1907-1996

English Aviation Engineer

Sir Frank Whittle was responsible for one of the most important inventions to come out of World War II—a machine that, like the computer, arrived on the scene late and only came to prominence in the postwar years: the jet engine. It is a distinction Whittle shares with someone he never worked with, German engineer Hans von Ohain (1911-1988), who simultaneously built a jet engine for the German war effort.

Whittle was born in Coventry, England, on June 1, 1907. His father, a machinist, was also an inventor, and in 1916 the elder Whittle went into business for himself as director of the Leamington Valve and Piston Ring Company. His young son helped out at the factory, where he gained considerable experience with the mechanics of machinery.

Young Frank found little to capture his attention in school, where the subjects that most...