Nationality British Spouse(s) Sylvia Paice Discipline Aeronautics | Education Clayesmore School Parent(s) 1 daughter | |
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Born 14 July 1904 ( 1904-07-14 ) London Died 7 October 1996(1996-10-07) (aged 92) | ||
Richard Milroy Clarkson OBE FCGI FRAeS (14 July 1904 – 7 October 1996) was a British aeronautical engineer with de Havilland, then Hawker Siddeley. He designed the HS121 Trident, which was subsequently taken as template for the Airbus A300 in the late 1960s.
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Early life
He attended Clayesmore School in Dorset.
de Havilland
He joined de Havilland at Edgware in 1925.
He was responsible for the aerodynamics of the de Havilland Mosquito. The first Mosquito W4050 flew in November 1940. He became Head of Aerodynamics in 1935, and Assistant Chief Engineer in 1941.
Hawker Siddeley Aviation
He was responsible for the aerodynamics of the DH.121 Trident. Boeing copied the aircraft as the Boeing 727. His team at Hawker Siddeley (HSA) would design the wing for the new Airbus A300. The Technical Director for the Airbus A300 was Bernard Ziegler from France.
He retired in February 1969.
Personal life
He married Sylvia Paice in 1940, and they had one daughter. He received the OBE in the 1950 New Year Honours. In April 1964 he became a Fellow of City and Guilds. He received the Gold Medal of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1966. From the Royal Society he received the Mullard Award in 1969 for his work on the Trident.
He died in Somerset in 1996.