Roy Chadwick
Encyclopedia
Roy Chadwick, CBE
, FRAeS (30 April 1893 – 23 August 1947) was an aircraft designer for Avro
. Born at Marsh Hall Farm, Farnworth in Widnes
, son of the mechanical engineer Charles Chadwick, he was the Chief Designer for the Avro
Company and was responsible for practically all of their aeroplane designs. He is famous in particular for designing the Avro Lancaster
bomber, its follow-up Avro Lincoln
and preliminary designs of the Avro Vulcan
V bomber. He also converted the Lincoln into the much-used Shackleton
.
His Avro Yorks carried one third of the entire British tonnage during the Berlin Airlift.
, then studied at night school from 1907 to 1914 at the Manchester Municipal College of Technology
whilst working as a draughtsman
at British Westinghouse
in Trafford Park
.
, near Southampton
. In 1928, he moved back to the Avro factory in Woodford
, Greater Manchester, used today by BAE Systems
. In 1939, production of Avro aircraft was moved to a new factory at Greengate in south Chadderton
, today owned by BAE Systems.
After the war, he designed Britain's first pressurised airliner, the Avro Tudor
, based around the Lancaster-derivative Avro Lincoln
, though few were built. His final involvement with Avro was overseeing the initial designs of the Vulcan from 1946. He died on 23 August 1947 during a crash on take-off of the prototype Avro Tudor 2 G-AGSU from Woodford airfield, in the vicinity of Shirfold Farm. The accident was due to an error in an overnight servicing in which the aileron
cables were inadvertently crossed
.
He was honoured in 1943 with the CBE, after the Dam Busters raid
. His daughter, Rosemary Lapham, is his closest living relative. He is commemorated by a blue plaque on the surviving office building of the Avro factory at Greengate.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FRAeS (30 April 1893 – 23 August 1947) was an aircraft designer for Avro
Avro
Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's...
. Born at Marsh Hall Farm, Farnworth in Widnes
Widnes
Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
, son of the mechanical engineer Charles Chadwick, he was the Chief Designer for the Avro
Avro
Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's...
Company and was responsible for practically all of their aeroplane designs. He is famous in particular for designing the Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
bomber, its follow-up Avro Lincoln
Avro Lincoln
The Avro Type 694, better known as the Avro Lincoln, was a British four-engined heavy bomber, which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were known initially as the Lancaster IV and V, but were renamed Lincoln I and II...
and preliminary designs of the Avro Vulcan
Avro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan, sometimes referred to as the Hawker Siddeley Vulcan, was a jet-powered delta wing strategic bomber, operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A V Roe & Co designed the Vulcan in response to Specification B.35/46. Of the three V bombers produced,...
V bomber. He also converted the Lincoln into the much-used Shackleton
Avro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage...
.
His Avro Yorks carried one third of the entire British tonnage during the Berlin Airlift.
Early life
He went to St Clements Church School in UrmstonUrmston
Urmston is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of around 41,000. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies about six miles to the southwest of Manchester city centre. The southern boundary is marked by the River Mersey and the...
, then studied at night school from 1907 to 1914 at the Manchester Municipal College of Technology
UMIST
The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology was a university based in the centre of the city of Manchester in England. It specialised in technical and scientific subjects and was a major centre for research...
whilst working as a draughtsman
Technical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
at British Westinghouse
British Westinghouse
British Westinghouse Electrical and Manufacturing Company was a subsidiary of the American Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. British Westinghouse would become a subsidiary of Metropolitan-Vickers in 1919; and after Metropolitan Vickers merged with British Thomson-Houston in 1929, it...
in Trafford Park
Trafford Park
Trafford Park is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Located opposite Salford Quays, on the southern side of the Manchester Ship Canal, it is west-southwest of Manchester city centre, and north of Stretford. Until the late 19th century it was the...
.
Avro years
From September 1911, he began work at Avro at Brownsfield Mill when he was 18. When starting to design entire planes, he was based at HambleHamble
Hamble may refer to:* The last frontier film location.* The River Hamble in Hampshire, England**Hamble-Warsash Ferry, a ferry service on the River Hamble* Hamble-le-Rice, a village on the river Hamble, close to the city of Southampton, England...
, near Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
. In 1928, he moved back to the Avro factory in Woodford
Woodford, Greater Manchester
Woodford is a suburban village at the southern extent of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies south of Stockport, north-northwest of Macclesfield, and south-southeast of Manchester...
, Greater Manchester, used today by BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
. In 1939, production of Avro aircraft was moved to a new factory at Greengate in south Chadderton
Chadderton
Chadderton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire...
, today owned by BAE Systems.
Avro Tudor
Avro's Type 688 Tudor was a British piston-engined airliner based on their four-engine Lincoln bomber, itself a descendant of the famous Lancaster heavy bomber, and was Britain's first pressurised airliner...
, based around the Lancaster-derivative Avro Lincoln
Avro Lincoln
The Avro Type 694, better known as the Avro Lincoln, was a British four-engined heavy bomber, which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were known initially as the Lancaster IV and V, but were renamed Lincoln I and II...
, though few were built. His final involvement with Avro was overseeing the initial designs of the Vulcan from 1946. He died on 23 August 1947 during a crash on take-off of the prototype Avro Tudor 2 G-AGSU from Woodford airfield, in the vicinity of Shirfold Farm. The accident was due to an error in an overnight servicing in which the aileron
Aileron
Ailerons are hinged flight control surfaces attached to the trailing edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. The ailerons are used to control the aircraft in roll, which results in a change in heading due to the tilting of the lift vector...
cables were inadvertently crossed
Control reversal
Control reversal is an adverse effect on the controllability of aircraft. The flight controls reverse themselves in a way that is not intuitive, so pilots may not be aware of the situation and therefore provide the wrong inputs; in order to roll to the left, for instance, they have to push the...
.
He was honoured in 1943 with the CBE, after the Dam Busters raid
Operation Chastise
Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 16–17 May 1943 by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, subsequently known as the "Dambusters", using a specially developed "bouncing bomb" invented and developed by Barnes Wallis...
. His daughter, Rosemary Lapham, is his closest living relative. He is commemorated by a blue plaque on the surviving office building of the Avro factory at Greengate.