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{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
⚫
'''Leslie Everett Baynes''', [[Royal Aeronautical Society|AFRAeS]] (23 March 1902 – 13 March 1989) was an [[England|English]] [[aeronautical engineer]].
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Leslie Everett Baynes AFRAeS
|image = Baynes-carden-appleby.jpg
|caption = At [[Heston Airport]] 3 October 1935; L. E. Baynes on left, [[Sir John Carden]] in centre, [[Stephen Appleby]] on right
|birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1902|03|23}}
|birth_place = [[Barnes, London|Barnes]], Surrey, England
|death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1989|03|13|1902|03|23}}
|death_place = [[Swanage]], Dorset, England
|other_names =
|known_for =
|occupation = [[aeronautical engineer]]
|nationality = British
⚫
}}
⚫
'''Leslie Everett Baynes''', [[Royal Aeronautical Society|AFRAeS]] (23 March 1902 – 13 March 1989) was an English [[aeronautical engineer]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
⚫
Born at [[Barnes, London|Barnes]], Surrey, on 23 March 1902 the son of James and Florence Baynes. Baynes was educated at [[Gresham's School]], Norfolk, leaving school at the age of sixteen to join an aircraft company. He developed engineering skills at school and in industry.

⚫
Born at [[Municipal Borough of Barnes|Barnes]], [[Surrey]], on 23 March, 1902, Baynes was educated at [[Gresham's School]], [[Norfolk]], leaving school at the age of sixteen to join an aircraft company. His engineering skills were learnt at school and in industry.


==Career==
==Career==
After leaving school, Baynes started work in the fledgling aircraft industry with the [[Aircraft Engineering Company]] at [[Hendon]]. From there, he moved on to the famous firm of [[Short Brothers]] at [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester]], where he redesigned the [[Short Singapore]] [[flying boat]].
After leaving school, Baynes started work in the fledgling aircraft industry with [[Airco]] (The Aircraft Manufacturing Company) at [[Hendon Aerodrome]]. From there, he moved on to [[Short Brothers]] at [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester]], where he redesigned the [[Short Singapore]] [[flying boat]].


In [[1930 in aviation|1930]], Baynes designed the ''Scud'' light sailplane, built at first by [[Brant Aircraft]] Limited at [[Croydon]]. The Scud was successful, and in 1931, Baynes went into partnership with E.D. Abbott as [[Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes Ltd]], of [[Farnham]], [[Surrey]], to build Scud sailplanes, and later the ''Scud II'' (1932). In 1935, a ''Scud II'' flown by [[Mungo Buxton]] took the British Height Record for a glider to 8,750 feet (2,666 m).
In 1930, Baynes designed the ''Scud'' light [[glider (sailplane)|sailplane]], built at first by Brant Aircraft Limited at [[Croydon]]. The Scud was successful, and in 1931, Baynes went into partnership with E.D. Abbott as [[Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes Ltd]], of [[Farnham]], Surrey, to build [[Scud I|Scud 1]] sailplanes, and later the [[Abbott-Baynes Scud 2|Scud 2]] (1932). In 1935, a ''Scud II'' flown by [[Mungo Buxton]] took the British Height Record for a glider to 8,750 feet (2,666 m).


⚫
In 1935, [[Sir John Carden, 6th Baronet|Sir John Carden]], an authority on tank design who was interested in gliding, outlined to Baynes his requirements for a self-launching sailplane. Baynes designed the ''Scud III'' sailplane, built by Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes, which when fitted with an engine was called the [[Carden-Baynes Auxiliary]]. That carried a retractable 249 cc [[Villiers Engineering|Villiers]] engine mounted on top of the fuselage. The engine drove a pusher-propeller and produced 9&nbsp;bhp, and the capacity of the fuel tank was enough to run the engine for thirty minutes. The 249 cc Auxiliary is believed to be the lowest-powered aircraft in the history of powered flight.<ref>Meaden (2008)</ref>
Also in 1935, the ''Scud III'' was launched, which when fitted with an engine was called the ''Auxiliary''. The latter was designed to the orders of Sir [[John Carden]], an authority on tank design who was interested in gliding. He required a sailplane which could be launched unaided, and he suggested to Baynes a retractable engine.


