Royal Air Force History

Gloster E28/39 - 60th Anniversary

Sir Frank Whittle - Early Life

Frank Whittle was born on June 1, 1907 in Coventry into a working class background, the eldest child of Moses and Sara Alice Whittle. In 1916 Moses Whittle purchased the Leamington Valve and Piston Ring Company, Leamington Spa. "It was while helping him that I first acquired practical experience of certain manufacturing processes, when I was only ten years old." Despite a strict Wesleylan Methodist background, Whittle exhibited a rebellious and adventurous streak. An early interest in aviation was fuelled by witnessing the occasional flights over Coventry by early aviators.

At eleven, Whittle gained a scholarship to Leamington College. In general, his time at Leamington College was, "undistinguished by any form of scholastic achievement, because of an extreme dislike of homework", however, "outside school I was a voracious reader of popular science books and often spent may hours in the Leamington Spa reference library reading up such subjects as astronomy physiology, engineering (particularly aircraft engineering) and exploring many other fields of knowledge not catered for in school."

Whittle wanted to fly, and was determined to join the RAF as an apprentice. He first applied to become an apprentice in 1922, "I passed the written examination with flying colours, but failed the medical examination because, being only five feet tall, I was considered to be undersized." He refused to accept defeat, and by following an exercise regime and diet laid down by an RAF PT instructor who took pity on him added three inches to his height and three inches to his chest measurement in six months.

The RAF refused to reconsider his application, in line with policy then current concerning apprentice applications. Whittle then "hit upon the ruse of starting all over again as if I had never previously applied." He got away with it, and so found himself in the Royal Air Force at last, "having got in under false pretences in a sense."

He did not enjoy his time as apprentice. However, his ability, intelligence and determination to succeed resulted in him passing out sixth of 600 apprentices in his entry. Again, luck was on his side. Only the top five were awarded cadetships to enter the RAF College. However, the apprentice who had passed out top failed his medical examination and so he was awarded the cadetship. His commanding officer, Wing Commander Barton fought very hard for him to be accepted. So hard, in fact, that Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Lord Trenchard, had concluded a meeting with words to the effect, "If you have made a mistake, Barton, I will never forgive you."

During his second term at Cranwell he flew solo after eight hours dual instruction. On one occasion during pilot training, Whittle got lost due to poor visibility and a lack of a compass fitted to his aircraft. After landing in a field to ask directions, he decided to attempt a take off - against regulations - and struck a tree, writing off the aircraft. Later in training, Whittle was disqualified from the RM Groves memorial prize for aerobatics after including a 'bunt' in his display - despite the fact entire display approved by his squadron commander, Squadron Leader (later Air Chief Marshal) Arthur Coningham.

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