For several years, attracting financial backers and aviation firms prepared to take on Whittle's radical ideas was difficult; in 1931, Armstrong-Siddeley had evaluated and rejected Whittle's proposal, finding it to be technically sound but at the limits of engineering capability.
I adskillige år var det vanskeligt at tiltrække finansiel opbakning og interessere flyfirmaer i Whittles radikalt anderledes ideer; i 1931 havde Armstrong-Siddeley evalueret og fundet opfindelsen teknisk sund, men alligevel afvist Whittles forslag, fordi det gik ud over grænserne for hvad der var producerbart.