William Kilpatrick Stewart
Encyclopedia
Air Vice-Marshal
William Kilpatrick Stewart CB
CBE
AFC
(1914 – 1967) was a Scottish researcher in aerospace physiology
; senior consultant in physiology to the RAF
, and Commanding Officer, RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine
.
school, described by the Glasgow Herald
as having "an extremely high and far-flung academic reputation.” From the Academy, Stewart matriculated at Glasgow University
, graduating in medicine in 1936.
he became MRC Research Fellow
at Cambridge University
, working under Lord Adrian and Sir Bryan Matthews. Joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
in 1938, he was appointed to the RAF Physiology Laboratory at Farnborough
in 1940. During the war years Stewart was to conduct original research into the physiological effects of acceleration and deceleration, extreme heat and cold and decompression, and was engaged in the design of the ejector seat, G suits
and oxygen systems. He had a Gloster Gladiator
aircraft converted into a flying mini-laboratory, and he himself flew some 300 test flights, using himself as a ‘guinea pig’ in his research. He was awarded the Air Force Cross
in 1941.
Following the end of the Second World War
, Stewart was highly instrumental in the successful establishment and operation of the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine
at Farnborough, and in 1946 was appointed its Commanding Officer. He was also an honorary lecturer in aviation physiology
at the University of Glasgow
.
, and in 1961 the Theodore C. Lyster
award of the Aerospace Medical Association
of the United States.
William Kilpatrick Stewart was invested CBE in 1953, CB in 1964 and appointed an Honorary Physician to HM Queen Elizabeth II on 5 July 1966. He died, at the Royal Air Force Hospital, Uxbridge, England, 2 May 1967. In 1969 the Stewart Lecture at the Royal Aeronautical Society
, London, was established in his memory.
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
William Kilpatrick Stewart CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(1914 – 1967) was a Scottish researcher in aerospace physiology
Aerospace physiology
Aerospace physiology refers to effects on the human body caused by characteristics of the aerospace environment.This subject includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:* Spatial disorientation and airsickness* Vestibular system...
; senior consultant in physiology to 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...
, and Commanding Officer, RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine
RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine
The Royal Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine was a British Royal Air Force aviation medicine research unit between 1945 and 1994.- Early days :The RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine was opened on 30 April 1945 by the Princess Royal...
.
Early life and education
William Kilpatrick Stewart was born the son of Dr. John Stewart at Hamilton, Lanarkshire. He attended the Hamilton AcademyHamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy was a school situated in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Described as "one of the finest schools in Scotland" in the Cambridge University Press County Biography of 1910, Hamilton Academy featured in the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association Magazine article series on...
school, described by the Glasgow Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
as having "an extremely high and far-flung academic reputation.” From the Academy, Stewart matriculated at Glasgow University
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, graduating in medicine in 1936.
Career
After appointments in Glasgow Western InfirmaryWestern Infirmary
The Western Infirmary is a teaching hospital situated in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland. There is also a Maggie's centre at the hospital to help cancer patients, as well as the Glasgow Clinical Research Facility....
he became MRC Research Fellow
Medical Research Council (UK)
The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
at Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, working under Lord Adrian and Sir Bryan Matthews. Joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve consists of a number of groupings of individual military reservists for the management and operation of the Royal Air Force's Air Training Corps and CCF Air Cadet formations, Volunteer Gliding Squadrons , Air Experience Flights, and also to form the...
in 1938, he was appointed to the RAF Physiology Laboratory at Farnborough
Farnborough Airfield
Farnborough Airport or TAG London Farnborough Airport is an airport situated in Farnborough, Rushmoor, Hampshire, England...
in 1940. During the war years Stewart was to conduct original research into the physiological effects of acceleration and deceleration, extreme heat and cold and decompression, and was engaged in the design of the ejector seat, G suits
G-suit
A G-suit, or the more accurately named anti-G suit, is worn by aviators and astronauts who are subject to high levels of acceleration force . It is designed to prevent a black-out and G-LOC caused by the blood pooling in the lower part of the body when under acceleration, thus depriving the...
and oxygen systems. He had a Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
aircraft converted into a flying mini-laboratory, and he himself flew some 300 test flights, using himself as a ‘guinea pig’ in his research. He was awarded the Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
in 1941.
Following the end of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Stewart was highly instrumental in the successful establishment and operation of the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine
RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine
The Royal Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine was a British Royal Air Force aviation medicine research unit between 1945 and 1994.- Early days :The RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine was opened on 30 April 1945 by the Princess Royal...
at Farnborough, and in 1946 was appointed its Commanding Officer. He was also an honorary lecturer in aviation physiology
Aerospace physiology
Aerospace physiology refers to effects on the human body caused by characteristics of the aerospace environment.This subject includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:* Spatial disorientation and airsickness* Vestibular system...
at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
.
Awards and honours
In 1956, Stewart was awarded the Sir Charles Wakefield Gold Medal of the Royal Aeronautical SocietyRoyal Aeronautical Society
The Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a multidisciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community.-Function:...
, and in 1961 the Theodore C. Lyster
Theodore C. Lyster
Brigadier General Theodore C. Lyster, M.D. was a United States Army physician and aviation medicine pioneer....
award of the Aerospace Medical Association
Aerospace Medical Association
The Aerospace Medical Association is the largest professional organization in the fields of aviation, space, and environmental medicine. The AsMA membership includes aerospace and hyperbaric medicine specialists, scientists, flight nurses, physiologists, and researchers from all over the world.-...
of the United States.
William Kilpatrick Stewart was invested CBE in 1953, CB in 1964 and appointed an Honorary Physician to HM Queen Elizabeth II on 5 July 1966. He died, at the Royal Air Force Hospital, Uxbridge, England, 2 May 1967. In 1969 the Stewart Lecture at the Royal Aeronautical Society
Royal Aeronautical Society
The Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a multidisciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community.-Function:...
, London, was established in his memory.