R. J. Mitchell

Reginald Joseph Mitchell CBE (20 May, 1895-11 June, 1937) was an aeronautical engineer, most notable for his design of the Supermarine Spitfire.

R. J. Mitchell, aeronautical engineer

R. J. Mitchell was born in the village of Talke, Stoke-on-Trent, in England. After leaving Hanley High School at the age of 16 he gained an apprenticeship at Kerr Stuart & Co. of Fenton, a locomotive engineering works. At the end of his apprenticeship he worked in the drawing office at Kerr Stewart and studied engineering and mathematics at Night School. In 1917 he joined the Supermarine Aviation Works at Southampton and in 1918 was appointed Chief Designer at Supermarine. He was made Chief Engineer in 1920 and Technical Director in 1927. He was so highly regarded that when Vickers took over Supermarine in 1928, one of the conditions was that Mitchell stay as a designer for the next five years.

Between 1920 and 1936 Mitchell designed 24 aircraft including light aircraft, fighters, flying boats, bombers and several sea-planes such as the Supermarine Walrus. However he is best remembered for the Supermarine S6B and the Spitfire.

The S6B won the Schneider Trophy in 1931 and later broke the world air speed record. Mitchell was awarded the CBE in 1932 for his contribution to high-speed flight. Mitchell's experience with high speed aircraft such as the S6B prompted the Air Ministry to issue specification F7/30 to Supermarine, primarily a sea-plane manufacturer, for the design of a new fighter aircraft. On 20 February 1932 Mitchell submitted his Type 224 design. Mitchell referred to the Type 224 as "The Shrew". It first flew on 19 February 1934 but was eventually rejected by the RAF because of its unsatisfactory performance. While the 224 was being built, Mitchell was authorised by Supermarine in 1933 to proceed with a new design, Type 300, an all-metal monoplane that would become the Supermarine Spitfire. This was originally a private venture by Supermarine but the RAF quickly became interested and the Air Ministry financed a prototype.

Many of the technical advances in the Spitfire had been made by others: the thin ellipical wings were by Beverley Shenstone, the under-wing radiators at RAE and the monocoque construction had been first developed in the United States. Mitchell's genius was bringing it all together with his experience of high speed flight and the Type 224.

Late in 1933 Mitchell underwent a colostomy to treat rectal cancer. Despite the inconvenience of a colostomy, he continued to work, not only on the Spitfire but also on a four-engined bomber, the Type 317. Unusually for an aircraft designer in those days, he started flying lessons and got his pilot's licence in July 1934.

File:Supermarine Spitfire Protoype K5054 Unpainted.jpg

The still unpainted Spitfire protoype, K5054, shortly before its first flight

The first prototype Spitfire, K5054, (left) flew for the first time on 5 March 1936 at Eastleigh. In later tests it reached 349 mph and so before the prototype had completed its official trials, the RAF ordered 310 production Spitfires. Mitchell said that "Spitfire" was a "Bloody silly sort of a name".

In 1936 cancer was diagnosed again. Mitchell gave up work in early 1937, though was often seen watching the Spitfire being tested. He went to the American Foundation in Vienna for a month but died in June 1937 His life, and the sacrifices he made to keep going despite pain and impending death, were the subject of the 1942 Leslie Howard film "The First of the Few", which, although inaccurate in places, served to show the importance of his work years after his death. However the film created some myths. In particular Mitchell did not work himself to death; he led a full life, and was working mainly on the bomber project in his final years.

Upon his death, Mitchell's work as Chief Designer at Supermarine's was taken over by Joseph Smith who was responsible for the further development of the Spitfire. Nevertheless Mitchell's design was so good that the Spitfire was capable of development throughout the Second World War, whereas its contemporary, the Hawker Hurricane, quickly became obsolete. Over 22,000 Spitfires and derivatives were built.

In 1918, Mitchell married Florence Dayson. They had a son, Gordon.

External links

• BBC Local Heroes
• Reginald Mitchell Gallery at The Potteries Museum, Stoke-on-Trent
• Supermarine Spitfire website
• Biography