39 the first British jet?

Yes — first flight 15 May 1941, almost two years after the German Heinkel He 178 (27 August 1939) but before any other Allied jet aircraft. The flight test programme proved that the Whittle turbojet design was viable and led directly to the production Gloster Meteor jet fighter (first flight 1943, service entry 1944).

Who designed the Whittle engine?

Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle (1907-1996), a Royal Air Force officer who patented the basic turbojet design in 1930 and developed the W.1 engine through Power Jets Ltd in 1936-1941. The Whittle W.1 was the world's second jet engine to fly (after von Ohain's HeS 3B in the Heinkel He 178). Whittle is one of the foundational figures of jet aviation.

How many E.28/39s were built?

Two prototypes — W.4041/G (first flight 15 May 1941, lost in a 1943 accident) and W.4046/G (first flight 1 March 1943, preserved at the Science Museum London). The aircraft was a research test bed; no production E.28/39 was ever built.

Where can I see the E.28/39?

The surviving prototype W.4046/G is on permanent display at the Science Museum in London — one of the most-significant aircraft in British aviation history. The first prototype was destroyed in a 1943 accident over RAF Edgehill.

Sources

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