Died 16 May 1978 | ||
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George Rudolph Volkert CBE FRAeS (4 July 1891 – 16 May 1978) was a British aircraft designer.
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Early life
He was born in Fulham. He studied at the Northampton Institute in London (now City University London).
Handley Page
He joined Handley Page in 1912, becoming head of the design department, when only 21. He went to Japan in 1921 as part of the British Aviation Mission. In 1923 he became Chief Designer of Handley Page. Handley Page had its design department at Woodley, Berkshire.
The Handley Page Hampden was designed in 1933, and first flew on 21 July 1936. It entered service with 49 Sqn in September 1938.
The Handley Page Halifax, of which he was responsible for the design, first flew on 25 October 1939. In early 1944, 1,200 Halifaxes were produced in six months. Two-fifths of Britain's heavy bombers in World War II were Halifaxes. It entered service with 35 Sqn on 23 November 1940 at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, carrying out its first night-raid on 11 March 1942 over Le Havre. Most of the Halifaxes flown from England were with the RCAF in North Yorkshire as No. 6 Group RCAF.
Personal life
He married Violet Elizabeth Haley, of Hurlingham, on 21 July 1928 in Isleworth, in Brentford).; at the time he lived in Grove Park, Hounslow. They had a son (born in 1937) and a daughter (born in 1938). His wife died in February 1990 in Uckfield.