Gloster E.28/39
The Gloster E.28/39, first flown in 1941, was the first British jet-engine aircraft and the fourth jet to fly. It led to the Gloster Meteor.
Gloster E.28/39 - British Interwar & WW2 Aircraft and Warplanes

Time Period: Interwar Period, World War II (WW2)
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Type: Experimental Prototype
Manufacturer: Gloster Aircraft Company

Gloster Aircraft

Gloster E.28/39 Aircraft Overview

The Gloster E.28/39 is a British experimental jet aircraft built in the late 1930s and early 1940s. It was designed by the Gloster Aircraft Company, and it was the first British jet-powered aircraft to fly. The E.28/39 was developed in response to a specification from the Air Ministry, which was seeking a jet-powered aircraft for research purposes.

The E.28/39 was a single-seat aircraft with a low-mounted wing and a tricycle landing gear. It was powered by a single Whittle W.1 turbojet engine, which was mounted in the fuselage behind the cockpit. The first flight of the E.28/39 took place on May 15, 1941, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Gerry Sayer.

The E.28/39 was not intended for operational use, but rather as a testbed for the new technology of jet propulsion. Nevertheless, it demonstrated the potential of jet aircraft and paved the way for the development of operational jet fighters such as the Gloster Meteor. The E.28/39 is now preserved at the Royal Air Force Museum in Cosford, England, and is considered an important milestone in the history of aviation.

Gloster E.28/39 Specifications

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 25 ft 3.75 in (7.7153 m)
  • Wingspan: 29 ft 0 in (8.84 m)
  • Height: 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
  • Wing area: 146.5 sq ft (13.61 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 5.75
  • Airfoil: NACA 23012 (12% root: 9% tip) or root: EC(12.5)40/0640; tip: EC1040/0640
  • Empty weight: 2,886 lb (1,309 kg)
  • Gross weight: 3,748 lb (1,700 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 81 imp gal (97 US gal; 370 l)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Power Jets W.2/500 centrifugal flow turbojet engine, 1,760 lbf (7.8 kN) thrust.

Gloster E.28/39 Performance

  • Maximum speed: 466 mph (750 km/h, 405 kn) at 10,000 ft (3,048 m)
  • Landing speed: 86 mph (75 kn; 138 km/h)
  • Range: 410 mi (660 km, 360 nmi)
  • Endurance: 56 minutes
  • Service ceiling: 32,000 ft (9,800 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,063 ft/min (5.40 m/s)
  • Time to altitude: 10,000 ft (3,048 m) in 22 minutes
  • Thrust/weight: 0.21

Gloster E.28/39 Armament

  • Guns: None fitted but provision for four 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns.

Gloster E.28/39 Image Gallery

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