George Carter (engineer)
| George Carter | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 9 March 1889 Bedford |
| Died |
27 February 1969 (aged 79) Gloucestershire |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse(s) | Hilda Back |
| Children | Wilfred Maxwell (Peter) |
| Parent(s) | George Alfred Carter, Bertha Ellen Odell |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Aeronautics |
| Institutions | RAeS |
| Employer(s) | Gloster Aircraft Company |
| Significant design | Gloster Meteor, Gloster E.1/44 |
| Significant advance | Gloster E.28/39 |
| Awards | RAeS Silver Medal (1947) |
Wilfred George Carter CBE FRAeS (9 March 1889 – 27 February 1969) was a British engineer, who was the chief designer at Glosters from 1937. He was awarded the C.B.E. in 1947 and was appointed Technical Director of Gloster Aircraft in 1948 remaining on the board of directors until 1954. He continued to serve Glosters for a number of years after his retirement in a consultancy role until 1958. He designed the first recognised jet aircraft.
Carter had his apprenticeship with W. H. Allen Sons and Co. Ltd of Bedford from 1906–1912. From 1916-20 he was Chief Draughtsman of Sopwith Aviation Company, then Chief Designer from 1920–1924 of Hawker Engineering Co. Ltd, working on the Heron and Hornbill fighter aircraft, and the Horsley bomber. From 1924–1928 he worked with Short Bros of Rochester, designing a seaplane for the 1927 Schneider Trophy. From 1928–1931, Carter worked for de Havilland. From 1935–1936, he also worked for Avro.
Carter joined the Gloucestershire (later Gloster) Aircraft Company, at Brockworth, Gloucestershire, in 1931. He initially worked on the De Havilland DH.72 bomber (only one was ever built), which was given to Gloster from de Havilland.
At Gloster Aircraft, Carter was instrumental in the design of two of the most significant biplane fighters for the RAF, the Gauntlet and Gladiator. Carter also designed the Gloster F.9/37 a promising twin-engine (Bristol Taurus) fighter design that never entered production, before he turned to work on jet aircraft. He was Chief Designer from 1936–1948. In 1934 Gloster had been taken over by Hawker, causing the chief designer, Henry Folland, to leave, making way for his successor.
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