Also in 1935, the [[Mignet HM.14]] ''Pou du Ciel'' "Flying Flea" built and flown by [[Stephen Appleby]], was rebuilt by Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes, incorporating modifications designed by Baynes, who had witnessed its forced landing at [[Heston Aerodrome]]. The success of the [[Flying Flea]] family of homebuilt aircraft arose from an English translation of Mignet's book, ''The Flying Flea'' (1935), showing readers how to build their own aircraft at home. Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes Ltd went into limited production of a developed version named the ''Baynes Cantilever Pou''.<ref>Ellis & Jones (1990)</ref><ref>Appleby (1982)</ref>
⚫
Baynes later went into partnership with Carden (as [[Carden Baynes Aircraft]] Ltd of [[Heston Aerodrome]], [[Middlesex]]) to build the ''Carden Baynes Auxiliary'', essentially the Scud III Auxiliary. This carried a retractable 249 cc [[Villiers Engineering|Villiers]] engine mounted in the top of the fuselage. The engine drove a pusher-propeller and produced 9 bhp, and the capacity of the fuel tank was enough to run the engine for thirty minutes. The 249 cc Auxiliary is believed to be the lowest powered aircraft in the history of powered flight.


Following the death of John Carden in December 1935, in April 1936, Baynes set up [[Carden-Baynes Aircraft]] at [[Heston Aerodrome]], and designed the [[Carden-Baynes Bee]], a two-seat wooden aircraft with two Carden-Ford engines in pusher configuration.<ref>Jackson (1974)</ref><ref>Meaden (Winter 2007)</ref>
Also in 1935, the famous [[Flying Flea|''Appleby Flea'']] was rebuilt by its amateur designer, [[Stephen Villiers Appleby]], incorporating design changes proposed by Baynes, who had witnessed the end of the first one in a disastrous maiden flight at Heston Aerodrome. The success of the Flea led to a best-selling book, ''The Flying Flea'' (1935), teaching readers how to build their own aircraft at home. [[Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes Ltd]] went into production of the ''Abbott Baynes Flea'', which with its massed balanced front wing was a highly advanced small aircraft.


During the [[Second World War]], Baynes was the aviation adviser to the ''Alan Muntz Company'' at Heston Aerodrome, specialists in weapons systems, and he organized an aircraft division of the company. In 1941, he put up a proposal for a detachable wing with a 100-foot wingspan which when attached to a [[tank]] would turn it into a glider. This concept was developed as far as the famous '''[[Baynes Bat]]''' prototype, with most of the test flights being piloted by [[Flight Lieutenant]] [[Robert Kronfeld]].
During the [[Second World War]], Baynes was the aviation adviser to [[Alan Muntz|Alan Muntz & Co]] at Heston Aerodrome, specialists in weapons systems, and he organised an aircraft division of the company. In 1941, he put up a proposal for a detachable wing with a 100-foot wingspan which when attached to a [[tank]] would turn it into a glider. This concept was developed as far as the [[Baynes Bat]] prototype, with most of the test flights being piloted by [[Flight Lieutenant]] [[Robert Kronfeld]].


Baynes also worked on designs for long-range bombers, and the [[V-22 Osprey]] was an American aircraft very similar to a bomber design submitted to the British government by Baynes during the [[Second World War]].
Baynes also worked on designs for long-range bombers, and the [[V-22 Osprey]] was an American aircraft very similar to a bomber design submitted to the British government by Baynes during the [[Second World War]].{{citation needed|date=March 2020|reason=claim needs sourcing}}


