It is, of course, nonsensical to suggest that if it weren't for Whittle we wouldn't have the jet engine, or if it weren't for Baird we wouldn't have television etc. These people were pioneers, but not the only ones working on the principle. In both cases, different developments turned out to be the best option, i.e. axial flow jets rather than centrifugal flow and electronic TV rather than Baird's mechanical system, but that doesn't diminish the importance of their pioneering work.