In spite of ongoing infighting between Power Jets and several of its stakeholders, the Air Ministry contracted Gloster in late 1939 to manufacture a prototype aircraft powered by one of Whittle's new turbojet engines.
På trods af stridigheder mellem Power Jets og nogle af investorerne gav Air Ministry sidst i 1939 Gloster kontrakt på at fremstille et prototypefly med en af Whittles ny turbojetmotorer.