R. J. Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Reginald Joseph Mitchell CBE, FRAeS, (20 May 1895 - 11 June 1937) was an aeronautical engineer, best known for his design of the Supermarine Spitfire
.
, Kidsgrove
, Staffordshire
, England
. After leaving Hanley High School at the age of 16 he gained an apprenticeship
at Kerr Stuart & Co.
of Fenton
, a locomotive
engineering works. At the end of his apprenticeship he worked in the drawing office at Kerr Stuart and studied engineering
and mathematics
at night school.
In 1917, he joined the Supermarine Aviation Works
at Southampton
. Advancing quickly within the company, Mitchell was appointed Chief Designer in 1919. He was made Chief Engineer in 1920 and Technical Director in 1927. He was so highly regarded that, when Vickers took over Supermarine in 1928, one of the conditions was that Mitchell stay as a designer for the next five years.
Between 1920 and 1936, Mitchell designed 24 aircraft including light aircraft, fighters and bombers. As Supermarine was primarily a seaplane manufacturer, this included a number flying boat
s such as the Supermarine Sea Eagle
, the Supermarine Sea King
, the Supermarine Walrus
and Supermarine Stranraer
. However, he is best remembered for his work on the Supermarine Schneider Trophy
series of racing aircraft, culminating in the Supermarine S.6B
, and the Supermarine Spitfire
.
The S.6B won the Schneider Trophy
in 1931 and later broke the world air speed record. Mitchell was awarded the CBE
in 1932 for his contribution to high-speed flight. Mitchell's experience with high speed aircraft such as the S.6B prompted the Air Ministry
to issue specification F7/30 to Supermarine for the design of a new fighter aircraft.
On 20 February 1932, Mitchell submitted his monoplane
Type 224
design. Mitchell referred to the Type 224 as "The Shrew". It first flew on 19 February 1934, but was eventually rejected by the RAF
because of its unsatisfactory performance. While the 224 was being built, Mitchell was authorised by Supermarine in 1933 to proceed with new design, the Type 300, an all-metal monoplane that would become the Supermarine Spitfire
. This was originally a private venture by Supermarine, but the RAF quickly became interested and the Air Ministry financed a prototype.
Many of the technical advances in the Spitfire had been made by others: the thin elliptical wings were designed by his Canadian aerodynamicist, Beverley Shenstone, and shared some similarities with the Heinkel He 70
Blitz; the under-wing radiators had been pioneered at the RAE
, while monocoque
construction had been first developed in the United States
. Mitchell's genius was bringing it all together with his experience of high speed flight and the Type 224.
The first prototype Spitfire, serial
K5054, flew for the first time on 5 March 1936 at Eastleigh
, Hampshire
. In later tests, it reached 349 mph, consequently, before the prototype had completed its official trials, the RAF ordered 310 production Spitfires. Mitchell is reported to have said that "Spitfire" was "just the sort of bloody silly name they would choose."
to treat rectal cancer. Despite this, he continued to work, not only on the Spitfire, but also on a four-engined bomber, the Type 317
. Unusually for an aircraft designer in those days, he took flying lessons and got his pilot's licence in July 1934.
In 1936 cancer was diagnosed again, and subsequently, in early 1937, Mitchell gave up work, although he was often seen watching the Spitfire being tested. Mitchell went to the American Foundation in Vienna
for a month, but died on 11 June 1937 at age 42. His ashes were interred at South Stoneham Cemetery, Hampshire four days later.
Mitchell was succeeded as Chief Designer at Supermarine by Joseph Smith
, who was responsible for the further development of the Spitfire. Nevertheless, Mitchell's design was so sound that the Spitfire was continually improved throughout the Second World War. Over 22,000 Spitfires and derivatives were built.
, Southampton, at 2 Russell Place.
produced and directed by Leslie Howard
, with Howard in the starring role of R.J. Mitchell. The film recounts the story of Mitchell's life and how he developed the design for the famous RAF fighter. Mrs. Mitchell and her son Gordon were on the set during much of the production.
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
.
Early years
R.J. Mitchell was born at 115 Congleton Road, Butt LaneButt Lane
Butt Lane is a suburb of Kidsgrove in the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, North Staffordshire.It is also the birthplace of Reginald Mitchell designer of the RAF's WW2 fighter the Spitfire....
, Kidsgrove
Kidsgrove
Kidsgrove is a town in the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England, near the border with Cheshire. It forms part of The Potteries Urban Area in North Staffordshire, along with Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme. It has a population of 24,112...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After leaving Hanley High School at the age of 16 he gained an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
at Kerr Stuart & Co.
