Adrian Lombard
Encyclopedia
Adrian Albert Lombard, CBE
(9 January 1915 – 13 July 1967) was an English aeronautical engineer
. Despite having no formal training in aerodynamics
, he became one of the world's foremost designers of jet engines. He was involved with the Rolls-Royce
company in a variety of roles for almost 30 years.
, Warwickshire
, on 9 January 1915. He was the second of three sons of Arthur, a toolmaker, and Louisa. Lombard was taught at the John Gulson Central Advanced School, and later attended evening classes at the Coventry Technical College. After leaving school at the age of 15, he began training in the drawing office of the Rover Company. Lombard was married to Joan Taylor on 18 April 1940 and the couple had three children, one of whom died in infancy. He was awarded a CBE
in the Queen's Birthday Honours
in June 1967. Lombard died of a brain haemorrhage at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary
in Derby
on 13 July 1967, at the age of 52.
After spending five years with Rover, Lombard took a job with the Morris Motor Company
where he was put in charge of engine stress calculations and worked as a motor car engineer. However, he returned to Rover in 1936 and within four years was part of Maurice Wilks
' design team. In April 1940 Lombard began his work with jet engine
s when the team was entrusted with the task of preparing the Whittle W.2B
jet engine for production. His designs during this period incorporated a new combustion system and were the precursor to the later successful Rolls-Royce Nene
and Derwent engines, which powered most of the first generation of British jet fighters.
completed a deal in which the latter took over interest in the jet engine production factories in Clitheroe
and Barnoldswick
. Lombard subsequently joined Rolls-Royce and was appointed chief engine designer of factories in the north of England. He assembled a team that built 100 of the W.2B engines for use in Gloster Meteor
fighter planes, while simultaneously supervising the design of the Derwent engine. In October 1945, a Meteor equipped with Derwent V engines broke the world speed record at 603 mph. The design centre was relocated to Derby
in 1946, and there Lombard became chief projects designer. His team designed the Avon
engine, which powered the Fairey Delta, the first aeroplane to exceed 1000 mph, and other civil jet aircraft including the De Havilland Comet
. In 1949, Lombard was promoted to chief designer at the Derby plant, and was made Rolls-Royce's chief aeronautical designer three years later.
Lombard was appointed chief engineer at Rolls-Royce in 1954, and around this time he was involved in the production of the Conway
engine, which was used in the Vickers VC10
and installed in a several Boeing 707
aircraft. He also joined the council of the Royal Aeronautical Society
, and was also involved with the Air Registration Board and the Aeronautical Research Council. Lombard became the director of the Rolls-Royce aeronautical engine division in 1958, and was responsible for overseeing the production of all the company's jet turbines. Under his guidance, the company developed a new technology for building jet engines solely from plastics. In November 1962, he visited Japan to meet with several companies that had expressed an interest in Rolls-Royce's vertical take-off aircraft engines. During the trip, he predicted that such engines would be in general civil use within ten years. Lombard and Stanley Hooker
, then technical director of Bristol Siddeley
, were jointly awarded the James Clayton award by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in February 1967, for their pioneering work with vertical take-off engines. Following his death in July 1967, it was written that Rolls-Royce had been "deprived of one of the finest trouble-shooting engineers in the industry".
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
(9 January 1915 – 13 July 1967) was an English aeronautical engineer
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
. Despite having no formal training in aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
, he became one of the world's foremost designers of jet engines. He was involved with the Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
company in a variety of roles for almost 30 years.
Biography
Adrian Lombard was born in the city of CoventryCoventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, on 9 January 1915. He was the second of three sons of Arthur, a toolmaker, and Louisa. Lombard was taught at the John Gulson Central Advanced School, and later attended evening classes at the Coventry Technical College. After leaving school at the age of 15, he began training in the drawing office of the Rover Company. Lombard was married to Joan Taylor on 18 April 1940 and the couple had three children, one of whom died in infancy. He was awarded a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in the Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
in June 1967. Lombard died of a brain haemorrhage at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary
Derbyshire Royal Infirmary
The London Road Community Hospital, , is a hospital in Derby, part of the Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It is based in the city centre...
in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
on 13 July 1967, at the age of 52.
