The Rolls-Royce Welland was the first Rolls-Royce jet engine to power a British aircraft in flight.
The Welland was an early centrifugal-flow turbojet developed during the Second World War. It powered the Gloster Meteor, Britain’s first operational jet fighter, and entered service during the final stages of the war. The engine was named after the River Welland, following Rolls-Royce’s practice of using river names for many gas-turbine engines.
The Welland was not Britain’s first jet engine design overall: Frank Whittle’s work and Power Jets development preceded Rolls-Royce production. Rolls-Royce later produced more advanced engines such as the Nene, Derwent, and Avon. Those engines are often associated with early British jets, but the Welland specifically marks Rolls-Royce’s first jet-engine production and operational contribution.