Innovation Stories

General Electric - Jet Engine

The GE TF39
Worlds First High-bypass Turbofan Engine

In 1942, General Electric developed the first U.S. jet aircraft engine in Lynn, Massachusetts.

In 1941, GE received its first contract from the U.S. Army Air Corps to build a gas turbine engine based on British engineer Frank Whittle's design. Six months later, on April 18, 1942, GE's engineers successfully ran their I-A engine—the first jet engine to operate in the United States.

On October 1, 1942, a Bell P-59, powered by General Electric I-16 turbojet engines, made its first flight at California's Muroc Army Air Field. In 1964, GE introduced the first, high-bypass turbofan engine known as the General Electric TF39, built to power the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy military transport aircraft.Today, GE continues to make jet engines for the U.S. Department of Defense, the armed forces, and commercial users.