After the war, in the 1940s and 1950s, Baynes was busy with research in the area of [[Variable-sweep wing|variable-sweep]] supersonic aircraft. In 1949 he applied for a patent on his design for a supersonic [[variable-sweep]] wing and tail fighter.<ref>[https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search/family/009820842/publication/GB664058A UK Patent GB664058A], "High Speed Aircraft Having Wings With Variable Sweepback," (retrieved via Espacenet)</ref> The design was built and wind tunnel test were completed successfully. However, due to budget constraints at the time, the design failed to receive government backing and was later developed in the US.{{citation needed|date=March 2020|reason=evidence needed for continued work and subsequent cancellation}}
⚫
After the war, in the 1940s and 1950s, Baynes was busy with research in the area of [[variable-sweep]] supersonic aircraft. He also designed interiors for airliners, invented the vertical lift plane and the high-speed [[hydrofoil]].
⚫
He also designed interiors for airliners, invented the vertical lift plane and the high-speed [[hydrofoil]].


Baynes designed the [[Youngman-Baynes High Lift]], an experimental, flying test-bed for the system of slotted flaps invented by R.T. Youngman. It used components from the [[Percival Proctor]], and was built by [[Heston Aircraft Company Ltd]]. The first flight was at Heston Aerodrome on 5 February 1948, carrying the military serial VT789.<ref name='Archive 3/07'>{{cite journal |last= Meaden, Jack |title= Air-Britain Archive |publisher= Air-Britain |location= UK |date= Autumn 2007 |page= 2007/111}}</ref>
L. E. Baynes designed the [[Youngman-Baynes High Lift]] Research Aircraft, an experimental flying test-bed for the system of slotted flaps invented by R.T. Youngman. It used components from the [[Percival Proctor]], and was built by [[Heston Aircraft Company Ltd]]. Test pilot Flight Lieutenant [[Ralph S Munday]] piloted the first flight at Heston Aerodrome on 5 February 1948, carrying the military serial VT789.<ref>Meaden (Autumn 2007)</ref>


A Scud II built in 1935 is still airworthy and is believed to be the oldest flying glider in the [[United Kingdom]].
A Scud II built in 1935 is still airworthy, and is believed to be the oldest flying glider in the United Kingdom.


==Later life==
==Later life==
Baynes died at [[Swanage]] near [[Poole]], [[Dorset]], on 13 March, 1989.
Baynes died at [[Swanage]] near [[Poole]], Dorset, on 13 March 1989.


==Chronology==
==Chronology==
*1919 patented first automatic variable pitch airscrew,
*1919 patented first automatic [[Controllable pitch propeller|variable pitch airscrew]],
*1924-1927 responsible for aerodynamic design of Short Singapore Flying-Boat
*1924–1927 responsible for aerodynamic design of [[Short Singapore]] Flying-Boat
*1929-1930 Designed and manufactured first all-British glider to soar, the Scud I
*1929–1930 Designed and manufactured first all-British glider to soar, the Scud I
*1933-1935 Scud II sailplanes; British height record holder and international event winner
*1933–1935 Scud II sailplanes; British height record holder and international event winner
*1935 Designed and built Scud III; first retractable-motored sailplane
*1935 Designed and built Scud III; first retractable-motored sailplane
*1937 Designed and built first twin-engine [[Pusher configuration|pusher]] monoplane with wing-buried engines
*1937 Designed Carden-Baynes Bee, first twin-engined [[Pusher configuration|pusher]] monoplane with wing-buried engines
*1939 Project-designed gas turbine system 100 passenger long-range aircraft
*1939 Project-designed gas turbine system 100 passenger long-range aircraft
*1938 Designed and patented first V/TOL swivel turbine 'Heliplane'
*1938 Designed and patented first [[VTOL|V/TOL]] swivel turbine 'Heliplane'
*1939-1945 Designed and built for M.O.S. experimental tail-less flying wing, [[Baynes Bat]], for tank carrying project initiated by [[Winston Churchill]]; Designed and implemented conversion of Boston Bombers to searchlight aircraft, submarine guided missiles and other weapons and equipment for the [[RAF]]
*1939–1945 Designed and built for [[Ministry of Supply]] (MoS) experimental tail-less flying wing, [[Baynes Bat]], for tank-carrying project initiated by [[Winston Churchill]]; Designed and implemented conversion of [[Douglas A-20 Havoc|Douglas Boston]] medium bombers to [[Turbinlite]] searchlight aircraft, submarine guided missiles and other weapons and equipment for the [[RAF]]
*1946-1948 Designed and built for M.O.S., Youngman-Baynes High-Lift Research Aircraft
*1946–1948 Designed and built for M.O.S., [[Youngman-Baynes High Lift|Youngman-Baynes High-Lift]] Research Aircraft
*1949 Designed and patented the first Variable-Sweep Fighter Aircraft for supersonic flight
*1949 Designed and patented the first [[Variable-sweep wing|variable-sweep]] fighter aircraft for supersonic flight (swing-wing fighter)
*1950-1962 Designed and manufactured airliner equipment for major aircraft companies and airlines
*1950–1962 Designed and manufactured airliner equipment for major aircraft companies and airlines
*1963-1964 Designed and patented a high-speed hydrofoil sea craft (made secret by the ministry)
*1963–1964 Designed and patented first high-speed [[hydrofoil]] sea craft (made secret by the ministry)


