Richard Leonard Howard-Flanders FRSA AMIMechE (1882 – 1939) was an early British aircraft designer and manufacturer.

Early life

Richard Leonard Flanders (later Howard-Flanders) was born in Italy to British parents in 1882. He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and then served an engineering apprenticeship at Brazil Straker and Company of Bristol.[1] In 1909 he joined A.V. Roe before forming his own company (L. Howard Flanders Limited) at Brooklands Aerodrome in 1910.[1]

Aircraft designer

He designed a built a series of monoplanes including the Flanders F.4 that was entered in the Military Trials of 1912.[1] It was damaged and unable to compete in the trials.[1] A small number of his aircraft were built for the British Army. Howard-Flanders had a serious motorcycle accident and during his convalescence his company had to close down.[1] He joined the aircraft department of Vickers Limited and later in 1917 moved to the engine section.[1] After he left Vickers he worked for a number of companies including English Electric and the Bristol Aeroplane Company.[1] In 1921 he was registered with the Teachers Registration Council when he was Assistant Master at the Regent Street Polytechnic from 1920 to 1923[2] In the 1930s he was secretary of the British Gliding Association.[3]

Family life

Howard-Flanders married Millicent Franks in 1914, he died in 1939 in Bristol aged 56.[1]

References