Gloster G40

During the 1920s Dr Griffith of RAF Farnborough published a paper in which he explained how a gas tubine could be used as a propulsion unit. In September 1923 Sir Frank Whittle commenced Apprentice training at RAF College Cranwell and was then selected for cadetship. It was at Cranwell that Whittle started to investigate the possibilites of desigining a gas turbine that could propel an aircraft by a mixture of air and gases expelled from a gas turbine. On 16th January 1930 Whittle registered his first patent and later tgar year approached British Thomson-Houston to discuss his proposed design. Little enthusiasm was apparent at this meeting. A meeting between Whittle, R D Williams whom he had met at Cranwell, J Tinling who had recently retired from the RAF and the bankers OT Falk & Partners led to a contract for drawings of the proposed engines being placed with BT-H in November 1935. In March 1936 the group formed the company of Power Jets Ltd.
In 1936 BT-H started manufacture of the first engine and on 12 April 1937 it was run for the first time but with lack of accurate fuel metering ran out of control. By 1938 money was was major problem and the Air ministry were not willing to risk any investment of public finance. In October serious testing was re-started and RAE Farnborough stated to take an interest in the project. By 1939 the Government agreed to finance an engine suitable for flight, the W1 also confirming that should war break out work on the engine development was to continue. On 27 August 1939 the German jet-powered Heinkel HE178 made it's first flight and on 3 September war was declared.
Towards the end of January 1940 Power Jets was visited by Sir Henry Tizard Chariman of the Aeronautical Committee and advisor to the Air Ministry accompanied by Air Vice-Marshal Tedder. Both were enthusiastic about the engine research and on 3 February a contract was placed with Gloster Aircraft Company for the construction os an aircraft primarily to flight test tje engine but the design was to be based on a fixed-gun fighter. Designated the E28/39 and later unofficially named Pioneer it was the product of the Gloster design team.
It was a low winged monoplane of stressed skin construction with fabric covered surface. The engine was located at the mid fuselage position.  The Air Ministry decided that Power Jets Ltd would be unable to carry out themanufacture of the engines and awarded the contract to Rover, later deciding that production be shared between BT-H and Rover In order to conserve the W1 for the flight trials another engine the W1X was produced for the initial running and taxy tests.
The tests commenced by Gerry Sayer the Gloster Aircraft Chief Test Pilot on 7 April 1941 commenced these tests.  The aircraft was taken to Cranwell for secrecy and for the use of heir long airfield. ON 15th May poor weather delayed the flight until 7.45pm. After a run of 50-600 yards the aircraft lifted and a short flight of 17 mins was made.
Later a number of engine problems plagued the tests. Sayer was killed whilst flying a Typhoon in October 1942. In May 1943 due to jammed ailerons Squadron Leader Douglas Davie was the first British Pilot to parachute  from a jet aircraft.