==References==
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

⚫
* [http://scalesoaring.co.uk/VINTAGE/Documentation/Scud/Scud.htm The SCUD Sailplanes]
==Bibliography==
⚫
* [http://www.vintagegliderclub.org/vgc_news/bat.htm The Baynes Bat]
*Appleby, Stephen. ''On Home-made Wings''. Aeroplane Monthly. March 1982
⚫
* [http://au.geocities.com/ozflea41/flea_craze.html Britain’s Flea Craze]
*Ellis, Ken; Jones, Geoff. 1990. ''Henri Mignet and his Flying Fleas''. Haynes Publishing {{ISBN|0-85429-765-0}}
*Jackson, A.J. (1974). ''British Civil Aircraft since 1919'' Volume 1. Putnam. {{ISBN|0-370-10006-9}}
*Meaden, Jack (Autumn 2007). ''''The Heston Aircraft Company Part 7: The Youngman-Baynes Flap'', Air-Britain Archive (journal), p. 2007/111.
*Meaden, Jack (Winter 2007). ''The Heston Aircraft Company Part 8: The Scud Gliders'', Air-Britain Archive (journal), p. 2007/151.
*Meaden, Jack (Spring 2008). ''The Heston Aircraft Company Part 9: The Baynes Bee'', Air-Britain Archive (journal), p. 2008/009.
*Mignet, Henri (1934) ''Le Sport de l'Air'' (in French, 661 pages)
*Mignet, Henri; ed: Chamier, John (1935) ''The Flying Flea: How to Build and Fly It''. The Air League (English adaptation of ''Le Sport de l'Air'')
*Morse, William. ''Baynes: The Unknown Innovator''. Aeroplane Monthly, June 1992
⚫
*Smith, Geoffrey (1942) ''Gas Turbines and Jet Propulsion for Aircraft'' by Geoffrey Smith, 1942
* Chronology: N W E Baynes (baynesnwe@yahoo.co.uk) .. Nigel Baynes
* Chronology: N W E Baynes (baynesnwe@yahoo.co.uk) .. Nigel Baynes
⚫
*''Gas Turbines and Jet Propulsion for Aircraft'' by Geoffrey Smith, 1942


==External links==
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
⚫
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170619170558/http://www.scalesoaring.co.uk/VINTAGE/Documentation/Scud/Scud.htm The SCUD Sailplanes]
| NAME =Baynes, Leslie
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070311105739/http://www.vintagegliderclub.org/vgc_news/bat.htm The Baynes Bat]
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040606175537/http://au.geocities.com/ozflea41/flea_craze.html Britain’s Flea Craze]
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =

| DATE OF BIRTH =
{{authority control}}
| PLACE OF BIRTH =

| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
⚫
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baynes, Leslie}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baynes, Leslie}}
[[Category:1902 births]]
[[Category:1902 births]]
[[Category:1989 deaths]]
[[Category:1989 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Barnes]]
[[Category:People from Barnes, London]]
[[Category:Old Greshamians]]
[[Category:People educated at Gresham's School]]
[[Category:English aerospace engineers]]
[[Category:English aerospace engineers]]
[[Category:English inventors]]
[[Category:20th-century British inventors]]

