Roy Chaplin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roy Chaplin
OBE, FRAeS
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Roy Chaplin (1899–1988) around 1985
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Roland Henry Chaplin
16 May 1899 Kingston upon Thames, England
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| Died | 13 December 1988 (aged 89) Charlton, England
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| Nationality | British |
| Education | Tiffin School |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Spouse(s) | Madge Macey |
| Children | 2 sons |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Aeronautics |
| Institutions | FRAeS |
| Employer(s) | Hawker Aircraft |
| Significant design | Hawker Hurricane |
| Awards | RAeS Silver Medal (1960) |
Roland Henry Chaplin, known as Roy Chaplin (1899–1988), was a British engineer who designed airplanes. He worked at Hawker Aircraft from 1927 to 1962. Roy helped create famous planes like the Hawker Fury biplane, the Hurricane monoplane, and the Harrier jump jet. He studied engineering at London University and retired in the 1960s.
Contents
Early Life and Studies
Roy Chaplin went to Tiffin Boys School in Kingston upon Thames. He then studied engineering at London University. The First World War paused his studies. He served in the Royal Engineers in France and Belgium until 1919. After the war, he finished his engineering degree in 1921. His first job was at a company called Gwynnes, which made pumps.
Designing Aircraft at Hawker
In 1926, Chaplin joined Hawker Aircraft in Kingston. At that time, the company had fewer than 40 design staff. Roy worked on the design of the Hawker Fury biplane. In 1933, many people in the Air Ministry thought that monoplanes (planes with one wing) were too dangerous for military use.
Hawker's decided to develop a monoplane version of the Fury fighter. This new design included improvements like an enclosed cockpit. Chaplin played a key role in developing this plane in 1934. It became known as the 'Hurricane'. The first Hurricane prototype flew on November 6, 1935, from Brooklands.
By March 1936, the prototype's test flights were finished. Hawker's decided to build 1,000 Hurricane aircraft. The official contract came three months later. Roy Chaplin once said that the Hurricane shot down more enemy planes in the Battle of Britain than all other British aircraft and ground defenses combined.
In 1939, Chaplin became an assistant chief designer. From 1937 until after the Second World War, he worked on the designs of the Typhoon, Tempest, and Sea Fury aircraft. In 1946, he received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his work on the Hurricane.
The Jet Age and Harrier
Less than 20 years after Chaplin joined Hawker's, the company began working on jet aircraft. They started with the P.1040 in 1944.
In 1957, the government announced that guided missiles would be more important than fighter planes for defense. Hawker's was working on a very fast fighter jet called the P.1121. When this project was cancelled, the company focused more on another project, which became the P.1127.
In 1957, Chaplin became the chief designer. In 1959, he became an executive director on the Hawker Board. That year, Hawker's received an order for two prototypes of the P.1127. This amazing aircraft made its first flights in 1960. It later became the Harrier jump jet, famous for its role in the Falklands War. In 1960, the Royal Aeronautical Society gave Chaplin its Silver Medal for his work on military aircraft. Roy Chaplin retired in 1962 after having a heart attack.
Later Years and Legacy
After Roy Chaplin retired, the British government cancelled two large aircraft projects in 1965. These were the P.1154 and the TSR2. The government realized it could not afford both.
The Falklands War in 1982 showed how important the Harrier was. Many believe Britain might not have won without it. In 1985, the Hurricane celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Royal Aeronautical Society held a special event. Roy Chaplin, at 87 years old, was one of four speakers who had worked on the Hurricane's design.
Roy Chaplin passed away on December 13, 1988, at age 89. A Harrier jump jet flew over the village church during his memorial service as a tribute to his work.
See also
- Aerospace industry in the United Kingdom
