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On the left a Rolls Royce Conway engine, the first ‘by-pass’
jet engine. Also shown is an early Whittle engine, Frank
Whittle being the inventor of the jet engine, or the gas turbine as it was known
locally. Hence N.G.T.E.
the National Gas Turbine Establishment. |
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Among the many photographs is this one of the Bristol
Brabazon, at the time the world’s largest aircraft which frightened the life out
of little kids throughout Farnborough as it made low approaches to the runway
and darkened the whole sky. It never went into production. On the right is a
compressor wheel from one of Whittle’s engines. More of Whittle’s engines may be seen
here. |
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The museum does not exist to preserve aircraft but
nevertheless several adorn its grounds. On the left is the front of the R.A.E.’s
‘test’ Canberra which was a regular sight around Farnborough for nearly two
decades. It was rescued from a scrap dealer. Also shown is a ‘jump jet’, the
Hawker Sea Harrier. |
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A Folland Gnat which was once part of the RAF’s Red Arrows
aerobatics team and an English Electric Lightning, once described by
Leslie
Knight as
‘brute force and ignorance’ because of its massive power, sufficient had it
possessed suitable guidance systems, to blast it off vertically like a rocket.
The best performing jet fighter of its time. |
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