Book Review of
Powering The World’s Airliners
Engine Developments From The Propeller To The Jet Age
AUTHOR: Reiner Decher
Pen & Sword Books
ISBN: 978-1-52675-914-6
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $45.00
ISBN: 978-1-52675-914-6
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $45.00
The first efforts of man to fly were limited by his ability to generate sufficient power to his heavier-than-air machine off the ground.
Propulsion has therefore been the most fundamental element in the development of aircraft engines.
From the simple propellers of the first airliners of the 1920’s and 1930’s, to the turbofans in the modern era, the engines used in airliners have undergone dramatic development over a century of remarkable change.
These advances are examined in detail by aeronautical engineer and author Reiner Decher, who provides a layman’s guide to the engines that have, and continue to, power the aircraft which carry millions of travelers across millions of miles each year.
Reiner Decher looks at the development of aero engines during the Second World War and how that conflict drove innovation. He also explains the related nature of wing design from the early days of the twentieth century to the present.
To enable an easy understanding of this intriguing subject “Powering of the World’s Airliners” is profusely illustrated, transporting readers back to the time of each major development and introducing them to the key individuals of the aero industry in each era.
After reading this comprehensive yet engaging story of the machines that power the aircraft in which we fly, no journey will ever seem quite the same again.
THE AUTHOR:
Reiner Decher’s father was an engineer, who worked on jet engines in Germany, France, and finally in the United States. Exposure to his father’s career led Reiner to complete a doctorate in aeronautical engineering at MIT and spend a career teaching and undertaking research at the University of Washington in Seattle.
His academic focus was on aerodynamics, propulsion and energy conversion. Industrial experiences include the AVCO Everett Research Laboratory and The Boeing Company in the Propulsion Research Group.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books is located in South Yorkshire, UK.
This book is soft-bound, with a paper jacket and contains 122 pages in 6 ¾” x 8 ¾” page format. Five pages are blank.
The paper jacket cover shows a color head on photo of an airliner above a black and white photo showing the air intake of a jet engine on an airliner’s wing.
The back cover has a color photo on it of a GE90-115B bypass rated 9 engine slung from chains and being worked on by mechanic.
The book begins with 23 black and white portrait photos of important individuals in the aerotechnology groups.
There are 72 color photos and 31 black and white ones included in the book.
For the early years there is:
A cutaway technical drawing of a French Gnome engine. A illustration of a Porter Airship Blimp, a black and white photo of the Wright Brother’s biplane, a color photo of a 1010 Wright engine in a museum, a color photo of a Curtiss OX-6 liquid-cooled engine, a color photo of a Curtiss JN-4, a color photo of a Hispano Suiza liquid-cooled V-8 engine with its overhead removed, a cross section drawing of an early Gnome engine, 2 color photos of the early Gnome engine, a color photo of a German Oberursel UR-2 engine, a color photo of a German Fokker E.III Eindecker 1910 hanging from the ceiling in a museum, a color photo of a Lawrence J-1 engine, a color photo of a 220hp Wright R-790 Whirlwind engine, a color photo of the crank of a single-row radial engine, a black and white Boeing Model 40A biplane, Air Mail aircraft, 2 black and white photos of a GE supercharger, a black and white Ford Trimotor (1926-1933), a black and white photo of a Wright R-1820 Cyclone engine and a cutaway illustration of it, a color photo of a British Avro Lancaster bomber, 2 black and white photos of a Pratt & Whitney R-2600 Twin-Cyclone engine, a color photo of a German Junker Ju-52 trimotor, a color photo of a Boeing model 247D interior and a black and white photo of it in flight, a black and white photo of a TWA Douglas DC-3B in flight, a black and white photo of a Boeing Model 307 Stratoliner in flight, 2 color interior photos of a museum’s display of a Airbus A-300, a black and white photo of a Sikorsky S-42 flying boat, a black and white photo of a Pan Am Boeing 314 Clipper flying boat, a color photo of a Wright Twin-Cyclone R-600 engine, a color photo of a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine, a line drawing of swept wings.
The book contains 2 data lists.
There are 2 color photos of the Pratt & Whitney R-4360, a cross section drawing of a Jumo 004 engine, a color photo of the Jumo 004 center body section in a museum, 4 color photos of turbine blades, a 3-view illustration of a German ME-362 jet fighter, 2 color photos of a Rolls Royce Nene engine, a 3-view line drawing of a Bristol Gladiator Meteor F-4 jet fighter, a 3-view line drawing of a U.S. Bell XP-59 prototype fighter and a color photo of it in flight, a black and white photos of a N.American B-45 bomber, a black and white photo of a G.E. I-40 engine, a color photo of a G.E. J47 Nene engine, a color photo of a Soviet TU-95 “Bear” bomber.
