James Collingwood Tinling
Encyclopedia
James Collingwood Burdett Tinling (24 March 1900 – 1983) was an ex-RAF officer who joined with Rolf Dudley-Williams and Frank Whittle
in 1936 to set up Power Jets Ltd, which manufactured the world's first working jet engine
.
Tinling was born in Eastbourne
, the son of James Alexander Tinling, a chartered accountant
. He was educated at St Cyprian's School
and Radley College
. Tinling joined the Royal Air Force
, but was invalided out following a flying accident in the early 1930s. He joined Dudley-Williams and Whittle in 1936 to develop Whittle's expired patent for a jet engine. Tinling, Whittle and Dudley-Williams shared 49% of the new company, with 51% held by the investment bankers OT Falk and Partners, which also provided loan finance. The company, Power Jets
, was based at a factory in Rugby, Warwickshire
belonging to British Thomson-Houston
, a steam turbine
company. The prototype jet engine was first run on 12 April 1937.
Tinling married Eileen Nancy Edols on 22 December 1939, at St George's, Hanover Square. He became chairman of Power Jets in 1941, replacing Lance Whyte, and its prototype Gloster E28/39 first flew on 15 May 1941. Power Jets Ltd. was later bought by the British government, and Tinling remained on the board.
Tinling died in late 1983 in Kent, survived by his wife. They are both buried in Benenden
. He was the brother of Ted Tinling
the sports fashion designer.
Frank Whittle
Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS was a British Royal Air Force engineer officer. He is credited with independently inventing the turbojet engine Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS (1 June 1907 – 9 August 1996) was a British Royal Air...
in 1936 to set up Power Jets Ltd, which manufactured the world's first working jet engine
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
.
Tinling was born in Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
, the son of James Alexander Tinling, a chartered accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
. He was educated at St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School was an English preparatory school for boys, which operated in the early 20th century in Eastbourne, East Sussex. Like other preparatory schools, its purpose was to train pupils to do well enough in the examinations to gain admission to leading public schools, and to provide an...
and Radley College
Radley College
Radley College , founded in 1847, is a British independent school for boys on the edge of the English village of Radley, near to the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and has become a well-established boarding school...
. Tinling joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, but was invalided out following a flying accident in the early 1930s. He joined Dudley-Williams and Whittle in 1936 to develop Whittle's expired patent for a jet engine. Tinling, Whittle and Dudley-Williams shared 49% of the new company, with 51% held by the investment bankers OT Falk and Partners, which also provided loan finance. The company, Power Jets
Power Jets
Power Jets Ltd was a United Kingdom company set up by Frank Whittle for the purpose of designing and manufacturing jet engines.-History:Founded on January 27, 1936, the company consisted of Whittle, Rolf Dudley-Williams, James Collingwood Tinling, and Lancelot Law Whyte of investment bankers O T...
, was based at a factory in Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
belonging to British Thomson-Houston
British Thomson-Houston
British Thomson-Houston was a British engineering and heavy industrial company, based at Rugby, Warwickshire, England. They were known primarily for their electrical systems and steam turbines. They were merged with the similar Metropolitan-Vickers company in 1928, but the two maintained their own...
, a steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
company. The prototype jet engine was first run on 12 April 1937.
Tinling married Eileen Nancy Edols on 22 December 1939, at St George's, Hanover Square. He became chairman of Power Jets in 1941, replacing Lance Whyte, and its prototype Gloster E28/39 first flew on 15 May 1941. Power Jets Ltd. was later bought by the British government, and Tinling remained on the board.
Tinling died in late 1983 in Kent, survived by his wife. They are both buried in Benenden
Benenden
Benenden is a village and civil parish in the Tunbridge Wells District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the Weald six miles to the west of Tenterden...
. He was the brother of Ted Tinling
Ted Tinling
Cuthbert Collingwood "Ted" Tinling , sometimes known as Teddy Tinling, was an English tennis player, fashion designer, spy and author. He was a firm fixture on the professional tennis tour for over sixty years....
the sports fashion designer.