Aircraft engine design books from 1900-1920

[bigfooted]

I'm interested in the knowledge that was available to aircraft engineers in the period 1900-1920. specifically the thermodynamics and mechanical engineering knowledge generally available, like in how much detail were the calculations on the performance, or the cooling of engines done, how general was the knowledge on the different thermodynamic cycles and how were they used, how much knowledge was based on observations, measurements and correlations?

Example: The gas, petrol and oil engine, by Dugald Clerk (1910) which you can find online.
I'm hoping to find one or two books that are treating aircraft engines in more detail from this period.

 

[Nidum]

how much knowledge was based on observations, measurements and correlations?

Most of it in the early days .

The need to apply more advanced theoretical knowledge to engine design only really became essential with the coming of superchargers and high altitude flight .

Even at Rolls Royce no detailed theoretical analysis of engine performance was done until Dr.Hooker joined the company in about 1938 and started to apply his knowledge of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics to first piston engine and then to jet engine design .

 

[bigfooted]

Most of it in the early days .

It's what I concluded after browsing through the book of Dugald Clerk. A lot of experiments, derivations of flame temperatures based on pressure readings,a lot of work still on basic properties of gases (specific heat) but also some references to the work of le Chatelier, Wien, Boyle,...

 

[Nidum]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Fedden
Book : By Jupiter - the life of Sir Roy Fedden" pub : RAeS .

Book : HS43 - Eagle - Henry Royce's first aero engine pub : Rolls Royce Heritage Trust

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Ricardo#Aircraft_engines