Wilfrid Thomas Reid (4 March 1887 – 5 April 1968) was an English aircraft designer and considered one of the pioneers of the Canadian aircraft industry.
Reid was born on 4 March 1887 in Battersea, Surrey. He died in Newton Abbot, Devon, on 5 April 1968 of heart failure. He was married with two children.[1]
Reid was educated at Bedford Modern School between 1896 and 1903.[2] After school he up an apprenticeship from 1 June 1903 to 1 June 1908 at the Queen's Engineering Works of W. H. Allen, Son & Co. Ltd located in Queens Park, Bedford, England.[3] His father, James Reid, was a manager at the Works. Reid then worked as a marine engineer with the Fairfield Shipyards on the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland. In the course of his work at the company, he travelled across the Atlantic several times.[1]
In October 1921, Barnwell left the company to emigrate to Australia and Reid took over the role as chief designer, designing the Bristol Racer, Bloodhound and Berkeley. Barnwell subsequently returned in 1923 and displaced Reid as chief designer. This caused Reid to leave the company.[4]
Reid, together with a man named Newall, developed the design into the aircraft known as the Vedette.[4] "The design and production of the Canadian Vickers Vedette marked the true beginning of the Canadian aircraft industry."[4]
Reid Aircraft Companyedit
Reid founded the Reid Aircraft Company in February 1928. The company was based at what was to become known as the Cartierville Airport.[4] The objective of the company was to design and produce a light training aircraft initially called the Reid Rambler.[6] but subsequently became known as the Curtiss-Reid Rambler
Curtiss-Reid Aircraft Companyedit
In December 1928, the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company bought the Reid Aircraft Company. The company was renamed to the Curtiss-Reid Aircraft Company.[7] Curtiss-Reid went bankrupt in 1931 and was sold to a new company called Montreal Aircraft Industries.[8] Reid was not part of the new company.
Crude Oil Engine and Engineering Co.edit
Several years after he sold Reid Aircraft, he bought a diesel engine sales agency, the Crude Oil Engine Co. (which he renamed the Crude Oil Engine and Engineering Co.). It supplied engines for marine use and other purposes.[1]
Honoursedit
Inducted into The Québec Air and Space Hall of Fame on 6 April 2006.[9]
Elected Associate Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society on 19 April 1917, then to the rank of Fellow (FRAeS) on 10 November 1925.[4]
^Godber, Joyce (1973). The Harpur Trust, 1552-1973. p. 181. ISBN0950291706. OCLC 903515.
^A hand-written "Wilfrid Thomas Reid Apprenticeship Report" in the possession of the Reid family
^ abcdefghiThiffault, Pierre. "The Elusive Wilfrid T. Reid." The Journal of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society, Volume 45, Summer 2007. ISSN 1207-1978.
Molson, Ken M. and Harold A. Taylor. Canadian Aircraft Since 1909. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. ISBN0-920002-11-0.
Oswald, Mary. They Led the Way. Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada: Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, 1999. ISBN0-9684843-0-1.
External linksedit
Curtiss-Reid Rambler The Canadian Historical Aircraft Association
Canadian Vickers Vedette The Canadian Historical Aircraft Association
April 16, 2024
wilfrid, thomas, reid, march, 1887, april, 1968, english, aircraft, designer, considered, pioneers, canadian, aircraft, industry, wilfrid, reid, 1920born, 1887, march, 1887battersea, surrey, englanddied5, april, 1968, 1968, aged, newton, abbot, devon, englandn. Wilfrid Thomas Reid 4 March 1887 5 April 1968 was an English aircraft designer and considered one of the pioneers of the Canadian aircraft industry Wilfrid Thomas ReidWilfrid T Reid c 1920Born 1887 03 04 4 March 1887Battersea Surrey EnglandDied5 April 1968 1968 04 05 aged 81 Newton Abbot Devon EnglandNationalityBritish CanadianOccupation s Aeronautical engineer designer EntrepreneurChildrenTwoReid was born on 4 March 1887 in Battersea Surrey He died in Newton Abbot Devon on 5 April 1968 of heart failure He was married with two children 1 Contents 1 Aviation career 1 1 United Kingdom 1 2 Canada 1 2 1 Canadian Vickers Limited 1 2 2 Reid Aircraft Company 1 2 3 Curtiss Reid Aircraft Company 1 2 4 Crude Oil Engine and Engineering Co 2 Honours 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksAviation career editUnited