| Description | Halpern mentions he came to the UK in 1939, as a refugee from Nazi oppression by invitation of the "International Student Service"
Letter written from 49 Beaconsfield Road
'Before going into the subject matter of this letter I wish to give you a few datas about myself; Educated in the "Technologische Gewerke Museum" in Wien and some private studies at the Hochschule there. Arrived in this country June 1939 as a refugee from the Nazi oppression by invitation of the "International Student Service", Bloomsbury House. I have now served almost 5 years in the army mainly in the R.E.M.E.
In spite of adverse conditions I have been developing a modified I.C. engine for reaction propulsion purposes, a first version of which I have submitted to the National Physical laboratory at Teddington where Dr Goldstein (Principal Scientific Advisor at that time) invited the opinion of experts. This was in 1943. The reply was critical but not discouraging. One year later new designs were submitted and it was admitted that great progress has been made (in a personal interview). Meanwhile, all the relevant patents had been filed.
Today, I am about the same distance ahead, with regard to design progress, to 1944, as I was in 1944 compared with 1943.
I do not wish to negotiate with Government Laboratories and Dr Goldstein, who is now Prof. in Manchester is more expert in aerodynamics. You, I gather, are a reader on Thermodynamics and therefore, you could help me most at the present stage of my jet unit. I only want to mention that my proposal is free from those well-known limitations inherent in the turbine -compressor coupled aggregates of to-day, e.g. the specific thrust could be made almost as high as in rocket units though only ordinary fuel is used.
Before I approach any large Company I wish to develop the matter to the point of demonstration through a working model. I know this is the slower path but I also am confident that in the end it will pay to take the effort. And this confidence may be strengthened vastly if I could enjoy the advise and assistance of an expert like you.
In the case of an interview with you I should be able to show you not only the five patent applications filed so far but also certain preparatory blue prints of the models to be built.
All that remains to say now is this: Please, grant me an interview at your early convenience, and try to further my plan, if possible.' |