Latest revision as of 17:50, 8 March 2023

Leslie Everett Baynes AFRAeS
At Heston Airport 3 October 1935; L. E. Baynes on left, Sir John Carden in centre, Stephen Appleby on right
Born(1902-03-23)23 March 1902
Barnes, Surrey, England
Died13 March 1989(1989-03-13) (aged 86)
Swanage, Dorset, England
NationalityBritish
Occupationaeronautical engineer

Leslie Everett Baynes, AFRAeS (23 March 1902 – 13 March 1989) was an English aeronautical engineer.

Early life

[edit]

Born at Barnes, Surrey, on 23 March 1902 the son of James and Florence Baynes. Baynes was educated at Gresham's School, Norfolk, leaving school at the age of sixteen to join an aircraft company. He developed engineering skills at school and in industry.

Career

[edit]

After leaving school, Baynes started work in the fledgling aircraft industry with Airco (The Aircraft Manufacturing Company) at Hendon Aerodrome. From there, he moved on to Short Brothers at Rochester, where he redesigned the Short Singapore flying boat.

In 1930, Baynes designed the Scud light sailplane, built at first by Brant Aircraft Limited at Croydon. The Scud was successful, and in 1931, Baynes went into partnership with E.D. Abbott as Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes Ltd, of Farnham, Surrey, to build Scud 1 sailplanes, and later the Scud 2 (1932). In 1935, a Scud II flown by Mungo Buxton took the British Height Record for a glider to 8,750 feet (2,666 m).

In 1935, Sir John Carden, an authority on tank design who was interested in gliding, outlined to Baynes his requirements for a self-launching sailplane. Baynes designed the Scud III sailplane, built by Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes, which when fitted with an engine was called the Carden-Baynes Auxiliary. That carried a retractable 249 cc Villiers engine mounted on top of the fuselage. The engine drove a pusher-propeller and produced 9 bhp, and the capacity of the fuel tank was enough to run the engine for thirty minutes. The 249 cc Auxiliary is believed to be the lowest-powered aircraft in the history of powered flight.[1]

Also in 1935, the Mignet HM.14 Pou du Ciel "Flying Flea" built and flown by Stephen Appleby, was rebuilt by Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes, incorporating modifications designed by Baynes, who had witnessed its forced landing at Heston Aerodrome. The success of the Flying Flea family of homebuilt aircraft arose from an English translation of Mignet's book, The Flying Flea (1935), showing readers how to build their own aircraft at home. Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes Ltd went into limited production of a developed version named the Baynes Cantilever Pou.[2][3]

Following the death of John Carden in December 1935, in April 1936, Baynes set up Carden-Baynes Aircraft at Heston Aerodrome, and designed the Carden-Baynes Bee, a two-seat wooden aircraft with two Carden-Ford engines in pusher configuration.[4][5]

During the Second World War, Baynes was the aviation adviser to Alan Muntz & Co at Heston Aerodrome, specialists in weapons systems, and he organised an aircraft division of the company. In 1941, he put up a proposal for a detachable wing with a 100-foot wingspan which when attached to a tank would turn it into a glider. This concept was developed as far as the Baynes Bat prototype, with most of the test flights being piloted by Flight Lieutenant Robert Kronfeld.

Baynes also worked on designs for long-range bombers, and the V-22 Osprey was an American aircraft very similar to a bomber design submitted to the British government by Baynes during the Second World War.[citation needed]

After the war, in the 1940s and 1950s, Baynes was busy with research in the area of variable-sweep supersonic aircraft. In 1949 he applied for a patent on his design for a supersonic variable-sweep wing and tail fighter.[6] The design was built and wind tunnel test were completed successfully. However, due to budget constraints at the time, the design failed to receive government backing and was later developed in the US.[citation needed]

He also designed interiors for airliners, invented the vertical lift plane and the high-speed hydrofoil.

