Brown Boveri / MV history

My name is Dietrich ECKARDT,

I am working on a history of Brown Boveri's (BBC) gas turbines - and related aero engine excursions, both to Germany and England, before and during WW II.I strongly believe in personal aspects of otherwise pure technical progress. On P.215 of the MV Book is described, how MV was contacted by RAE and involved in joint jet engine developments after 1936, leading to the Metrovick F2 engine in 1943 eventually.

MV's Chief Mech. Engineer Karl Baumann was Swiss, coming out of Stodola's camp of assistants at ETH Zurich in 1906/7. Another assistant colleague of that time was Adolf Meyer, who became director of BBC's power division till 1946. I assume the early acquaintance of Baumann/ Meyer was helpful (even though in view of principle competition between both companies), a)when RAE's Alan A.Griffith(?) and Hayne Constant were visiting BBC in Baden/Switzerland in 1937 and/or 1938 to discuss axial compressor technology in detail and b) Meyer was invited to a comprehensive GT advertising lecture to I.Mech.E. London on Feb.24, 1939.

In this respect, MV's role in developing the first all-axial jet engine in England may go beyond pure detail engineering/production support. It would be nice to learn more about these connections, e.g. is there known: - if Karl Baumann joined the group travel to Baden? - if he stayed in England after retirement?

Congratulations for bringing this great piece of engg. history to the internet.
Dietrich ECKARDT, Prof.Dr.-Ing., Alstom (Switzerland)Ltd., Baden CHJan.02, 2010

Please feel free to contact Professor Eckhardt directly via :-
dietrich.eckardt@power.alstom.com