Penrose, Harald Architect of Wings

A Biography of Roy Chadwick - Designer of the Lancaster-Bomber

Roy Chadwick, the most famous designer of the Lancaster bomber, was one of the most important figures in the world of aviation in the first half of the 20th century. His career spanned both wooden and fabric biplanes before the First World War and the futuristic Vulcan jet bomber with delta wings. This classic biography by Harald Penrose himself an important figure in the development of aviation tells his fascinating story. Both Roy Chadwick and the author experienced the same contemporary events, so this biography of the Avro designer not only covers the development of aircraft, but also reflects the atmosphere of those days. No sooner had one design been completed than Roy Chadwick was already imagining the next and the one after that, around two hundred in total. They range from early experiments with pre-World War I precursors and the world-famous Avro 504 trainer aircraft to a series of prototypes, including ultralight aircraft, powerful fighter planes and bombers. In particular, the Avro 504 with its 20 variants, the twin-engine Anson and the mighty Lancaster were built in large numbers. In a fast-paced narrative, Penrose describes Chadwick's career through the turbulent years, from the first revelations of flight to his 54th year, when he began designing the futuristic Vulcan delta-wing aircraft, ending with his tragic death in the crash of the Avro Tudor II passenger aircraft in 1947. Harald Penrose studied aeronautical engineering at London University from 1922 to 1926, spending six months as a student aerodynamicist at Handley Page Ltd. in 1924 and gaining practical design experience at Westland Aircraft Works in 1925. In 1926, he joined Westland as a designer and technician and learned to fly a year later with the Royal Air Force Reserve. In 1928, he was appointed manager at Westland Civil Aircraft and obtained his Class C pilot's licence, which enabled him to participate in testing the aircraft he had built. Three years later, he was appointed chief test pilot and over the next two decades flew nearly 400 types and variants of British and foreign-built aircraft, including light aircraft, fighters, bombers, commercial aircraft, seaplanes, autogyros and helicopters. In 1946, he was awarded the OBE. In 1953, he became group sales manager of the merged divisions of Westland, Fairey, Saunders-Roe and Bristol, followed two years later by his appointment as special director. During his 42-year career, he witnessed many of the most important and exciting developments in British aircraft construction and design and came into contact with leading figures in international aviation.