Ray Wheeler
Raymond Leslie Wheeler RDI FRAeS FRINA (25 October 1927 – 2019)[1] was a British engineer who was instrumental in Britain's successful development of rocket launchers and hovercraft.
Early life[]
He was born in Middlesex.
From the University College, Southampton he gained a BSc in Engineering in 1948.
Career[]
Saunders-Roe[]
He joined Saunders-Roe in 1945 as an apprentice. He worked on the SR.N1, the first hovercraft. He eventually became Chief Structural Engineer, working on the 300-tonne SR.N4 hovercraft, as Project Engineer.[2]
At Saunders-Roe he worked with Roy Dommett on the Black Arrow rocket programme, where he was the Chief Designer. Although entirely successful, built on a limited budget, the project came to an abrupt end in November 1971, having been cancelled on 29 July 1971.
British Hovercraft Corporation[]
From 1966 to 1985 he was Chief Designer of the British Hovercraft Corporation, and Technical Director from 1972 to 1985.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1974. In 1995 he became an RDI.
Personal life[]
He married in Southampton in 1950 and has one son (born 1956) and two daughters (born 1952 and 1954). He was a keen field hockey player for the company teams.
References[]
- ^ Jewell, Philip (27 January 2020). "Obituary - Ray Wheeler FRAeS". Royal Aeronautical Society. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- ^ Interview October 2010
External links[]
Video clips[]
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- 1927 births
- Alumni of the University of Southampton
- English aerospace engineers
- Fellows of the Royal Aeronautical Society
- Saunders-Roe
- Space programme of the United Kingdom
- 2019 deaths