Beatrice Shilling
Author Calum E. Douglas is an expert racing engine engineer as well as gifted history writer. He wrote the revalatory The Secret Horsepower Race: Western Front Fighter Engine Development which not only colorfully detailed the drive by Italy, Germany, the United States and Great Britain to develop and employ ever higher horsepower fighter engines. It is now published in English, German and Italian. Douglas’s insight as an engineer and analyst—in combination with being fluent in German— has him possess a rare set of skills for researching World War II piston engine technology. His gift as an extraordinary writer is icing on the cake for readers as what could have been a dry subject was livened up, quite considerably, with his encapsulating thinking. For only two of many examples, he brought to the English speaking world why Adolf Galland was so outraged regarding the cause of one of his most brilliant pilot’s death (Hans Joachim Marseille) which has not mentioned in English origin biographies; as well as one of the strategic aims of Operation Torch which was for the Allies to deny Nazi Germany a strategic mineral that is vital to manufacturing a critical engine part—as well as gaining experience in preparation to invade and retake Europe.
This revelation about Beatrice Shilling is the text of a recent post on Linkdin by Calum Douglas (note that he is a Scotsman and so uses UK English spelling, naturally).
<><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Calum E. Douglas—Powertrain Design Specialist & Siemens Software Partner
In 2017 the BBC produced this article about the British engineer Beatrice Shilling, praising her for her work which at the very last minute helped significantly reduced the worst problems the RAF pilots found themselves in during the Battle of Britain — where, they were unable to follow German direct injected fighters, as our own float carburettors flooded and cut out if they entered negative-g dives to follow them.
Beatrice developed a small fuel restrictor which helped solve the worst of this, but there is a lot more to her, and this story which remains almost totally unknown.
The point which is very surprising to some — and the BBC didn`t mention — is that this “restrictor” for which she was made famous, was in fact ALMOST not needed at all — because Beatrice had in the 30`s already developed a specialised pressure carburettor (really a single point fuel injector) which was completely immune to this entire problem.
This very enterprising development which she made major contributions to, and eventually led whilst at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, was utterly ignored.
Now she is famous for fixing a problem she had in fact, already fixed years before. Her work on the R.A.E. pressure carburettor (which is almost unknown) was in fact far more complex and impressive, but has sat unstudied in archives until now.
Its time this interesting and clever engineer was known for her real achievements, which are actually the ones hidden from us.
- What was her pressure carburettor ?
- When did work begin ?
- Why was it ignored ?
- What are the lessons today for organizing science and engineering in the — Defence community ?
Find out all at my next free Institution of Mechanical Engineers lecture, this time for the Switzerland branch.
More at:
Travel for Aircraft 
Excellent article