Hawker Tempest's Lady Aviator (a request)

[Tommy Enfield]

Hello chaps,

I paid a visit to the RAF Museum in March and I remember reading somewhere that there was a lady aviator who came up with a solution to iron out some of the problems experienced by early Napier Sabre engines, during the operational evaluation phase of the Hawker Tempest. But I forgot to write down all that info so I don't even remember her name!!!

Could somebody help me with this?

 

[plan_D]

Being a woman and mentioning ironing out some of the problems. She obviously acted on natural instinct and tried to iron the engine.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Are you sure it wasn't the Merlin instead of the Sabre?

As I recall, the major problem with the Napier sablre was piston wear and cracking, which was solved by consulting Bristol and changing the alloy used and nitriding and lipping the valves.

There was a RAF scientist Miss Tilly Schilling who designed a diaphragm across the float chambers of the carburettors. It had a one way valve which prevented the float type carburettor cutting out in negative G manouvers because of fuel starvation. It was often called 'Miss Shillings orifice '

 

[Tommy Enfield]

Hi Jabberwocky,

I'm sure that it was related to that engine [the Saber] but I don't even remember what, exactly, the problem was (shame on me) .

But Miss Tilly Schilling's achievements came to me as a complete surprise. Now I'm wiser, thanks m8!!!!!!