R. J. Mitchell

Reginald Joseph Mitchell ( born May 20, 1895 in Talke, † June 11, 1937 in Portswood, Southampton ) was a British aeronautical engineer. His best known work was the Supermarine Spitfire.

Mitchell left the Hanley High School at age 16 and went at Kerr Stuart & Co., a locomotive factory in teaching. Upon completion of his apprenticeship worked as a draftsman in the technical office and studied engineering and mathematics at night school. In 1917 he went to Supermarine to Southampton, where he was a senior development engineer in 1918. At that time, he married Florence Dayson. In 1920 he was promoted to chief engineer and technical director in 1927. As Vickers Supermarine took over in 1928, was one of the conditions that Mitchell had to stay with the company for at least another five years.

During his time as an aeronautical engineer Mitchell developed a total of 24 different aircraft of various types. The he developed Super S.6B succeeded in 1931 to win the Schneider Trophy and shortly thereafter to bring the world speed record to the United Kingdom. For this he received the 1932 Order of the British Empire.

With the specification F7/30 of the British Air Ministry Mitchell began work on the Supermarine Type 224, whose design he was able to present on 20 February 1932. In 1933, Mitchell began work on the much more advanced Type 300, later the Spitfire. The 224 did not satisfy, but the 300 was financially supported by the RAF.

1933 Mitchell became ill with colon cancer and was given a colostomy. Despite his illness, he continued to work and began the construction of a four -engined bomber, the type 317. 1934 Mitchell made ​​his pilot's license.

1936 broke again cancer in him, and early in 1937 he had to give up his work. Mitchell is survived by his wife and a son, Gordon.

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