Kingdom edit Reid was educated at Bedford Modern School between 1896 and 1903 2 After school he up an apprenticeship from 1 June 1903 to 1 June 1908 at the Queen s Engineering Works of W H Allen Son amp Co Ltd located in Queens Park Bedford England 3 His father James Reid was a manager at the Works Reid then worked as a marine engineer with the Fairfield Shipyards on the River Clyde in Glasgow Scotland In the course of his work at the company he travelled across the Atlantic several times 1 During the initial stages of the First World War Reid worked at the Royal Aircraft Factory 4 In 1916 Reid started working for the Bristol Aeroplane Company then known as the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company assisting Frank Barnwell working on aircraft such as the Bristol M R 1 the Braemar bomber M 1D and Bristol Ten seater 4 In October 1921 Barnwell left the company to emigrate to Australia and Reid took over the role as chief designer designing the Bristol Racer Bloodhound and Berkeley Barnwell subsequently returned in 1923 and displaced Reid as chief designer This caused Reid to leave the company 4 nbsp Vickers VedetteCanada edit Canadian Vickers Limited edit In 1924 Canadian Vickers Limited hired Reid to be their chief aircraft designer The company was located in Montreal Quebec Canada 4 Reid was given the plans for an aircraft started by R K Pierson who worked for Vickers Limited the British parent company of Canadian Vickers Limited 5 Reid together with a man named Newall developed the design into the aircraft known as the Vedette 4 The design and production of the Canadian Vickers Vedette marked the true beginning of the Canadian aircraft industry 4 Reid Aircraft Company edit Reid founded the Reid Aircraft Company in February 1928 The company was based at what was to become known as the Cartierville Airport 4 The objective of the company was to design and produce a light training aircraft initially called the Reid Rambler 6 but subsequently became known as the Curtiss Reid Rambler Curtiss Reid Aircraft Company edit In December 1928 the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company bought the Reid Aircraft Company The company was renamed to the Curtiss Reid Aircraft Company 7 Curtiss Reid went bankrupt in 1931 and was sold to a new company called Montreal Aircraft Industries 8 Reid was not part of the new company Crude Oil Engine and Engineering Co edit Several years after he sold Reid Aircraft he bought a diesel engine sales agency the Crude Oil Engine Co which he renamed the Crude Oil Engine and Engineering Co It supplied engines for marine use and other purposes 1 Honours editInducted into The Quebec Air and Space Hall of Fame on 6 April 2006 9 Elected Associate Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society on 19 April 1917 then to the rank of Fellow FRAeS on 10 November 1925 4 Associate Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers 4 In 1994 the Royal Canadian Mint issued a 20 coin honouring Wilfrid Reid and the Vickers Vedette See also editList of aerospace engineersReferences editNotes a b c Reid family oral history Godber Joyce 1973 The Harpur Trust 1552 1973 p 181 ISBN 0950291706 OCLC 903515 A hand written Wilfrid Thomas Reid Apprenticeship Report in the possession of the Reid family a b c d e f g h i Thiffault Pierre The Elusive Wilfrid T Reid The Journal of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society Volume 45 Summer 2007 ISSN 1207 1978 Molson and Taylor 1982 p 174 The All Metal Light Plane Flightglobal Archive Retrieved 24 December 2009 Curtiss Reid Rambler RCAF com Retrieved 23 January 2011 Reid Aerofiles Retrieved 31 October 2010 Reid Wilfrid T Foundation Aerovision Quebec Retrieved 02 January 2023 BibliographyMilberry Larry Aviation in Canada Toronto McGraw Hill Ryerson Ltd 1979 ISBN 0 07 082778 8 Molsen Kenneth M The Canadian Vickers Vedette Canadian Aeronautics and Space Journal October 1964 Molson Ken M and Harold A Taylor Canadian Aircraft Since 1909 Stittsville Ontario Canada s Wings Inc 1982 ISBN 0 920002 11 0 Oswald Mary They Led the Way Wetaskiwin Alberta Canada Canada s Aviation Hall of Fame 1999 ISBN 0 9684843 0 1 External links editCurtiss Reid Rambler The Canadian Historical Aircraft Association Canadian Vickers Vedette The Canadian Historical Aircraft Association Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wilfrid Thomas Reid amp oldid 1172674287, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
