From George Henwood
Reading, Berkshire
Your report on micro air vehicle (MAV) research reminded me of some work
which I did during a hiatus in my RAF service immediately following VE Day
(“Palmtop planes”, 5 April, p 36).
All flying stopped at the station on which I
was serving. Finding myself at a loose end and having read about the nascent
Whittle jet engines, my prewar model-making interest came to the fore and I
filled in some of the idle time by concocting a working model jet engine from
scrap materials to hand. The result possibly ranks as a world first?
Just like today’s full-size jets, it essentially was a form of blowlamp. But
its behaviour was most interesting. On a counterbalanced arm with a central
pivot, the engine would move around quite gently until the flame was fully
established. Then the sound of the jet would change to a rapid “burring” and the
thrust would immediately increase so that the engine would become a red hot blur
as it hurtled around the pivot until the fuel was exhausted. Presumably some
resonance effect came into operation but what and how was a mystery at the
time.
Shortly after demob and working with another nutter, I made two more engines
which were fitted to a free flight model of about 2 metres span with a slight
resemblance to the Gloster Meteor. The engines were underslung. We were too
ambitious. Harmonising both engines proved very difficult and the second trial
flight resulted in a total write-off, so we dropped the idea and it has remained
in my archives until now.
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I wonder whether anyone back in the postwar era attempted to follow up my
reported work? It may be that a version of the gimmick made in the light of
modern technology might be relevant to the quest for a MAV?
