BRITAIN'S FIRST JET PLANES [Main Title]

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  • Title: BRITAIN'S FIRST JET PLANES [Main Title]
  • Film Number: MGH 4350
  • Other titles: MATTHEW NATHAN AMATEUR FILM COLLECTION [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Amateur film showing early jet aircraft construction scenes at Whetstone (near Leicester), with scenes of the aircraft on the ground and in flight.
  • Description: "Britain's First Jet Planes" "Produced for Power Jets (Research & Development) Ltd" "By Matthew Nathan" The film opens with shots of the village church in "Lutterworth, a small town in the centre of England" where the original Power Jets factory was established in 1940. Intertitles outline a brief history, followed by exterior views of the factory. Shots of the "combustion chamber of the first Whittle engine, a WU (1937)" and "modified WU with 10 combustion chambers". A shot of a "WI engine", intertitles give a brief history and a diagram shows the engine positioned in a plane. "In 1943 the firm moved to a new factory in Whetstone, near Leicester" Shots of the factory exterior. "In April 1944 the Lutterworth factory was converted into a Jet Propulsion Training Centre for members of the Dominions' Air Forces" "The first instructional course was attended by personnel of the RCAF and the RNZAF" The personnel unloading their kit bags, being photographed and at their studies. Detailed close-ups of the "W2B engine". Engineers carry out tests on the engines. The Lutterworth personnel go on a visit to the workshops at Whetstone. Scenes inside of them being shown around. Typed notes act as titles to introduce scenes showing machinery and production of the engines. "Impeller & Turbine, W2/700 Engine". A close-up and diagram of the W2/700. Outside the Lutterworth personnel inspect the engine. A colour pencil drawing of a Gloster. "The Gloster/Whittle E28" A Gloster E28 is wheeled out of a hangar, the engine is exposed. Engineers inspect the aircraft. Shots inside the cockpit. The aircraft on the tarmac. A pilot boards the aircraft. Interiors of the cockpit. The aircraft taxies. Shots of aircraft flying over and landing. E28 is wheeled back into hangar. "Flight testing W2/700, and F4 engines" Shots of the aircraft on the tarmac, taking off and in flight. An aircraft [four propellers, jet at rear, glass-domed cockpit] on the tarmac, airmen stood around. The aircraft taxies, takes off and flies over factory chimneys. A brief shot of men in overalls watching. "Meteor prototype (F9/40)" The aircraft on the tarmac. Shots of an engine being lowered into an aircraft. An aircraft (EE221/G) is wheeled onto the tarmac. A crowd of people outside the factory. Aircraft pass overhead. "Sir Stafford Cripps, Minister of Aircraft Production, visits Whetstone - September 1944" A brief view of the factory exterior. Scenes of Frank Whittle and his team awaiting the arrival of the minister. The minister and his wife arrive by car and are greeted by Whittle and his team. They are shown around the factory, then taken outside to see a demonstration of an engine. "The Whetstone Model Shop" Close-ups of engines and parts in the workshop. Models of aircraft. "The Miles M52", a model of the supersonic test aircraft. "The M52 in the NPL [National Physical Laboratory] and RAE [Royal Aircraft Establishment] wind tunnels" Models are tested in wind tunnels. "M52 mock up at Miles Aircraft Factory" Full size mock-up of M52. "Testing combustion chambers for M52 at Whetstone" A diagram of the engine. A group of men, including Whittle, inspect the engine. The engine is fired. "Testing Complete - M52 Power Plant" A diagram of an engine followed by more tests. "RAF Pageant Farnborough 1950" The RAF flag and Royal Standard. Aircraft fly over in formation, forming the letters RAF and then GR VI. Shots of spectators (in the VIP enclosure?). More aircraft fly over with red, white and blue smoke trails. Another shot of the spectators, more aircraft fly over. The film ends with a static shot of Frank Whittle. "The End"
  • Alternative Title: MATTHEW NATHAN AMATEUR FILM COLLECTION [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: Colour
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: MGH 4350
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 1950
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Power Jets (Research and Development) Ltd (Production sponsor) Nathan, Matthew L (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: Colour Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: English Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 16mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 521 ft; Running time: 22 mins (at 16 fps)
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    MGH 4350

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