WO Bentley Rotary Aero Engines

"...an appalling sense of responsibility hung over me and never left me for the rest of the war, the figure of a pilot killed by engine failure leaning over my shoulder, like some ghostly conscience, whenever I was at work.

  • Publication: 02 August 2014
  • Author: Dr Tom Dine
  • Price: £55
  • ISBN: 978-0-9540901-6-6
  • Extent: 230pp
  • Format: 280 x 210mm Hardback with dust jacket, CD-ROM & A1 size General Arrangement drawing.
  • Of great interest to air heritage enthusiasts, historians, engineers, model-makers, educational institutions & general public

More information (inc Press Release and Flyer) below

Order Now

By Post: Download Printable Order Form

Email: Email the Bentley Drivers Club Office to order this book. The WO Bentley Memorial Foundation will contact you shortly.

The Hidden Story of the Other 'Bentley' Engines

WO Bentley is best known for engineering the Bentley car - the ultimate luxury sporting marque known for high performance and quality. Five glorious Le Mans victories from the 1920s onwards established the brand, and a more recent win in 2003 re-ignited its
modern-day reputation.

But WO Bentley's genius shone first in the very early days of flight. The faster, stronger
aero-engines he developed saved pilot lives and helped Britain to victory in WW1.

WO's Engineering Legacy

When the name WO Bentley is mentioned most people visualise large green cars thundering down the Mulsanne straight on their way to another Le Mans victory. However WO was not all British Racing Green and laurel wreaths, he cut his engine design teeth firstly on railway engines as a Premium Apprentice with the Great Northern Railway Company (GNRC) and then on aeroplane and tank engines.

  • Detailed history of his innovations
  • Comprehensive engineering reference
  • 200 page Appendix, plus CD-ROM with video clips

This book focuses on his work with aero-engines and explores the significant contribution that WO made to the war effort.

An Account of His War Work

WO Bentley was not just responsible for the Bentley Rotary 1 (BR1) and Bentley Rotary 2 (BR2) but his ideas ensured that Rolls-Royce and Sunbeam aero-engines were fitted with aluminium pistons and that 30 more BHP were wrung from the French designed Clerget engines.

His tenacious engineering approach, and insistence on better performance, demonstrated by countless tests and re-tests before allowing an engine into production, was recognised for saving many pilot's lives during the Great War.

"Thus to be posted to a B.R. squadron soon became the ambition of every knowledgeable scout pilot." RL Davidson, New Statesman, July 1926 (Read the full article >>)

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The Book & Research Project

The WO Bentley Memorial Foundation published this book to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First World War and the impact of WO's engineering innovations. The project of research (how the engines developed and what effect they had on the people who used them and had to work on them) continues as we reach out for further memories and archival contributions.

How can you help?

The results of the wider research project will be disseminated through lectures to schools, colleges and clubs and displays in museums.

We would like to hear from anyone who has any knowledge of the manufacturing organisations, squadrons, pilots, ground crew, Tank crews, maintenance staff and others who were impacted by WO's work.

If you can help, please use the form above to contact us.

You can keep up-to-date with our progress by following us on Twitter.

Go to the WO Bentley Memorial Foundation website to find out more about us.


Reviews

Read a review by Cross & Cockade International (CCI), the First World War Aviation Historical Society >>

Read a review by Ian Craighead of The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust (PDF) >>

Read a review by Sabu Advani, Editor of The Flying Lady - Magazine of the Rolls-Royce Owners Club >>


"A thoroughly recommended read, not only for those whose interest has been stirred by the centenary of World War One, but anyone with an interest in engineering."

Ian Craighead, Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust

About the Author: Dr Tom Dine

Dr Tom Dine has a PhD in Analytical Chemistry and has pursued a career in the Pharmaceutical industry as a Compliance Consultant. His interest in all things mechanical dates back to childhood and the family's AC 2 Litre Saloon. A diet of Biggles books was reinforced when he found out his Grandfather had worked in the design teams at the Royal Aircraft Factory working on such aircraft as the SE 5.

He studied at Kingston Polytechnic, part of which was the old Sopwith factory and was conveniently close to the Thames Ditton AC factory, as the 2 litre had by then become his. It was also convenient for the Track at Brooklands for AC Owners Club driving tests.

His interest in the AC mark has survived well as he is still, after some thirty plus years in the role, the AC Owners Club 2 Litre Saloon Registrar and has a vintage AC Royal which he is currently restoring. He has been a member of a selection of motor clubs including the VCC, MGOC, ACOC, VSCC and more recently the Bentley Drivers Club.

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Boulton Paul Bobolink
WO Bentley letter signature
Sopwith Snipe
WO Bentley Memorial Foundation logo

To Commemorate the Armistice of 1918

The WO Bentley Memorial Foundation commemorates the day the guns fell silent with a homage to the consequences of WO Bentley's work on Rotary Aero Engines carried out during the First World War.

Meandering through people, aircraft and events, a melange of individual stories centred around the best rotary engines ever designed.

Now available from the WO Bentley Memorial Foundation, is '100 Years Ago' by Dr Tom Dine, the WOBMF Honorary Archivist.


Book Jacket for 100 Years Ago W O Bentley Rotary

Tom’s latest book mixes significant new research with material from his columns in the Bentley Driver Club Review's 'Foundation Corner' section as a homage to the results of WO Bentley’s work on rotary aero engines in WWI.

To purchase a copy for £19.99 plus P+P, contact the Bentley Drivers Club Office on 01295 738886 or Email Us.

100 Years Ago

  • Author: Dr Tom Dine
  • Price: £19.99 (plus P+P)
  • ISBN: 978-0-9540901-7-3
  • Extent: 108pp

Order Now

Email: Email the Bentley Drivers Club Office to order this book. The WO Bentley Memorial Foundation will contact you shortly.