vikings at waterloo
Vikings at Waterloo describes the wartime work on the Whittle turbojet engine by Rover Company. It got direct contract from Air Ministry for development and production Whittle engines. The author, David S Brook gives the detail picture of problems should be solved by all parties involved in this venture: Whittle?s Power Jets, BTH, Rover, and eventually Rolls-Royce. To solve some problems Rover decided to subcontract the combustion and fuel systems to Lucas. In addition the best metallurgists were working on improving the alloy for turbine blades and eventually created famous Nimonic 80 alloy.
In autumn 1941 a Rover-built W2 engine testing began at Power Jets. It was Whittle?s ?reverse flow? engine arrangement forcing the air- flow change its direction twice at 1800. Rover suggested so-called ?straight-through? arrangement to facilitate the production of combustion chamber and improve its efficiency. It was opposed by Whittle for some reasons, but eventually, permission was given by Ministry of Aircraft Production. The subsequent events showed that Rover took the right decision: Derwent and Nene engines, produced by Rolls-Royce (Rover successor) had ?straight-through? arrangement. Owing to great effort engineers, scientists and workers Rove Company the main problems of the turbojet engine have been solved before the production was taken over by Rolls-Royce Company. The bottom line: David S Brooks balanced story about Rover Company highlighted its role in development and production of the first turbojet engines. The book is well illustrated. Unfortunately there are some blank pages (101, 123) and tight spine binding is ?reader unfriendly?.
