Charles Grey (aviation)
Encyclopedia
Charles Grey, or C G as he was known is the second editor of Jane's All the World's Aircraft
. He became an honorary Companion of the Royal Aeronautical Society
.
Grey was born on 13 November 1875 and educated at the Erasmus Smith School in Dublin and as an engineer at the Crystal Palace School of Engineering. Grey's first job was as a staff writer for The Autocar
. His secondary role as the magazine
's aviation specialist resulted in a commission from Iliffe and Sons, Ltd. to edit a penny weekly aviation paper called The Aero. In 1911, in partnership with Mr E V (Later Sir Victor) Sassoon
, Grey founded The Aeroplane and he remained editor until 1939. Grey was a man of fascist sympathies and an ardent supporter of Hitler; in the 1930s he aired his anti-Semitic, anti-Bolshevist and pro-fascist opinions in his editorials. Grey took over as editor of Jane's All the World's Aircraft from 1916 to 1940. From 1939 he was air correspondent of The Yorkshire Evening Post
, Edinburgh Evening News
and various overseas journals. Grey also wrote a number of books including A History of British Air Ministry (1940), The Luftwaffe (1944) and The Civil Air War (1945).
"Anyone who read C G in the 'twenties and 'thirties without having met him might have supposed his critical references, and sometimes perverse and acid comments, reflected his nature and personality. Nothing could have been further from the truth. As long as we knew him he was a gentle and kindly man, always charming and generous to his friends, among whom he numbered rivals. Today there are men on Flight's staff who recall a kind word of encouragement here or a spot of advice there from the one-and-only C G, particularly when they were taking their first tentative steps in the hard and competitive world of journalism. His goodwill continued to be reflected in frequent correspondence. From the first to the last occasion upon which we talked to him, he never once failed to express either an original thought or to reveal an unexpected viewpoint on some current topic. Neither his writing nor his conversation was ever lacking in humour and regardless of one's age."
- Flight Magazine, 18 December 1953, published after Grey's death.
Jane's All the World's Aircraft
Jane's All the World's Aircraft is an aviation annual publication founded by Fred T. Jane in 1909. It is published by Jane's Information Group....
. He became an honorary Companion 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:...
.
Grey was born on 13 November 1875 and educated at the Erasmus Smith School in Dublin and as an engineer at the Crystal Palace School of Engineering. Grey's first job was as a staff writer for The Autocar
Autocar
Autocar is a weekly British automobile magazine published by Haymarket Motoring Publications Ltd. It refers to itself as "The World's oldest car magazine".-History:...
. His secondary role as the magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
's aviation specialist resulted in a commission from Iliffe and Sons, Ltd. to edit a penny weekly aviation paper called The Aero. In 1911, in partnership with Mr E V (Later Sir Victor) Sassoon
Victor Sassoon
Sir Ellice "Victor" Sassoon, 3rd Baronet, GBE was a businessman and hotelier from the Sassoon banking family. He succeeded to the Baronetcy on the death of his father Edward Elias Sassoon in 1924...
, Grey founded The Aeroplane and he remained editor until 1939. Grey was a man of fascist sympathies and an ardent supporter of Hitler; in the 1930s he aired his anti-Semitic, anti-Bolshevist and pro-fascist opinions in his editorials. Grey took over as editor of Jane's All the World's Aircraft from 1916 to 1940. From 1939 he was air correspondent of The Yorkshire Evening Post
Yorkshire Evening Post
The Yorkshire Evening Post is a daily evening publication published by Yorkshire Post Newspapers Ltd in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, Edinburgh Evening News
Edinburgh Evening News
The Edinburgh Evening News is a local newspaper based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is published daily . It has a circulation of 68,000 and is owned by Johnston Press, which also owns The Scotsman and many regional titles throughout the UK.Much of the copy contained in the Evening News concerns local...
and various overseas journals. Grey also wrote a number of books including A History of British Air Ministry (1940), The Luftwaffe (1944) and The Civil Air War (1945).
"Anyone who read C G in the 'twenties and 'thirties without having met him might have supposed his critical references, and sometimes perverse and acid comments, reflected his nature and personality. Nothing could have been further from the truth. As long as we knew him he was a gentle and kindly man, always charming and generous to his friends, among whom he numbered rivals. Today there are men on Flight's staff who recall a kind word of encouragement here or a spot of advice there from the one-and-only C G, particularly when they were taking their first tentative steps in the hard and competitive world of journalism. His goodwill continued to be reflected in frequent correspondence. From the first to the last occasion upon which we talked to him, he never once failed to express either an original thought or to reveal an unexpected viewpoint on some current topic. Neither his writing nor his conversation was ever lacking in humour and regardless of one's age."
- Flight Magazine, 18 December 1953, published after Grey's death.