Q 01/05

Which RAF officer submitted the first patent for a turbojet engine in January 1930?

A) Alan Griffith

B) Frank Whittle

C) Barnes Wallis

D) Geoffrey de Havilland

Answer · why

B) Frank Whittle

He was a 22-year-old Cranwell graduate whose thesis had sketched the idea; the Air Ministry showed little interest and development crawled.

Q 02/05

Which German engineer began building a rival turbojet in 1935 that became the first to fly?

A) Hans von Ohain

B) Anselm Franz

C) Ernst Heinkel

D) Willy Messerschmitt

Answer · why

A) Hans von Ohain

The two inventors met in 1966 and became touring friends.

Q 03/05

What was the world's first aircraft to fly purely on turbojet power, on 27 August 1939?

A) Messerschmitt Me 262

B) Caproni Campini N.1

C) Heinkel He 178

D) Gloster E.28/39

Answer · why

C) Heinkel He 178

Test pilot Erich Warsitz flew it for six minutes from Rostock-Marienehe; Nazi officials Udet and Milch were unimpressed by its 598 km/h top speed.

Q 04/05

What was the world's first operational jet fighter, powered by Junkers Jumo 004 engines?

A) Messerschmitt Me 262

B) Gloster Meteor

C) Bell P-59 Airacomet

D) Heinkel He 162

Answer · why

A) Messerschmitt Me 262

Nicknamed Schwalbe (Swallow), it entered service in April 1944, three months before the RAF's first jet; Hitler had insisted it be reworked as a bombe...

Q 05/05

Which British jet fighter was the only Allied jet aircraft to see combat in the Second World War?

A) de Havilland Vampire

B) Supermarine Attacker

C) Gloster Meteor

D) Hawker Hunter

Answer · why

C) Gloster Meteor

It entered RAF service in July 1944 and was first used against German flying bombs, scoring its first two 'kills' on 4 August.