Melvill Jones facts for kids

Sir Bennett Melvill Jones (born January 28, 1887 – died October 31, 1975) was a very important engineer who taught at the University of Cambridge. He was the Francis Mond Professor of Aeronautical Engineering from 1919 to 1952. Sir Bennett showed how important it was to make airplanes smooth and sleek, a process called streamlining.

People had known for a long time that when something moves through air, it meets resistance. This resistance is called aerodynamic drag. Sir Bennett Melvill Jones took earlier ideas and made them even better. He proved just how much drag affects how well an airplane can fly. His work helped make planes faster and more efficient.

Early Life and School

Bennett Melvill Jones was born in Rock Ferry, a town near Birkenhead, England. His father was a lawyer and his mother was Henrietta Cornelia Melvill. From 1898 to 1906, he went to Birkenhead School. He really admired his headmaster, who let him spend more time on engineering projects with his father instead of playing cricket.

In 1909, he graduated from Emmanuel College, Cambridge with top honors in mechanical sciences. This showed he was very good at understanding how machines work.

Starting His Career and War Service

After college, Sir Bennett worked at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich. Then, in 1911, he joined the Aerodynamics Department at the National Physical Laboratory. He also worked at Armstrong Whitworths, helping to design large airships.

When World War I began in 1914, he joined the Royal Aircraft Establishment. He worked on how to aim guns from airplanes. Later, he moved to the Air Armaments Experimental Station. While there, he learned to fly planes himself! In 1918, he even served as a gunner for a short time in a Bristol F.2 Fighter with his younger brother, Benedict, who was the pilot. Sir Bennett was given the Air Force Cross for his bravery. Sadly, his brother Benedict died later that year during an experimental flight.

After World War I

In 1919, Sir Bennett Melvill Jones returned to Cambridge University. He became the first-ever Francis Mond Professor of Aeronautical Engineering. He stayed in this important role until he retired in 1952.

At Cambridge, he led a small but very successful team that researched aviation. He was very modest and treated his team as equals, working with them, not just telling them what to do. His research helped people understand why planes sometimes lose lift, a problem called a stall. This understanding made flying much safer and reduced accidents.

Reducing Drag in Airplanes

From 1926, Sir Bennett focused mostly on how to reduce drag on airplanes. In 1929, he gave a very important speech called The Streamline Airplane. He talked about what an ideal airplane would look like – one with very little drag. This led to new ideas like making planes with smooth, clean shapes and having landing gear that could fold up into the plane after takeoff.

His ideas really surprised airplane designers at the time. He showed that by making planes more streamlined, they could fly much faster using the same amount of power. People said his findings were as important as some of the biggest discoveries in science!

World War II Contributions

Before World War II, Sir Bennett was asked to help with gunnery again. He spent four years working on a special aiming device called a gyroscopic gunsight. This invention helped pilots aim their guns much more accurately.

In 1943, he joined the Ministry of Aircraft Production and became the head of the Aeronautical Research Committee. He continued this work until 1946. After the war, he went back to his research on drag. Even after retiring, he continued to advise the Royal Aircraft Establishment.

Awards and Recognition

Sir Bennett Melvill Jones received many honors for his amazing work:

• In 1938, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
• In 1942, he was made a Knight Bachelor, which meant he could be called "Sir."
• He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, a very high honor for scientists.
• In 1947, the United States gave him the Medal of Freedom for his work on aerial gunnery.
• He also received the Gold Medal of the Royal Aeronautical Society and became an honorary member in 1951.

Personal Life

In 1916, Sir Bennett married Dorothy Laxton. They had a daughter named Margaret and two sons, Warren and Geoffrey. Sadly, Warren, who was a pilot, died in action in 1940. His other son, Geoffrey Melvill Jones, became a medical doctor and a pioneer in aviation medicine.

Sir Bennett Melvill Jones loved swimming and rock climbing. People described him as a very kind and friendly person. He passed away in Devon, England, on October 31, 1975.

See also

• Images of Sir Bennett Melvill Jones can be found at the National Portrait Gallery: [1]