Cyril Lovesey
Encyclopedia
Alfred Cyril Lovesey CBE
, AFRAeS
, was an English engineer
who was a key figure in the development of the Rolls-Royce Merlin
aero engine
.
Lovesey, aged 1 is living with his parents at 3, Greenfield Villas, Portfields, Hereford. Lovesey attended Bristol University leaving in 1923 with a BSc
.
engine during its trials at Calshot
for the Schneider Trophy
races in 1929 and 1931. Lovesey was a proponent of flight testing and established a centre at RAF Hucknall
where he was flight development engineer. His services were also used by Malcolm Campbell
during his Bluebird land speed record attempts.
In 1930 Lovesey was awarded Aviators Certificate No. 9350 by the Royal Aero Club. In the late 1930s Lovesey (who had become known as 'Lov' in company shorthand
) began working with others on developing the new Rolls-Royce Merlin
and just prior to the start of the Battle of Britain
was placed in charge of the development programme. His contribution to the Merlin, doubling its power output and improving reliability at the same time, was a major achievement. Post-war, Lovesey adapted the Merlin for civil use and then turned to turbojet development with work on the Rolls-Royce Avon
.
In 1957 Lovesey became 'Chief Engineer (Aircraft Engines)' then deputy director of engineering and a member of the Aero Engine Division board of directors. He retired in 1964 but was later recalled along with Arthur Rubbra
and Stanley Hooker
to assist with development problems concerning the Rolls-Royce RB211
turbofan
engine. Lovesey died in 1976.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, AFRAeS
Royal Aeronautical Society
The Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a multidisciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community.-Function:...
, was an English engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
who was a key figure in the development of the Rolls-Royce Merlin
Rolls-Royce Merlin
The Rolls-Royce Merlin is a British liquid-cooled, V-12, piston aero engine, of 27-litre capacity. Rolls-Royce Limited designed and built the engine which was initially known as the PV-12: the PV-12 became known as the Merlin following the company convention of naming its piston aero engines after...
aero engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
.
Early life
Lovesey was born 15 July 1899 in Hereford the son of Alfred and Jessie Lovesey. In the 1901 CensusUnited Kingdom Census 1901
A nationwide census was conducted in England and Wales on 31 March 1901. It contains records for 32 million people and 6 million houses, It covers the whole of England and Wales, with the exception of parts of Deal in Kent. Separate censuses were held in Scotland and Ireland...
Lovesey, aged 1 is living with his parents at 3, Greenfield Villas, Portfields, Hereford. Lovesey attended Bristol University leaving in 1923 with a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
.
Career
Cyril Lovesey joined the 'Rolls-Royce Experimental Department' in 1923, came under the direction of Ernest Hives and worked on both motor cars and aero engines. He was the company representative for support of the Rolls-Royce RRolls-Royce R
The Rolls-Royce R was a British aero engine designed and built specifically for air racing purposes by Rolls-Royce Limited. Nineteen R engines were assembled in a limited production run between 1929 and 1931...
engine during its trials at Calshot
Calshot
Calshot is a coastal village in Hampshire, England at the west corner of Southampton_Water where it joins the Solent. A settlement at the site is believed to have existed since the fifth century AD...
for the Schneider Trophy
Schneider Trophy
The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider was a prize competition for seaplanes. Announced by Jacques Schneider, a financier, balloonist and aircraft enthusiast, in 1911, it offered a prize of roughly £1,000. The race was held eleven times between 1913 and 1931...
races in 1929 and 1931. Lovesey was a proponent of flight testing and established a centre at RAF Hucknall
Hucknall Airfield
Formerly RAF Hucknall, Hucknall Airfield is located north northwest of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England.Hucknall has been in continuous use as an airfield since 1916. Formerly RAF Hucknall, it featured in the film The One That Got Away...
where he was flight development engineer. His services were also used by Malcolm Campbell
Malcolm Campbell
Sir Malcolm Campbell was an English racing motorist and motoring journalist. He gained the world speed record on land and on water at various times during the 1920s and 1930s using vehicles called Blue Bird...
during his Bluebird land speed record attempts.
In 1930 Lovesey was awarded Aviators Certificate No. 9350 by the Royal Aero Club. In the late 1930s Lovesey (who had become known as 'Lov' in company shorthand
Shorthand
Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed or brevity of writing as compared to a normal method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called stenography, from the Greek stenos and graphē or graphie...
) began working with others on developing the new Rolls-Royce Merlin
Rolls-Royce Merlin
The Rolls-Royce Merlin is a British liquid-cooled, V-12, piston aero engine, of 27-litre capacity. Rolls-Royce Limited designed and built the engine which was initially known as the PV-12: the PV-12 became known as the Merlin following the company convention of naming its piston aero engines after...
and just prior to the start of the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
was placed in charge of the development programme. His contribution to the Merlin, doubling its power output and improving reliability at the same time, was a major achievement. Post-war, Lovesey adapted the Merlin for civil use and then turned to turbojet development with work on the Rolls-Royce Avon
Rolls-Royce Avon
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9-External links:**** a 1955 Flight article on the development of the Avon...
.
In 1957 Lovesey became 'Chief Engineer (Aircraft Engines)' then deputy director of engineering and a member of the Aero Engine Division board of directors. He retired in 1964 but was later recalled along with Arthur Rubbra
Arthur Rubbra
Arthur Alexander Cecil Rubbra CBE was an English engineer who designed many of Rolls-Royce's successful aero engines.-Early life:...
and Stanley Hooker
Stanley Hooker
Sir Stanley George Hooker was a jet engine engineer, first at Rolls-Royce where he worked on the earliest designs such as the Welland and Derwent, and later at Bristol Aero Engines where he helped bring the troubled Proteus and Olympus to market, and then designed the famous Pegasus.Stanley George...
to assist with development problems concerning the Rolls-Royce RB211
Rolls-Royce RB211
The Rolls-Royce RB211 is a family of high-bypass turbofan engines made by Rolls-Royce plc and capable of generating 37,400 to 60,600 pounds-force thrust. Originally developed for the Lockheed L-1011 , it entered service in 1972 and was the only engine to power this aircraft type...
turbofan
Turbofan
The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...
engine. Lovesey died in 1976.
Honours and awards
- 9 January 1946 - Alfred Cyril Lovesey, Esq., AFRAeS, Development Engineer, Rolls-Royce Ltd is appointed an Officer of the Order the British Empire (OBE)Order of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
.
- 11 June 1966 - Alfred Cyril Lovesey, Esq., OBE, Deputy Director of Engineering, Rolls-Royce Ltd is appointed a Commander of the Order the British Empire (CBE)Order of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
.
Further reading
- Rubbra, A.A. Rolls-Royce Piston Aero Engines - a designer remembers: Historical Series no 16 :Rolls Royce Heritage Trust, 1990. ISBN 1-872922-00-7
External links
- Flightglobalarchive - Gas turbine development by Cyril Lovesey, Flight, 6 April 1950
- Development of the Rolls-Royce Merlin from 1939 to 1945 - a 1945 lecture by Lovesey in PDF form