L. E. Baynes designed the Youngman-Baynes High Lift Research Aircraft, an experimental flying test-bed for the system of slotted flaps invented by R.T. Youngman. It used components from the Percival Proctor, and was built by Heston Aircraft Company Ltd. Test pilot Flight Lieutenant Ralph S Munday piloted the first flight at Heston Aerodrome on 5 February 1948, carrying the military serial VT789.[7]

A Scud II built in 1935 is still airworthy, and is believed to be the oldest flying glider in the United Kingdom.

Later life

[edit]

Baynes died at Swanage near Poole, Dorset, on 13 March 1989.

Chronology

[edit]
  • 1919 patented first automatic variable pitch airscrew,
  • 1924–1927 responsible for aerodynamic design of Short Singapore Flying-Boat
  • 1929–1930 Designed and manufactured first all-British glider to soar, the Scud I
  • 1933–1935 Scud II sailplanes; British height record holder and international event winner
  • 1935 Designed and built Scud III; first retractable-motored sailplane
  • 1937 Designed Carden-Baynes Bee, first twin-engined pusher monoplane with wing-buried engines
  • 1939 Project-designed gas turbine system 100 passenger long-range aircraft
  • 1938 Designed and patented first V/TOL swivel turbine 'Heliplane'
  • 1939–1945 Designed and built for Ministry of Supply (MoS) experimental tail-less flying wing, Baynes Bat, for tank-carrying project initiated by Winston Churchill; Designed and implemented conversion of Douglas Boston medium bombers to Turbinlite searchlight aircraft, submarine guided missiles and other weapons and equipment for the RAF
  • 1946–1948 Designed and built for M.O.S., Youngman-Baynes High-Lift Research Aircraft
  • 1949 Designed and patented the first variable-sweep fighter aircraft for supersonic flight (swing-wing fighter)
  • 1950–1962 Designed and manufactured airliner equipment for major aircraft companies and airlines
  • 1963–1964 Designed and patented first high-speed hydrofoil sea craft (made secret by the ministry)

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Meaden (2008)
  2. ^ Ellis & Jones (1990)
  3. ^ Appleby (1982)
  4. ^ Jackson (1974)
  5. ^ Meaden (Winter 2007)
  6. ^ UK Patent GB664058A, "High Speed Aircraft Having Wings With Variable Sweepback," (retrieved via Espacenet)
  7. ^ Meaden (Autumn 2007)

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Appleby, Stephen. On Home-made Wings. Aeroplane Monthly. March 1982
  • Ellis, Ken; Jones, Geoff. 1990. Henri Mignet and his Flying Fleas. Haynes Publishing ISBN 0-85429-765-0
  • Jackson, A.J. (1974). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1. Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10006-9
  • Meaden, Jack (Autumn 2007). ''The Heston Aircraft Company Part 7: The Youngman-Baynes Flap, Air-Britain Archive (journal), p. 2007/111.
  • Meaden, Jack (Winter 2007). The Heston Aircraft Company Part 8: The Scud Gliders, Air-Britain Archive (journal), p. 2007/151.
  • Meaden, Jack (Spring 2008). The Heston Aircraft Company Part 9: The Baynes Bee, Air-Britain Archive (journal), p. 2008/009.
  • Mignet, Henri (1934) Le Sport de l'Air (in French, 661 pages)
  • Mignet, Henri; ed: Chamier, John (1935) The Flying Flea: How to Build and Fly It. The Air League (English adaptation of Le Sport de l'Air)
  • Morse, William. Baynes: The Unknown Innovator. Aeroplane Monthly, June 1992
  • Smith, Geoffrey (1942) Gas Turbines and Jet Propulsion for Aircraft by Geoffrey Smith, 1942
  • Chronology: N W E Baynes (baynesnwe@yahoo.co.uk) .. Nigel Baynes
[edit]
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