A History of the World - The Man Who Shrank the Globe

Frank Whittle turned our world into a global village with one spark of genius. The jet engine has transformed the way we travel, making journeys of thousands of miles not only possible but affordable for millions. And it all started in a dilapidated foundry in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. One of the greatest inventors of the 20th century faced a lifelong struggle for recognition and even now his genius is not always recognised - many Germans and Americans believe a German scientist invented the jet engine. Aeronautical engineer and inventor Jem Stansfield sets out to find out what really happened, talking to witnesses and to Whittle's son, and tracking down historical objects which he believes provide proof that Whittle was the inventor of the turbojet. Using rarely seen archive footage, the film tells the often explosive story of Whittle's fight to get his idea to fly - and what happened next.