Early career
Morris Motor Company
The Morris Motor Company was a British car manufacturing company. After the incorporation of the company into larger corporations, the Morris name remained in use as a marque until 1984 when British Leyland's Austin Rover Group decided to concentrate on the more popular Austin marque...
where he was put in charge of engine stress calculations and worked as a motor car engineer. However, he returned to Rover in 1936 and within four years was part of Maurice Wilks
Maurice Wilks
Maurice Cary Ferdinand Wilks was an automotive and aeronautical engineer, and by the time of his death in 1963, was the chairman of the Rover Company, a British car manufacturer...
' design team. In April 1940 Lombard began his work with jet engine
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
s when the team was entrusted with the task of preparing the Whittle W.2B
Power Jets W.2
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9*Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1998...
jet engine for production. His designs during this period incorporated a new combustion system and were the precursor to the later successful Rolls-Royce Nene
Rolls-Royce Nene
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bridgman, L, Jane's fighting aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7-External links:* *...
and Derwent engines, which powered most of the first generation of British jet fighters.
Rolls-Royce
In 1943, Rover and Rolls-RoyceRolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
completed a deal in which the latter took over interest in the jet engine production factories in Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
and Barnoldswick
Barnoldswick
Barnoldswick is a town and civil parish within the West Craven area of the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England just outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is built in the shadow of Weets Hill, and Stock Beck, a...
. Lombard subsequently joined Rolls-Royce and was appointed chief engine designer of factories in the north of England. He assembled a team that built 100 of the W.2B engines for use in Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
fighter planes, while simultaneously supervising the design of the Derwent engine. In October 1945, a Meteor equipped with Derwent V engines broke the world speed record at 603 mph. The design centre was relocated to Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
in 1946, and there Lombard became chief projects designer. His team designed the Avon
Rolls-Royce Avon
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9-External links:**** a 1955 Flight article on the development of the Avon...
engine, which powered the Fairey Delta, the first aeroplane to exceed 1000 mph, and other civil jet aircraft including the De Havilland Comet
De Havilland Comet
The de Havilland DH 106 Comet was the world's first commercial jet airliner to reach production. Developed and manufactured by de Havilland at the Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom headquarters, it first flew in 1949 and was a landmark in aeronautical design...
. In 1949, Lombard was promoted to chief designer at the Derby plant, and was made Rolls-Royce's chief aeronautical designer three years later.
Lombard was appointed chief engineer at Rolls-Royce in 1954, and around this time he was involved in the production of the Conway
Rolls-Royce Conway
The Rolls-Royce RB.80 Conway was the first by-pass engine in the world to enter service. Development started at Rolls-Royce in the 1940s, but it was used only briefly in the late 1950s and early 1960s before other turbofan designs were introduced that replaced it. The Conway powered versions of...
engine, which was used in the Vickers VC10
Vickers VC10
The Vickers VC10 is a long-range British airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, and first flown in 1962. The airliner was designed to operate on long-distance routes with a high subsonic speed and also be capable of hot and high operations from African airports...
and installed in a several Boeing 707
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
aircraft. He also joined the council of the Royal Aeronautical Society
Royal Aeronautical Society
The Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a multidisciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community.-Function:...
, and was also involved with the Air Registration Board and the Aeronautical Research Council. Lombard became the director of the Rolls-Royce aeronautical engine division in 1958, and was responsible for overseeing the production of all the company's jet turbines. Under his guidance, the company developed a new technology for building jet engines solely from plastics. In November 1962, he visited Japan to meet with several companies that had expressed an interest in Rolls-Royce's vertical take-off aircraft engines. During the trip, he predicted that such engines would be in general civil use within ten years. Lombard and Stanley Hooker
Stanley Hooker
Sir Stanley George Hooker was a jet engine engineer, first at Rolls-Royce where he worked on the earliest designs such as the Welland and Derwent, and later at Bristol Aero Engines where he helped bring the troubled Proteus and Olympus to market, and then designed the famous Pegasus.Stanley George...
, then technical director of Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd was a British aero engine manufacturer. The company was formed in 1959 by a merger of Bristol Aero-Engines Limited and Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited. In 1961 the company was expanded by the purchase of the de Havilland Engine Company and the engine division of...
, were jointly awarded the James Clayton award by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in February 1967, for their pioneering work with vertical take-off engines. Following his death in July 1967, it was written that Rolls-Royce had been "deprived of one of the finest trouble-shooting engineers in the industry".