The Ingenuity That Helped Win the War

In a world dominated by men, the ingenuity of a young woman became the saviour of countless pilots. And, you could say, helped the Allies win World War II. We find heroes in all shapes and sizes, but not all go into battle. One British engineer and lover of motorcycles found herself in this situation. She tackled a puzzling issue in one of the most legendary airplanes of the war. And there Beatrice Shilling found a simple solution to a perplexing dilemma.

In the Battle of Britain, an issue with the Hurricane and Spitfire airplanes became clear.

We know the Spitfire for its agility in the air, with pilots often praising its dexterity. German aviators often recounted the challenge of trying to outmanoeuvre one in combat.

The original Rolls Royce Merlin engine, unfortunately, struggled to withstand negative G force. Whenever the airplane pitched down, the throttle valve became overwhelmed with fuel. It resulted in a noticeable puff of black smoke.

In the heat of a dogfight, a split-second stall of the engine could spell disaster.

Engineers started brainstorming to find a resolution to this issue. Yet they were unsuccessful.

The RAF struggled to find a fix for their engines stalling during combat. But then engineer Beatrice came up with a brilliant solution.

But would anyone listen?

The Child of Meccano Dreams

Beatrice was born in 1909 in Waterlooville, Hampshire. She developed a fascination with engines as a young child. “As a child, I played with Meccano,” she later recalled. “I spent my pocket money on penknives, an adjustable spanner, a glue pot and other simple hand tools.”

As a child, Beatrice pulled engines apart. Her passion for the mechanical propelled her toward a degree in electrical engineering. In 1932, she was one of only two female engineering graduates from the university.

It was a stark reminder of the under-representation of women in engineering at the time. But Beatrice’s ambitions went beyond studying the theory of engineering. She wanted to break barriers and make her mark in the field.

So she decided to embark on a thrilling journey in the world of motorcycle racing. After installing a supercharger on her bike, she reached 106 miles per hour. Her skills in both track and road racing earned her the prestigious Brooklands Gold Star.

But her future lay elsewhere.

The Savant of Hangar 42

In 1936, the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) recruited Beatrice in Farnborough. The RAE were experts in airplane carburettors. Four years later, the Allies worried about the Hurricane and Spitfire engine’s reliability.

At Hangar 42, engineers battled to save the airplane. During negative G-force, the carburettor of the trouble engines flooded. It led to the engine stalling our cutting out completely. It put pilots at serious risk.

Even worse, the Nazis faced no such problem. They could perform steep dives with little effort. Keith ‘Mad Dog’ Maddock, an engineer, said:

“Spitfires had to typically go into a half-roll to keep the fuel in the bottom of the tank and dive on. By which time [your enemy] has gone – and that is the problem – you have lost your opportunity.”

Beatrice came up with a solution, a minor yet significant modification. One that enabled the Allies to rival the formidable Luftwaffe. As Mad Dog explains:

“What [Beatrice] came up with was the idea of putting a baffle in there – a diaphragm to stop fuel surge. [The RAE Restrictor was] a war-winning modification, without which we would have suffered defeat. [Beatrice] helped us to win World War Two – of that, there is no doubt.”

What she came up with was a simple brass washer resembling a thimble, known as an RAE Restrictor. It struck the perfect balance between fuel supply and power. And the true genius of it? Engineers could install it without any disruption to the operation of the airplane.

RAF aviators dubbed the ground-breaking invention as ‘Mrs Shilling’s Orifice’. Yes, they did. A ribaldry that amused childish engineers. They didn’t even call her ‘Beatrice’, but instead ‘Tilly’, a name she hated. It was a term associated with utilitarian vehicles in the armed forces.

Yet Beatrice overcame the sexism that often faced women engineers in a male-dominated field.

Going Supersonic

After the war ended in 1945, Beatrice remained a key figure at RAE. She focused on engine components research before transitioning to the mechanical engineering department. There, she delved into heat transfer issues. And contributed to projects like the Blue Streak intermediate-range ballistic missile. It aimed to uphold Britain’s nuclear deterrent capabilities.

She also played a part in research into wet runways and their effect on breaking. And she went on to work on supersonic airplane and rocket propulsion. In 1956, she became an associate member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. And shortly before the Grenoble Winter Olympics, she helped design the British bobsled.

Beatrice died on November 18^th, 1990 aged 81.

The Ingenuity That Helped Win the War

Beatrice’s solution to a critical design flaw played a crucial role in the result of the Battle of Britain.

She inserted a brass ring into the engine to limit fuel flow to the least required. It enabled swift negative G manoeuvres without sacrificing engine power. It was the RAE Restrictor. Or Mrs Shilling’s Orifice. A reflection of the sexism of the era.

She played an important role in ensuring the Merlin engines ran well. Yet her contributions often go unnoticed. Many are unaware of her impact on the war effort and the advancement of women engineers.

Today, she is a symbol of women’s achievements in engineering, especially in the 21^st century. Her story is one of countless lesser-known stories from World War II.

Here’s to Beatrice, the adventurous petrolhead who loved the thrill of the open skies.

“Beatrice Shilling is such an inspiration to our students. She made such a significant impact on engineering and responded so brilliantly to the technical challenges of her time.”

– Rachel Braeley (Director of Operations at the University of Manchester’s science and engineering faculty).

Toodle-Pip :}{:

Post UW: What do you think of Beatrice Shilling, reader?