Sir Sydney Camm

Sydney Camm was born in southeast England on 5 August 1893. As a child, he was very interested in aviation and founded a model aeroplane club. Camm left school at the age of fourteen, but remained active in his model aeroplane club, even constructing a full-size glider in 1912. Two years later, he began working as a carpenter, finding employment at Martinsyde, which manufactured aircraft and motorcycles. In 1923, he joined the Hawker Engineering Company as a senior draughtsman. During the following year, he designed his first aircraft, the Hawker Cygnet biplane. In 1925 he was promoted to the position of chief designer at Hawker. Camm then went on to design the Hart, which became the foundation for several other inter-war combat aircraft designs. In 1935, Camm designed the ground-breaking Hurricane monoplane fighter, which later became a vital asset in the defence of Britain during World War II. His other designs from that period included the Typhoon, Tempest and Sea Fury. World War II ended in 1945, but Camm continued to design remarkable aircraft during the jet age. The Hunter and Sea Hawk were prime examples of jet aircraft developed under his leadership. Camm was also instrumental in the development of the Harrier ‘jump jet.’ He was knighted in 1953 and elected president of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1954. Sydney Camm died on 12 March 1966 at the age of 72, having received many distinguished awards for his contributions to the aviation industry.