George Henry Challenger (1881–1947) was a British aviator and aero-engineer, originally with the Bristol Aeroplane Company and later with Vickers. He designed a number of aircraft and held a number of aviation-related patents.

Early life

Challenger was born on 3 June 1881 at Neath in Glamorganshire, Wales. He was originally employed as an engineer at the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Company where his father was chief engineer.

Bristol

With the formation of the

British and Colonial Aeroplane Company The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aircraft engines. Notable ...

in 1910 which started with leased premises from the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Company, Challenger moved across to the new aeroplane company as works manager and engineer. With the creation in 1911 of an experimental department, Challenger was sent to Larkhill to learn to fly and on 14 February 1911 he obtained his

Royal Aero Club The Royal Aero Club (RAeC) is the national co-ordinating body for air sport in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1901 as the Aero Club of Great Britain, being granted the title of the "Royal Aero Club" in 1910. History The Aero Club was foun ...

Aviators Certificate (No. 58). Among his designs at Bristol were the

Bristol Boxkite The Boxkite (officially the Bristol Biplane) was the first aircraft produced by the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company (later known as the Bristol Aeroplane Company). A pusher biplane based on the successful Farman III, it was one of the ...

and

Bristol Glider The Bristol Glider was an early British two-seat biplane glider designed in 1910s by George Challenger and built by the British & Colonial Aeroplane Company at Filton Aerodrome, Bristol. Challenger was chief engineer of the British & Colonia ...

. He left Bristol to work for the aviation department of

Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...

where he was chief designer and engineer.

Vickers

With the formation of an aeronautical division by

Challenger left Bristol to work for the new company. Challenger was involved in numerous patents, including those for a ring mounting and a gun synchroniser, both for machine guns. He left Vickers in 1918"G. H. CHALLENGER"
''Flight'' 15 January 1948 p76

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Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Challenger, George Henry 1881 births Welsh aviators British aerospace engineers 1947 deaths