Reginald Joseph Mitchell
Reginald Joseph Mitchell (born May 20, 1895 in Talke , † June 11, 1937 in Portswood , Southampton ) was a British aeronautical engineer. His most famous work was the Supermarine Spitfire .
Mitchell dropped out of Hanley High School at the age of 16 and was an apprentice at Kerr Stuart & Co., a locomotive factory. When he finished his apprenticeship, he worked there as a draftsman in the technical office and studied engineering and mathematics in evening school. In 1917 he went to Supermarine in Southampton , where he became chief development engineer in 1918. At that time he married Florence Dayson. In 1920 he was promoted to chief engineer and in 1927 technical director. When Vickers acquired Supermarine in 1928, one of the conditions was 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 Supermarine S.6B he developed managed to win the Schneider Trophy in 1931 and shortly afterwards to bring the world speed record to Great Britain. For this he received the Order of the British Empire in 1932 .
With the specification F7 / 30 of the British Department of Aviation , Mitchell began work on the Supermarine Type 224 , the design of which he was able to submit on February 20, 1932. As early as 1933, Mitchell began work on the much more advanced Type 300, the later Spitfire. The 224 was unsatisfactory, but the Type 300 received financial support from the RAF.
In 1933 Mitchell developed colon cancer and received an artificial anus. Despite his illness, he continued to work and began designing a four-engine bomber, the Type 317. In 1934, Mitchell obtained his pilot's license.
Cancer broke out again in 1936, and in early 1937 he had to quit his job. Mitchell left behind his wife and son, Gordon. In 1942, the biopic The First of the Few was published. Directed by Leslie Howard , who also took on the lead role.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Mitchell, Reginald Joseph |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British aerospace engineer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 20, 1895 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Talke |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 11, 1937 |
| Place of death | Portswood |