Kerr Stuart
Kerr, Stuart and Company Ltd was a locomotive manufacturer from Stoke-on-Trent, England.-History:It was founded in 1881 by James Kerr as James Kerr & Company, and became Kerr, Stuart & Company from 1883 when John Stuart was taken on as a partner...
of Fenton
Fenton, Staffordshire
Fenton is one of the six towns of the Stoke-on-Trent conurbation which were federated in 1910. It is situated in the south-east of the city. Arnold Bennett called his fictionalised version of Stoke on Trent the "Five Towns", and Fenton has been dubbed the town Arnold Bennett...
, a locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
engineering works. At the end of his apprenticeship he worked in the drawing office at Kerr Stuart and studied engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
and mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
at night school.
Aviation career
Supermarine
Supermarine was a British aircraft manufacturer that became famous for producing a range of sea planes and the Supermarine Spitfire fighter. The name now belongs to an English motorboat manufacturer.-History:...
at Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
. Advancing quickly within the company, Mitchell was appointed Chief Designer in 1919. He was made Chief Engineer in 1920 and Technical Director in 1927. He was so highly regarded that, when Vickers took over Supermarine in 1928, one of the conditions was that Mitchell stay as a designer for the next five years.
Between 1920 and 1936, Mitchell designed 24 aircraft including light aircraft, fighters and bombers. As Supermarine was primarily a seaplane manufacturer, this included a number flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s such as the Supermarine Sea Eagle
Supermarine Sea Eagle
-References:Bibliography*Andrews C.F. and Morgan, E.B. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914. London:Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0 85177 800 3.*Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft 1919-1972:Volume III. London:Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0 85177 818 6....
, the Supermarine Sea King
Supermarine Sea King
-See also:-References:* Andrews, C.F and Morgan, E.B. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914. London:Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0 85177 800 3.* Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7....
, the Supermarine Walrus
Supermarine Walrus
The Supermarine Walrus was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm . It also served with the Royal Air Force , Royal Australian Air Force , Royal Canadian Air Force , Royal New Zealand Navy and Royal New...
and Supermarine Stranraer
Supermarine Stranraer
|-Surviving aircraft:A single intact Stranraer, 920/CF-BXO, survives in the collection of the Royal Air Force Museum London. This aircraft was built in 1940, one of 40 built by Canadian Vickers. In service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, it flew with several squadrons, on anti-submarine patrols,...
. However, he is best remembered for his work on the Supermarine Schneider Trophy
Schneider Trophy
The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider was a prize competition for seaplanes. Announced by Jacques Schneider, a financier, balloonist and aircraft enthusiast, in 1911, it offered a prize of roughly £1,000. The race was held eleven times between 1913 and 1931...
series of racing aircraft, culminating in the Supermarine S.6B
Supermarine S.6B
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3....
, and the Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
.
The S.6B won the Schneider Trophy
Schneider Trophy
The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider was a prize competition for seaplanes. Announced by Jacques Schneider, a financier, balloonist and aircraft enthusiast, in 1911, it offered a prize of roughly £1,000. The race was held eleven times between 1913 and 1931...
in 1931 and later broke the world air speed record. Mitchell was awarded the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1932 for his contribution to high-speed flight. Mitchell's experience with high speed aircraft such as the S.6B prompted the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
to issue specification F7/30 to Supermarine for the design of a new fighter aircraft.
Spitfire
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
Type 224
Supermarine Type 224
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography*Andrews, C.F. and Morgan, E.B. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.*Buttler, T. British Secret Projects: fighters and bombers 1935-1955. Midland, 2004. ISBN 1-85780-179-2...
design. Mitchell referred to the Type 224 as "The Shrew". It first flew on 19 February 1934, but was eventually rejected by the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
because of its unsatisfactory performance. While the 224 was being built, Mitchell was authorised by Supermarine in 1933 to proceed with new design, the Type 300, an all-metal monoplane that would become the Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
. This was originally a private venture by Supermarine, but the RAF quickly became interested and the Air Ministry financed a prototype.
Many of the technical advances in the Spitfire had been made by others: the thin elliptical wings were designed by his Canadian aerodynamicist, Beverley Shenstone, and shared some similarities with the Heinkel He 70
Heinkel He 70
The Heinkel He 70 was a German mail plane and fast passenger aircraft of the 1930s, that also saw use in auxiliary bomber and reconnaissance roles. It had a relatively brief commercial career before it was replaced by types which could carry more passengers...
Blitz; the under-wing radiators had been pioneered at the RAE
Royal Aircraft Establishment
The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough...
, while monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
construction had been first developed in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Mitchell's genius was bringing it all together with his experience of high speed flight and the Type 224.
