About
Frank Whittle: A Genius in the Family is the first major documentary about the jet pioneer Sir Frank Whittle in more than 15 years, and has recently received international recognition when it was officially selected to be screened at the Love and Hope International Film Festival 2025 in the Spanish city of Barcelona.
The new Frank Whittle film features
Rare archive interviews with Frank Whittle himself, now digitally remastered
Exclusive interviews with Ian Whittle, the younger son of Frank Whittle (Ian can be seen in the picture opposite with his father during Ian’s career as an airline Captain at Cathay Pacific)
Amazing colour archive of Britain’s first jet aircraft, the E28/39, using a Whittle engine
Rarely seen family pictures of Frank Whittle from the Ian Whittle archive
And insights from world renowned experts at The University of Cambridge and The Royal Aeronautical Society.
Cast
AIR COMMODORE SIR FRANK WHITTLE
Inventor of the Turbojet
While serving with the Royal Air Force in the 1920s Frank Whittle became frustrated with the propeller driven aircraft he was flying. In response he produced a thesis centred on aircraft propulsion involving gas turbines which formed the basis of his turbojet engine. He took out a patent on his design in 1930 which became the start of a journey towards a real-world turbojet that would work, be safe and last.
IAN WHITTLE
Younger son of Sir Frank Whittle
Initially Ian followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the RAF and became a fast jet pilot. One of the aircraft he flew was the Gloster Meteor, Britain’s first frontline jet, which was powered by a Whittle-designed jet engine. After leaving the RAF Ian became an airline pilot flying some of the world’s most iconic airliners including The de Havilland Comet, The Lockheed Tristar and The Boeing 707 and 747. He continues to fly.
KERISSA KHAN
President of The Royal Aeronautical Society 2023-2024
Concorde served as one of the main inspirations for Kerissa’s fascination with aviation engineering during her formative years. She gained a Master of Engineering with Honours in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Glasgow in 2012 and has had roles in research and development within the aerospace industry. She became the youngest ever member of the Royal Aeronautical Society Council in 2016 and was elected its President between 2023 and 2024.
PROFESSOR ROBERT MILLER
Director of The Whittle Laboratory, Cambridge University
As Director of The Whittle Laboratory Rob heads a team that, together with industry partners, are at the forefront of developments in new technology designed to reduce the impact of jet aviation on the environment. In 2020 Rob set up the Aviation Impact Accelerator which is an international expert group aiming to build an interactive whole-system simulator to accelerate the journey to climate-neutral aviation.
MAX ASSEILY
Great-grandson of Sir Frank Whittle
As the great-grandson of Frank Whittle, Max followed in his great-grandfather’s footsteps to study engineering at Cambridge University. Max is currently an aerospace engineer with the electric flight aviation company Lilium.
DR VICTORIA TAYLOR
Aviation Historian, Broadcaster & Writer
Victoria’s main historical focus is on British and German aviation during the interwar period and WWII. She was awarded the 2020 Royal Air Force Museum Doctoral Academic Prize in recognition of her PhD research, and is a highly sought after contributor for history documentaries including programmes made for the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, National Geographic and the Smithsonian Channel.
RICHARD NOBLE
Land Speed World Record Holder 1983-1997 & Entrepreneur
Richard is best known for setting a new Land Speed World Record in Thrust2 for Britain in 1983 using a single Rolls-Royce Avon jet engine. He went on to spearhead ThrustSSC, the supersonic car project, which beat his own record in 1997 with a top speed of 763.035 mph driven by Wing Commander Andy Green. Richard is passionate about innovation and encourages fellow innovators to create strong highly motivated teams to take risks.
CAPTAIN ERIC BROWN
World War II Pilot and Test Pilot
Captain Eric Brown was one of the World’s most outstanding and accomplished pilots. Amongst his many aviation achievements was the first landing of a jet aircraft on an aircraft carrier, landing the de Havilland Vampire on the Royal Navy carrier HMS Ocean in December 1945. After WWII Eric took command of The Enemy Aircraft Flight, an elite group of pilots who flight-tested captured German and Italian aircraft, and this allowed him to pilot all three of the German jet aircraft including the Me 262.
DR HANS VON OHAIN
German Jet Pioneer
The turbojet that powered the World’s first jet aircraft, the He-178, was designed by Hans von Ohain which first flew in August 1939. Through his association with the Heinkel Aircraft Company, Hans von Ohain helped kickstart the world’s first jet engine industry in his homeland of Germany, although his own turbojet designs didn’t perform well and were not put into production. In later life Hans von Ohain and Frank Whittle became friends. They were jointly awarded the Charles Stark Draper Prize in 1991 for their work on turbojet engines.
Production
NICK HORRELL
Producer, Director and Writer
Nick is a former BBC TV and Radio reporter and now runs his own production company which makes documentaries and corporate films. He is also a training consultant. He is a former pilot and learned to fly with Cambridge University Air Squadron - Frank Whittle’s old air squadron.
NICHOLAS JONES
Co-Director and Writer
Nicholas has made two previous documentaries about Frank Whittle and has come to be regarded as one of the foremost experts on the Whittle story and the Jet Age. He has produced numerous documentaries which have been broadcast in the UK and across the World.