Reginald Spencer Stafford CBE

FRAeS The Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a British multi-disciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community. Founded in 1866, it is the oldest aeronautical society in the world. Members, Fellows ...

(21 April 1903 – September 1980) was an aeronautical engineer, and the designer of the

Handley Page Victor The Handley Page Victor is a British jet-powered strategic bomber developed and produced by Handley Page during the Cold War. It was the third and final '' V bomber'' to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), the other two being the Avr ...

Early life

Reggie Stafford attended

Kilburn Grammar School Kilburn Grammar School was an English grammar school which opened in 1898 in Kilburn, north-west London. The school ceased to exist in 1967. History The school's history is detailed in a book by Richard E Brock. It was founded by the Rev. Dr. H ...

Career

He worked for Handley Page, joining in 1926. In 1934 he became chief aerodynamicist, and chief designer in 1945, in charge of the design team. He became Technical Director in 1953. He retired from the company in 1968, after 42 years.

Handley Page Victor

He designed the HP.80 aircraft with Godfrey Henry Lee. The Victor was known for its

crescent wing The crescent wing is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration in which a swept wing has a greater sweep angle on the inboard section than the outboard, giving the wing a crescent shape. The planform attempts to reduce several unpleasant side-effects o ...

. The first HP Victor, ''WB771'', was first flown by

Sqn Ldr Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...

Hedley Hazelden on 24 December 1952 at Radlett. On 2 January 1953, the aircraft was named ''Victor'' by the

Air Ministry The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the Secretary of State ...

. The first production Victor ''XA917'' first flew on 1 February 1956.

Personal life

He died in Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire in 1980 aged 77.Flightglobal 1980
/ref> In the 1956 New Year Honours he received the CBE.

References

* ''The Handley Page Victor: The History & Development of a Classic Jet'', Roger Brooks * ''Victor Units of the Cold War'', Andrew Brookes

Early life

Career

Handley Page Victor

Personal life

References

See also