The first prototype Spitfire, serial
United Kingdom military aircraft serials
In the United Kingdom to identify individual aircraft, all military aircraft are allocated and display a unique serial number. A unified serial number system, maintained by the Air Ministry , and its successor the Ministry of Defence , is used for aircraft operated by the Royal Air Force , Fleet...
K5054, flew for the first time on 5 March 1936 at Eastleigh
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. In later tests, it reached 349 mph, consequently, before the prototype had completed its official trials, the RAF ordered 310 production Spitfires. Mitchell is reported to have said that "Spitfire" was "just the sort of bloody silly name they would choose."
Later years
In August 1933, Mitchell underwent a colostomyColostomy
A colostomy is a surgical procedure in which a stoma is formed by drawing the healthy end of the large intestine or colon through an incision in the anterior abdominal wall and suturing it into place. This opening, in conjunction with the attached stoma appliance, provides an alternative channel...
to treat rectal cancer. Despite this, he continued to work, not only on the Spitfire, but also on a four-engined bomber, the Type 317
Supermarine B.12/36
The Supermarine B.12/36 was a British prototype four-engine heavy bomber design that was destroyed by enemy action before completion during the Second World War.-Design and development:...
. Unusually for an aircraft designer in those days, he took flying lessons and got his pilot's licence in July 1934.
In 1936 cancer was diagnosed again, and subsequently, in early 1937, Mitchell gave up work, although he was often seen watching the Spitfire being tested. Mitchell went to the American Foundation in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
for a month, but died on 11 June 1937 at age 42. His ashes were interred at South Stoneham Cemetery, Hampshire four days later.
Mitchell was succeeded as Chief Designer at Supermarine by Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith (aircraft designer)
Joseph Smith CBE was an English aircraft designer who took over as Chief Designer for Supermarine's upon the death of R. J...
, who was responsible for the further development of the Spitfire. Nevertheless, Mitchell's design was so sound that the Spitfire was continually improved throughout the Second World War. Over 22,000 Spitfires and derivatives were built.
Personal life
In 1918, Mitchell married Florence Dayson. They had a son, Gordon. While working on the Spitfire at Woolston and Eastleigh, Mitchell and family lived in PortswoodPortswood
Portswood is a suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England. The suburb lies to the north-east of the city centre and is bounded by Freemantle, Highfield, Swaythling, St. Denys and Bevois Valley....
, Southampton, at 2 Russell Place.
Mitchell's family
Mitchell's son, Dr. Gordon Mitchell (1920–2009) was left to tell his father's story in two books, R.J. Mitchell: World Famous Aircraft Designer and R.J.Mitchell: Schooldays to Spitfire. On 5 March 2004, Dr. Mitchell unveiled a 3/4 scale representation of the prototype Spitfire K5054 at the entrance to Eastleigh Airport, Southampton, on the 68th anniversary of its first flight. Gordon Mitchell died on 24 July 2009 in Cheltenham General Hospital two weeks after suffering a fall in his home in the Cotswolds. His wish that his father be given an award for his services to his country was not realised in his lifetime. However, a section of Eastleigh Airport has now been renamed in his father's memory. Mitchell's family attended the dedication of a statue by Stephen Kettle displayed in the Science Museum, where it now occupies a prominent place in the Flight Gallery.Popular culture
His life and the sacrifices he made to keep going despite pain and impending death were the subject of the 1942 British film, The First of the FewThe First of the Few
The First of the Few, known as Spitfire in the United States, is a 1942 British film directed by and starring Leslie Howard as R.J. Mitchell, the designer of the Supermarine Spitfire, alongside co-star David Niven. The film's score was written by William Walton...
produced and directed by Leslie Howard
Leslie Howard (actor)
Leslie Howard was an English stage and film actor, director, and producer. Among his best-known roles was Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind and roles in Berkeley Square , Of Human Bondage , The Scarlet Pimpernel , The Petrified Forest , Pygmalion , Intermezzo , Pimpernel Smith...
, with Howard in the starring role of R.J. Mitchell. The film recounts the story of Mitchell's life and how he developed the design for the famous RAF fighter. Mrs. Mitchell and her son Gordon were on the set during much of the production.
Quotes
External links
- Awareness campaign for RJ Mitchell
- BBC Local Heroes
- Stoke-on-Trent's Spitfire
- http://www.lgfl.net/lgfl/leas/havering/schools/rj-mitchell/?startR J Mitchell Primary School, in the London Borough of HaveringLondon Borough of HaveringThe London Borough of Havering is a London borough in North East London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in Havering is Romford and the other main communities are Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham. The borough is mainly characterised by suburban development with large...
] - Supermarine Spitfire prototype
- Spitfires and Spitfire pilots