Maurice Brennan
Maurice Brennan | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 1913 Muswell Hill |
| Died | 18 January 1986 (aged 72) Isle of Wight |
| Nationality | Glasgow University |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Aerospace |
| Institutions | Royal Aeronautical Society |
| Projects | SR.53, Black Knight |
| Significant advance | SR.N1 Hovercraft |
Maurice Joseph Brennan BSC, MIMechE,
FRAes (April 1913 – 18 January 1986)[1] was a British aerospace engineer. His career encompassed the design and development of flying boats before the Second World War to rocket powered fighters after. He had a significant role in Britain's first indigenous rocket project (Black Knight) and in the development of practical hovercraft (SR.N1
)
Career
Maurice Brennan was born in April 1913, at
Glasgow University. He qualified for his pilots "A" licence in 1931. After graduating from Glasgow in April 1934, he joined the technical office of Hawker Aircraft, Ltd in Kingston, where he remained until 1936, when he went to work for Saunders-Roe.[2]
At
SR.53 and SR.177 mixed (rocket and jet)-powered interceptor fighters and the Black Knight programme. He also led the detail design of the SR.N1 hovercraft, working closely with Christopher Cockerell. [5][6]
He resigned from Saunders-Roe in March 1959 to work for
Teddy Petter as director and chief engineer.[5] By this time Folland was part of Hawker Siddeley, and he was responsible for developing the two-seat Gnat T.1, various twin engined and variable wing geometry Gnat proposals and the GERM hovercraft project (Ground Effect Research Machine).[3][9][10]
In 1961 he moved to Avro (also part of Hawker Siddeley) succeeding Roy Ewans as a director and chief engineer. [5] From 1961 to 1969 his responsibilities included the Avro 748, its derivative the Hawker Siddeley Andover and the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod. Later Brennan became director of special projects with responsibility for V/STOL military and civil designs.[3][11]
In the late 1970s and early 1980s he was Technical Director of Aircraft Designs with Sheriff Aerospace.[3] He died in 1986 on the Isle of Wight.
Patents
- GB 824560, Brennan, Maurice Joseph, "Aircraft", published 2 December 1959, assigned to Saunders-Roe
- CA 636162, Brennan, Maurice Joseph, "AEROPLANE WITH DEVICE TO COUNTERACT PITCHING MOMENTS ON LANDING", published 6 February 1962, assigned to Vickers Armstrong Aircraft Ltd
- GB 910792, Brennan, Maurice Joseph, "Improvements in aeroplane having wings adjustable in sweep", published 21 November 1962, assigned to Vickers Armstrong Aircraft Ltd
- GB 951330, Brennan, Maurice Joseph, "Improvement in aeroplanes", published 4 March 1964, assigned to Vickers Armstrong Aircraft Ltd
References
Citations
- ^ Aerospace (1986), p. 55.
- ^ a b Flight (1951), p. 614.
- ^ a b c d e Flight International (1983), p. 807.
- ^ Jones (2003), p. 151.
- ^ a b c d Flight (1961), p. 686.
- ^ Paine & Syms (2012), p. 82.
- ^ Paine & Syms (2012), p. 84.
- ^ Flight International (1965), p. 664.
- ^ Flight (1960), p. 895.
- ^ Bingham (2000), p. 106-119.
- ^ GB 910792, Brennan, Maurice Joseph, "Improvements in aeroplane having wings adjustable in sweep", published 21 November 1962, assigned to Vickers Armstrong Aircraft Ltd
Sources
- "Saro Design Deputy". Flight: 614. 25 May 1951.
- "GERM of an idea". Flight: 895. 9 December 1960.
- "Avro Chief Engineer". Flight. 79 (2724): 686. 25 May 1961.
- "GD Fort Worth's F-111 at Home". Flight International: 664. 29 April 1965.
- "Sheriff for Romanian production?". Flight International: 807. 26 March 1983.
- Jones, Barry (2003). British Experimental Turbojet Aircraft. Crowood.
- Paine, Robin; Syms, Roger (2012). On a cushion of air: The story of Hoverlloyd and the cross channel hovercraft. Writersworld. ISBN 978-0-9568978-0-0.
- "Obituary". Aerospace: Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society. 13: 55. 1986.
- Bingham, Victor (2000). Folland Gnat Sabre Slayer and Red Arrow. J&KH Publishing. ISBN 1 900511789.