For airliners there is:
A color and a black and white photo of a Lockheed L-1049 Constellation on an airfield and in flight, a black and white photo of a American Airlines Douglas DC-7 in flight, a black and white photo of a Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser in flight, a color photo of a Varig (Brazilian Air Lines) Lockheed L-188 on a runway, 2 black and white photos of a Sikorsky S-55 helicopter, 3 cutaway drawings of a Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbofan engine, a black and white Boeing B-47 bomber (2 in flight & 1 landing, 2 black and white photos of a Airbus A-319, 2 black and white photos of a De Havilland Comet-1 prototype in flight, a color interior photo of a De Havilland Comet 4C, a black and white photo of a Boeing Dash 80 KC-97 aero tanker on runway, a color 1/4th scale model of a Pratt & Whitney JT-3 engine, a color cutaway Wright J65 turbojet engine, a color photo of a TWA 747 on runway, a color photo of a compressor of a GE-4 engine, a color photo of a Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbojet engine, a colo photo of a Convair 990 in flight and on runway, 3 black and white photos of a GE CJ805-23 aft fan turbofan engine, a black and white photo of a Daisy Pedal mixed nozzle on a Boeing 707 powered by a Rolls Royce Convoy engine, 3 cut-away line drawings of a Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbofan, 2 color photos of Boeing’s prototypal 747 on display, a black and white photo of a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter in flight, a color photo of a GE TF39 turbofan engine, a color photo of bypass fans from CF-6 & GE-90, a color photo of a GE90-115B bypass ratio 9 engine, a color photo of a Lycoming T53 turboshaft engine, a color photo of landing & trailing flaps on a Boeing 727 F-100, 3 color photos of a 747-300 engine, 2 color photos of a wide-body Trijet installation on Lockheed L-1011’s on a runway, 2 line drawings showing how air flows over wings, a color photo of a Vortex generator on an American Airlines Boeing 707-123, a color photo of a Boeing 787 with Rolls Royce Trent engine, 2 color photos of a Boeing 737 engine, 2 color photos of a Boeing 737 max engine, a color photo of a Boeing 777 in flight with Air Canada Airlines, a color portrait painting of Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
At the back of the book there is a Epilogue, Appendix, Bibliography and Index.
This is a neat picture album of Airliners and their predecessors. It will be of interest to modelers and aviation historians alike.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. All Pen & Sword book titles can be seen on Casemate’s web site at:
Propulsion has therefore been the most fundamental element in the development of aircraft engines.
From the simple propellers of the first airliners of the 1920’s and 1930’s, to the turbofans in the modern era, the engines used in airliners have undergone dramatic development over a century of remarkable change.
These advances are examined in detail by aeronautical engineer and author Reiner Decher, who provides a layman’s guide to the engines that have, and continue to, power the aircraft which carry millions of travelers across millions of miles each year.
Reiner Decher looks at the development of aero engines during the Second World War and how that conflict drove innovation. He also explains the related nature of wing design from the early days of the twentieth century to the present.
To enable an easy understanding of this intriguing subject “Powering of the World’s Airliners” is profusely illustrated, transporting readers back to the time of each major development and introducing them to the key individuals of the aero industry in each era.
After reading this comprehensive yet engaging story of the machines that power the aircraft in which we fly, no journey will ever seem quite the same again.
THE AUTHOR:
Reiner Decher’s father was an engineer, who worked on jet engines in Germany, France, and finally in the United States. Exposure to his father’s career led Reiner to complete a doctorate in aeronautical engineering at MIT and spend a career teaching and undertaking research at the University of Washington in Seattle.
His academic focus was on aerodynamics, propulsion and energy conversion. Industrial experiences include the AVCO Everett Research Laboratory and The Boeing Company in the Propulsion Research Group.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books is located in South Yorkshire, UK.
This book is soft-bound, with a paper jacket and contains 122 pages in 6 ¾” x 8 ¾” page format. Five pages are blank.
The paper jacket cover shows a color head on photo of an airliner above a black and white photo showing the air intake of a jet engine on an airliner’s wing.
The back cover has a color photo on it of a GE90-115B bypass rated 9 engine slung from chains and being worked on by mechanic.
The book begins with 23 black and white portrait photos of important individuals in the aerotechnology groups.
There are 72 color photos and 31 black and white ones included in the book.
