Richard Clarkson

Richard Milroy Clarkson OBE FCGI FRAeS (14 July 1904 – 7 October 1996) was a British aeronautical engineer with de Havilland, then Hawker Siddeley. He led the design of the HS121 Trident wing, certain features of which were subsequently used for the Airbus A300 wing in the late 1960s.

Early life He attended Clayesmore School in Dorset.

Career de Havilland He joined de Havilland at Edgware in 1925.

He was responsible for the aerodynamics of the de Havilland Mosquito. The first Mosquito W4050 flew in November 1940. He became Head of Aerodynamics in 1935, and Assistant Chief Engineer in 1941.

Hawker Siddeley Aviation He was responsible for the aerodynamics of the DH.121 Trident and his team later designed the wing for the Airbus A300.

He retired in February 1969.

Personal life He lived at Whitwell, Hertfordshire in the 1930s.

He married Sylvia Paice in 1940, and they had one daughter. He received the OBE in the 1950 New Year Honours. He lived at Kinsbourne Green near Harpenden in the 1950s.

In April 1964 he became a Fellow of City and Guilds. He received the Gold Medal of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1966. From the Royal Society he received the Mullard Award in 1969 for his work on the Trident.

He died in Somerset in 1996.