Aviation Archive: Aviation Heritage

In late 1911, Sir George White, although not an aviator himself, was a keen observer and able to spot men with the necessary talent to design and motivate others. He became aware of Henri Coanda, a Rumanian engineer with a flare for innovative design. He employed him to continue work begun by Prier on his successful monoplanes. At the same time, Frank Barnwell, another talented designer but with a marine background, was working on separate projects with a naval Lieutenant, Charles Burney and Clifford Tinson. They were trying to devolve ideas for sea going naval aircraft and this was some six years and a war before the first deck landing. Gordon England another designer was working on biplane ideas until he resigned in 1913. Following the government 'displeasure' with monoplanes, Coanda turned his skills to biplanes and designed the BR7 an experiment in weight lifting and using a 70 hp Renault engine (BR7 = Biplane Renault 70 hp). The aircraft, shown here was displayed to King George V at the 4th International Air Show at Olympia

So even though the Royal Naval Air Service still had confidence in monoplanes the prize winning Coanda went no further and the company was compelled to accept a contract to build B.E.'s. Whilst this was not the lucrative contracts hoped for more space was needed and the Company's capital was increased to £250,000 in February 1913 to help expansion.

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