For the early years there is:
A cutaway technical drawing of a French Gnome engine. A illustration of a Porter Airship Blimp, a black and white photo of the Wright Brother’s biplane, a color photo of a 1010 Wright engine in a museum, a color photo of a Curtiss OX-6 liquid-cooled engine, a color photo of a Curtiss JN-4, a color photo of a Hispano Suiza liquid-cooled V-8 engine with its overhead removed, a cross section drawing of an early Gnome engine, 2 color photos of the early Gnome engine, a color photo of a German Oberursel UR-2 engine, a color photo of a German Fokker E.III Eindecker 1910 hanging from the ceiling in a museum, a color photo of a Lawrence J-1 engine, a color photo of a 220hp Wright R-790 Whirlwind engine, a color photo of the crank of a single-row radial engine, a black and white Boeing Model 40A biplane, Air Mail aircraft, 2 black and white photos of a GE supercharger, a black and white Ford Trimotor (1926-1933), a black and white photo of a Wright R-1820 Cyclone engine and a cutaway illustration of it, a color photo of a British Avro Lancaster bomber, 2 black and white photos of a Pratt & Whitney R-2600 Twin-Cyclone engine, a color photo of a German Junker Ju-52 trimotor, a color photo of a Boeing model 247D interior and a black and white photo of it in flight, a black and white photo of a TWA Douglas DC-3B in flight, a black and white photo of a Boeing Model 307 Stratoliner in flight, 2 color interior photos of a museum’s display of a Airbus A-300, a black and white photo of a Sikorsky S-42 flying boat, a black and white photo of a Pan Am Boeing 314 Clipper flying boat, a color photo of a Wright Twin-Cyclone R-600 engine, a color photo of a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine, a line drawing of swept wings.
The book contains 2 data lists.
There are 2 color photos of the Pratt & Whitney R-4360, a cross section drawing of a Jumo 004 engine, a color photo of the Jumo 004 center body section in a museum, 4 color photos of turbine blades, a 3-view illustration of a German ME-362 jet fighter, 2 color photos of a Rolls Royce Nene engine, a 3-view line drawing of a Bristol Gladiator Meteor F-4 jet fighter, a 3-view line drawing of a U.S. Bell XP-59 prototype fighter and a color photo of it in flight, a black and white photos of a N.American B-45 bomber, a black and white photo of a G.E. I-40 engine, a color photo of a G.E. J47 Nene engine, a color photo of a Soviet TU-95 “Bear” bomber.
For airliners there is:
A color and a black and white photo of a Lockheed L-1049 Constellation on an airfield and in flight, a black and white photo of a American Airlines Douglas DC-7 in flight, a black and white photo of a Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser in flight, a color photo of a Varig (Brazilian Air Lines) Lockheed L-188 on a runway, 2 black and white photos of a Sikorsky S-55 helicopter, 3 cutaway drawings of a Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbofan engine, a black and white Boeing B-47 bomber (2 in flight & 1 landing, 2 black and white photos of a Airbus A-319, 2 black and white photos of a De Havilland Comet-1 prototype in flight, a color interior photo of a De Havilland Comet 4C, a black and white photo of a Boeing Dash 80 KC-97 aero tanker on runway, a color 1/4th scale model of a Pratt & Whitney JT-3 engine, a color cutaway Wright J65 turbojet engine, a color photo of a TWA 747 on runway, a color photo of a compressor of a GE-4 engine, a color photo of a Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbojet engine, a colo photo of a Convair 990 in flight and on runway, 3 black and white photos of a GE CJ805-23 aft fan turbofan engine, a black and white photo of a Daisy Pedal mixed nozzle on a Boeing 707 powered by a Rolls Royce Convoy engine, 3 cut-away line drawings of a Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbofan, 2 color photos of Boeing’s prototypal 747 on display, a black and white photo of a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter in flight, a color photo of a GE TF39 turbofan engine, a color photo of bypass fans from CF-6 & GE-90, a color photo of a GE90-115B bypass ratio 9 engine, a color photo of a Lycoming T53 turboshaft engine, a color photo of landing & trailing flaps on a Boeing 727 F-100, 3 color photos of a 747-300 engine, 2 color photos of a wide-body Trijet installation on Lockheed L-1011’s on a runway, 2 line drawings showing how air flows over wings, a color photo of a Vortex generator on an American Airlines Boeing 707-123, a color photo of a Boeing 787 with Rolls Royce Trent engine, 2 color photos of a Boeing 737 engine, 2 color photos of a Boeing 737 max engine, a color photo of a Boeing 777 in flight with Air Canada Airlines, a color portrait painting of Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
At the back of the book there is a Epilogue, Appendix, Bibliography and Index.
This is a neat picture album of Airliners and their predecessors. It will be of interest to modelers and aviation historians alike.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. All Pen & Sword book titles can be seen on Casemate’s web site at:
Highly recommended.