Beatrice Shilling facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beatrice Shilling
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Beatrice Shilling
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| Born | 8 March 1909 Waterlooville, Hampshire, England
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| Died | 18 November 1990 (aged 81) |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Manchester University |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Spouse(s) | George Naylor |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Aeronautical Engineering |
| Institutions | Institution of Mechanical Engineers Women's Engineering Society |
| Employer(s) | Royal Aircraft Establishment |
| Projects | Rolls-Royce Merlin |
| Significant advance | Aircraft engine |
| Awards | Order of the British Empire |
Beatrice Shilling was a brilliant British aeronautical engineer and a keen amateur racing driver. She is best known for her important work during the Second World War. She created a special device called "Miss Shilling's orifice". This simple part helped Rolls-Royce Merlin engines in Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire fighter planes.
Before her invention, these engines would often cut out during fierce air battles. This put British pilots at a huge disadvantage. Shilling's device fixed the problem, helping the Allies win the Battle of Britain. She also loved racing motorbikes and cars, even beating professional drivers.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Beatrice Shilling was born in Waterlooville, Hampshire, England, on March 8, 1909. Her father was a butcher. From a young age, Beatrice showed a strong interest in machines. When she was just 14, she bought her own motorbike. She loved taking it apart and putting it back together. She knew then that she wanted to be an engineer.
After finishing school, she worked for an electrical engineering company. Her boss, Margaret Partridge, encouraged her to go to university. Beatrice studied electrical engineering at Victoria University of Manchester. In 1932, she earned her bachelor's degree. She then studied for another year and got a master's degree in mechanical engineering.
Finding a job was tough during the Great Depression. But in 1936, she joined the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE). This was a research and development agency for the Royal Air Force (RAF). She started as a technical writer but soon moved to working on aircraft engines. By 1939, she was in charge of research for carburettors. She worked at RAE until she retired in 1969.
World War II: The Orifice That Saved Lives
During the early days of World War II, especially in the Battle of Britain, British fighter pilots faced a serious problem. Their planes, like the Hurricane and Spitfire, had Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. When a pilot would push the plane's nose down quickly to dive, the engine's carburettor would flood with too much fuel. This caused the engine to stall or lose power.
German fighter planes, however, used fuel injection engines. They did not have this problem. This meant German pilots could escape by diving, and the British planes couldn't follow without risking an engine stall. This was very dangerous for RAF pilots.
Solving the Engine Problem
Beatrice Shilling came up with a clever solution. She designed a simple device called the R.A.E. restrictor. It was a small brass thimble with a hole in the middle. Later, it was made even simpler, just a flat washer. This small part could be put into the engine's carburettor. It limited the amount of fuel flowing in, stopping the engine from flooding.
The best part was that it could be installed quickly. Planes didn't need to be taken out of service for long. By March 1941, Beatrice led a small team. They traveled to RAF fighter bases, installing these devices in the Merlin engines. Pilots loved the invention. They affectionately called it 'Miss Shilling's orifice' or just the 'Tilly orifice'. This simple fix was used until better fuel systems were developed in 1943.
Life After the War
After World War II, Beatrice Shilling continued her important work at the RAE. She worked on various projects, including the Blue Streak missile. She also studied how wet runways affected aircraft braking.
Beatrice was known for her strong personality. She never believed that women were less capable than men in science or engineering. One scientist even called her "a flaming pathfinder of Women's Lib." She wasn't afraid to speak her mind, which sometimes caused tension with her managers.
In 1956, she became an Associate Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. This allowed her to use the title Chartered Engineer (CEng). She also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Surrey in 1969. Beatrice had been a member of the Women's Engineering Society since she was a teenager.
Motor Sports Adventures
Beatrice Shilling was not just a brilliant engineer; she was also a fearless motor sports enthusiast. In the 1930s, she raced motorbikes. She was so good that she even beat professional riders. She earned a special award called the Gold Star. She got it for completing a lap of the Brooklands circuit at over 100 miles per hour on her Norton M30 motorbike.
After the war, Beatrice and her husband, George, started racing cars. They would often tune and modify their cars in their home workshop. They raced at places like Goodwood Members' Meetings. They even won some races and placed third many times. They raced different cars, including an Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite.
In 1967, Beatrice was asked to help a famous American racing driver, Dan Gurney. He was having problems with his Eagle Mk1 Formula One racing car overheating. Beatrice helped him solve the issue.
Personal Life
Beatrice Shilling married George Naylor in September 1938. George also worked at the RAE. There's a famous story that Beatrice refused to marry him until he also earned the Brooklands Gold Star. This meant he had to lap the circuit at over 100 miles per hour, just like she did!
During World War II, George was a bomber pilot. He flew many dangerous missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). He even volunteered for extra bombing missions.
Legacy and Recognition
Beatrice Shilling's achievements are remembered in many ways:
- In 2011, a pub in Farnborough was named the Tilly Shilling in her honor.
- In 2015, her racing badges and trophies were bought by the Brooklands Museum.
- In 2018, she was featured in an exhibition celebrating "Extraordinary Women of Hampshire."
- On her 110th birthday in 2019, a plaque was unveiled at Waterlooville Library to remember her.
- In March 2019, Royal Holloway University opened the Beatrice Shilling Building for its new Electronic Engineering department.
- In March 2020, another memorial plaque was unveiled in Waterlooville at Shilling Place.
- Her life story was added to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography in 2019.
- Coventry University's Beatrice Shilling building opened in 2020.
See also
In Spanish: Beatrice Shilling para niños
