Royal Aircraft Factory

What would become the Royal Aircraft factory was formed when the management of His Majesty’s Balloon Factory, based at Farnborough, was removed from the military and, although the name was retained, a new civilian superintendent was appointed who reported directly to the War Office. The first of these, Mervyn O’Gorman, took over on 19th October 1909.

With this new civilian oversight, the role of the Balloon Factory was established as be to conduct experiments, research and tests as well as to prepare specifications, analyse results of tests on trial designs and to reply to queries, proposals and theories put forward by civil and military bodies. Although still known as a factory production was to be limited to the production of prototype and experimental designed not the series production of operational aircraft.

Also the change of leadership had not changed the site’s focus, which continued to be airships with no work being undertaken on aeroplanes. This changed in October 1910 when the factory’s repsoncibilty was enlarged to include all forms of aircraft, including aeroplanes and man-lifting kites.

In November 1910 Geoffrey de Havilland was appointed to the factory as a designer and test pilot. He brought with him his De Havilland Biplane Number 2, which, after passing an acceptance trail was purchased by the War Office. This was classifised as F.E.1, the first aircraft to be classified using the factory’s system.

Throughout 1911 the site continued to develop with the construction of additional hangars for airships, known as the Black Sheds, as well as a headquarters building for the Air Battalion, which would become part of the Royal Flying Corps on its formation.

On 26th April 1911 the Farnborough site was renamed His Majesty’s Aircraft Factory, although its role remained research and not production. Despite this the newly renamed factory did produced its first new design, the S.E.1. Officially this was a rebuild of a Bleriot XII, but the finished aircraft was of a completely new design to the original and they shared very few parts. Such a practice would continue with new designs being officially accounted for as rebuilds until November 1913 when the factory was given authority to produce new aircraft.

1912 saw another name change, this time to the Royal Aircraft Factory, as well as involvement in trails to determine the standard aircraft for the newly formed Royal Flying Corps. These took part on Salisbury Plain and, although no RAF design was entered, staff from the site were involved in the testing of the entries. De Havilland also flew a B.E.2 from Farnborough which allowed it to be unofficially compared to the designs produced by civilian companies. Although not the official winner of these trails this type was chosen to be the standard aircraft of the RFC.

The site continued to expand in 1913, producing its first engine, the RAF1, and the first truly effective aircraft compass, the R.A.F. Mark IV. On 14th November it also received official permission to produce new aircraft to its own designs, although this had been occurring since 1910. In February 1914 ‘Tests for Aeroplanes of Private Design’ was published by the factory. This was intended to establish a consistent standard for testing aircraft.

In early 1914 responsibility for the design and testing of airships was transferred from the War Office and handed over to the Admiralty for operation by the Royal Naval Air Service. This ended the Royal Aircraft Factory’s involvement in their development. At the same time the Aeronautical Inspection Department was formed from the site’s staff in order to inspect the aircraft of the RFC. Geoffrey de Havilland was appointed head of this as Inspector of Aeroplanes but would leave soon after to work for Airco as a designer.

During this period the RAF would be criticised and accused of using public funds to compete with private companies for aircraft production. There was also an accusation that it was delibertly undermining these companies and, although nothing was done at the time, this would lead to a suspicion that would be exploited later.

With the outbreak of the First World War, and the resultant increase in demand for aircraft, Royal Aircraft Factory designs were produced by a wide range of companies, many of which were outside the established avaiation industry. This was possible as it produced detailed drawings of all of the components required for its designs, a practice that was not always copied by other designers. Beyond this the factory also produced designs for portable hangars for use by the RFC in France and produced aircraft in order assist the private companies in keeping up with demand. The site also expanded with the construction of two wind tunnels.

The 1915 introduction of the Fokker Eindecker led to the severe criticism of both the RFC and the RAF. This was mostly focused on the apparent high casualties that were being suffered in, what the press had dubbed, the Fokker Scourge which were blamed on the continued use of the obsolete B.E.2 design. This continued in 1916 as the factory continued to be criticised for its inability to produce a design that would match those produced by Germany. One especially vocal critic was the MP and founder of what would become the Supermarine Company, Noel Pemberton Billing who’s views were echoed by the popular press. As a result in March 1916 a committee was appointed to determine if the resources of the RAF were being properly utilised and if there were any areas for improvement. Although the resulting report would not criticise the factory or its staff it did result in its superintendent, Mervyn O’Gorman, being transferred to a position as consulting engineer to the Director-General of Military Aeronautics.

On 21st September 1916 Henry Fowler, chief mechanical engineer of the Midland Railway, was appointed as O’Gorman’s replacement. Under his leadership the RAF would continue to develop new aircraft types along with instruments and research techniques. By 1918 the factory was focused on research and experiment rather than production, which was mainly continuing in order to help meet the demands of the war and would cease with the armistice.

In March 1918 Fowler would leave and in June the name of the site would change to the Royal Aircraft Establishment, partly to avoid confusion with the newly formed Royal Air Force and partly to reflect the new focus on research as opposed to production.