Description
Object description
British apprentice and designer with English Electric Coy Ltd in GB, 1947-1954; engineering officer served at RAF Binbrook and RAF Upwood with Maintenance Command, RAF in GB, 1954-1958; manager on development programmes with English Electric Coy Ltd and British Aircraft Corporation in GB, 1958-1969; Director of Procurement and Deputy Managing Director of Panavia Tornado programme with British Aircraft Corporation and British Aerospace in GB and West Germany, 1969-1987
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Preston, GB, 1930-1947: family; early interest in aviation; education. Aspects of period as apprentice with English Electric Coy Ltd in GB, 1947-1950: work in machine shops including marking out metal; work on undercarriage for English Electric Canberra; pattern of apprenticeship. Aspects of period in Design Office, English Electric Coy Ltd at Warton, GB, 1950-1954: structural redesign work on English Electric Canberra PR.9; character of English Electric Canberra; organisation of design office and work carried out; attitude to work in design office. Aspects of period as engineer officer at RAF Binbook and RAF Upwood with Maintenance Command, RAF in GB, 1954-1958: training as engineer officer; postings as engineer officer; method of servicing used by RAF; second line servicing; discovery of source of corrosion in English Electric Canberra; maintenance of English Electric Canberra; reasons for leaving Royal Air Force.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as manager on development programmes with English Electric Coy Ltd and British Aircraft Corporation in GB, 1958-1969: nature of work; memories of Sir Frederick Page; development programme of English Electric Lightning and problems encountered; dealing with equipment suppliers; character of English Electric Lightning; work of British Aircraft Corporation on development of BAC TSR-2; problems with manufacture of hydraulic pumps and flying controls on BAC TSR-2; problems of using Titanium components; question of problems caused by over specification of BAC TSR-2; opinion of BAC TSR-2; reaction to cancellation of BAC TSR-2 programme, 4/1965; effects on supplier H M Hobson on cancellation of BAC TSR-2 contract. 4/1965; lessons learnt from BAC TSR-2 project by Sepecat Jaguar programme.
REEL 3 Continues: improvements in project management practices on Panavia Tornado project; project work on Anglo-French SEPECAT Jaguar programme; relations with French during Sepecat Jaguar programme; specification for SEPECAT Sepecat. Recollections of period as Director of Procurement and Deputy Managing Director on Panavia Tornado programme in GB and West Germany, 1969-1987: tendering for radar and character of negotiations; controlling cost of specifications; reasons for Canadians, Belgians and Dutch leaving programme.
REEL 4 Continues: organisation of programme management in Munich, West Germany; role as director procurement and deputy managing director, 1970-1987; relations between different nationalities; cost control on project; work on return to GB, 1987-1992.