Bristol Aero Engines book

I have a copy of ‘The power to fly’ and it is indeed written in a flowing style but it does include some possible exaggerations- he suggests that the Napier Sabre could ‘reliably deliver 5500 hp’ (page 134) in 1941 which others have questioned. Having said that, itwas reading this book in the early 1980’s that inspired my interest (others would call it an obsession) with aeroengines.
Jim

p.s. I hadn’t realised how valuable this book has become- I bought it for £30 three years ago!

For those interested in Bristol sleeve-valve engines…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Liqqo8Cdb68

…I could watch that all day! 🙂

Speaking as a publisher, the whole question of worthwhile, technically detailed and readable aviation books is frustrating.

We need to clone LJK Setright – I recently read his ‘The Power to Fly’, got it from the library. It is just brilliant, beautifully written, technically detailed and easy to follow. No wonder its C$400 second hand!

On ‘By Jupiter’, I found ‘Fedden’ much better and much more detailed though it uses much of the same material as ‘Jupiter’.

The comments Peter Pavey makes about “By Jupiter” are interesting…I found it fascinating but (personally) it wasn’t nearly technical enough.

Speaking as a publisher, the whole question of worthwhile, technically detailed and readable aviation books is frustrating. There’s clearly a demand, but finding people capable of writing them interestingly (it is possible) and accurately is hard, and sales are clearly limited – further by potential readers who’d probably find them worthwhile but stay in the shallow end and buy another potboiler on the Mustang or Spitfire.

Thankfully there is at least organisations like the RR Heritage Trust.

The occasional thread here in Spitfire minutiae, such as cannon wings etc. show that there’s always more to learn about the engineering.

Some of the most popular articles we ran in Warbirds Worldwide were on technical aspects, but they were swine to get. Gary Austin’s thread on the transformation of LB-30 ‘Diamond Lil’ into B-24A ‘Ol’ 927′ on WIX is another example of how a talented writer with firsthand knowledge can do something that is a fascinating insight to the task.

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9395

Cheers,

…Bill Gunstons book “By Jupiter” had been re-issued by the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust and is a far superior treatise anyway.

The comments Peter Pavey makes about “By Jupiter” are interesting…I found it fascinating but (personally) it wasn’t nearly technical enough.

I received a very prompt reply from Peter Pavey, it was as follows.

“The above was a manuscript that was commissioned by the then Bristol Siddeley Engines company in the 1960’s and was researched by Sawyer and Slatterly. Although completed it was never turned into a book, and the few copies that we have includes references to drawings, figures and photographs etc, which did not survive with the manuscript.

“A re-appraisal of the manuscript in the 1990’s found that there were several errors in it (as does Freeman’s book). In the meantime Bill Gunstons book “By Jupiter” had been re-issued by the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust and is a far superior treatise anyway.”

thanks Roger, I have sent a letter to Peter Pavey and will post any results here.

If no one comes up with anything better you could contact the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust – Bristol Branch.
Havent got contact details to hand but can find if you want them.

Roger Smith.

Nick, I couldn’t find an e-mail address and, in the end, lifted the following off their website. Peter Pavey is the Bristol Branch Secretary.

Peter Pavey
Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust
23 Morley Avenue
Mangotsfield
Bristol
BS16 9JE
Tel: +44 (0) 117 956 4205

Roger Smith.

I have tried a number of search variations on both the author and title on the online databases I have access to (Incl. the British Library catalogue) and drawn a total blank – which is pretty unusual – are you sure it is a book? I was wondering if perhaps it is a paper or thesis?

I appreciate you doing that – in Furse’ book it is quoted in note 5 to appendix IX on page 372.

Sawyer W.J.A. The Bristol Aircooled radial Engine: A Technical History. Ch 11

It does not appear listed in the bibliography on pages 374 – 376

Bristol Air Cooled Radial Engine: A Technical History

I work in the Bibliographical services section of one of the major public libraries in th UK – which gives me access to lots of books 😀

I have tried a number of search variations on both the author and title on the online databases I have access to (Incl. the British Library catalogue) and drawn a total blank – which is pretty unusual – are you sure it is a book? I was wondering if perhaps it is a paper or thesis?

Doesn’t the British Library have a copy of every book published in Britain…if they don’t know of this book you are probably correct that it was never published.

They are a legal deposit library, so they are meant to receive a copy of any book published, from the publisher – doesn’t always happen just because it should! And as you say, private publications aren’t usually included IIRC.

Legal Deposit in the British Library
Publishers and distributors in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland have a legal obligation to send one copy of each of their publications to the Legal Deposit Office of the British Library within one month of publication.

http://www.bl.uk/aboutus/stratpolprog/legaldep/

If no one comes up with anything better you could contact the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust – Bristol Branch.
Havent got contact details to hand but can find if you want them.

Roger Smith.

Roger, if it is no bother that would be very useful. Thanks.

Doesn’t the British Library have a copy of every book published in Britain…if they don’t know of this book you are probably correct that it was never published.

Could it possibly have been produced by Bristol Aero Engines themselves for corporate use?

Hope you do find a copy…it sounds very interesting. 🙂

If no one comes up with anything better you could contact the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust – Bristol Branch.
Havent got contact details to hand but can find if you want them.

Roger Smith.