I ended up finding an article to read, which very much helped me understand the engineering, the players (not just Ricardo in turns out), and the goal.
The one thing I don't see in any of the paeans is why the concept never took off if it actually was superior. Piston petrol aero-engines didn't just vanish after the jet, though I'd guess the turboprop was far better suited in that power-class and was the real killer, not the turbojet per se.
I more smell the notion reliability (or the promise of reliability) wasn't there, the latter an inarguable requirement for an aero-engine even at the expense of all other properties.
Hmmmmm....
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