Lunchtime Lecture – Their Finest Hour: RJ Mitchell, The Spitfire and the Battle of Britain
22 April 2025
On Tuesday 22 April 2025 Tony Edwards will examine who R.J. Mitchell was, and how an engineer led a small team to change the course of British, if not World, History. This lecture will be hosted virtually via Crowdcast and livestreamed from the RAF Museum’s London site.
Talk Outline
Who was R.J. Mitchell and how can we properly assess his contribution to aviation? These were just some of the questions that Master Coachmaker Tony Edwards set out to answer in his lecture, “R. J. Mitchell, the Spitfire and the Battle of Britain.” The talk came alive through his extensive knowledge and interest in the aerospace sector.
The Spitfire was the culmination of many years work on high-speed aircraft for Mitchell and his team at Supermarine. Mitchell’s drawing board was the birthplace of many aircraft designs of all types, but it was his work on the UK’s Schneider Trophy race winners – Supermarine S4 to S6b, that paved the way to the Spitfire.
Mitchell and Supermarine’s dogged determination to show the need for speed and manoeuvrability eventually helped to re-write the rule book and the Spitfire arrived only just in time for the Battle of Britain in which it played such a decisive part.
Mitchell’s untimely death robbed us of much detail about his career and it is Tony Edwards’ painstaking work that is helping to ensure that the man and his extraordinary genius for aircraft design is properly recognised.
Location
This hybrid lecture will be hosted in-person at the RAF Museum’s London site in the Lecture Theatre. Attendance in-person is free but registration is required via Digitickets.
Livestream
To attend virtually, register via Crowdcast.
About Tony Edwards
Tony Edwards is President of Aviation Heritage UK (AHUK), a Member of Birmingham University’s Aerospace Engineering Industrial Advisory Board and an Ambassador for the British Liver Trust, the RAF Museum and Fly Navy Heritage Trust.
Tony was President of the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC), President of the Royal Aeronautical Society and Chairman of The Air League. He was Trustee of the RAF Museum where he was Chairman of the Fundraising Committee. He was also Trustee of the Aircrew Association Archive Trust, Trustee of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust and Trustee of the Fly Royal Navy Heritage Trust. He was Chairman of the RAF ACO Commandant’s (Air Cadet Organisation) Action Group.
Tony was a Visiting Professor at the UK Defence Academy and was Chairman of the Defence and Aerospace Sector Panel of the UK Technology Foresight programme. He was a member of the Aviation Committee for the Department of Trade and Industry and a member of the National Defence Industries Council and Head of Defence Export Services (DESO) for the Ministry of Defence.
Tony attended Abingdon School, then gained an engineering apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce Aero Engines and read Engineering Production at the University of Birmingham. He achieved an MBA with Distinction at Harvard Business School, subsequently joining the faculty as Lecturer. He held senior managerial positions in four countries: General Electric (USA), Motorola (Denmark), Bombardier/Canadair (Canada), Lucas Aerospace and TI/Dowty Group/Messier-Dowty (UK).
He is a Freeman of the City of London, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers, Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Engineers, and Liveryman of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots.
HRH the Duke of Edinburgh presented him with The Air League Gold Medal and later he was invited to the Coronation Garden Party for Services to the Cause of Aviation
