Title
Folder entitled 'Engineering Standards Drawing Office Handbook'
Reference
MS/2218/04/03
Production date
1960 - 1962
Creator
- De Havilland Propellers LtdBiographyBiography
De Havilland Propellers Limited was established as a division of De Havilland Aircraft in 1935 to manufacture variable pitch propellers under licence from the Hamilton Standard Company. In 1946 it was incorporated as a subsidiary company based at Hatfield, with a manufacturing facility in Lostock. In addition to the manufacture of propellers the company would work on missile projects from the late 1940s and would diversify into industrial equipment in the 1950s. This decade would also see the company begin work on the Blue Jay project, which became the Firestreak heat-seeking missile, and Blue Streak, both as a missile and later as part of the European satellite launch programme. In 1960 the company, along with its parent, would become part of the Hawker Siddeley Group and the decision was taken to merge De Havilland Propellers and the De Havilland Aircraft Company into a single entity. This was known as the de Havilland Aircraft Company and removed the need for de Havilland Holdings which ceased to function. The new join company would continue to operate independently inside the Hawker Siddeley Group until 1963 when a reorganisation transferred the missile and equipment interests that had been de Havilland Propellers into Hawker Siddeley Dynamics.
Scope and Content
A folder from De Havilland Aircraft Co Ltd Drawing Office entitled 'Engineering Standards Drawing Office Handbook'. This includes sections on drawing practise, standard memos, reference sheets and procedures. Also included in the folder are an index from a catalogue of standard parts, a memo relating to catalogue of standard parts updates dated 21st September 1960, a drawing office instruction sheet, procedure instructions dated 5th May 1960, am index of company standard parts drawings, a list of amendments to the drawing office handbook dated 28th August 1962, a procedure document with an attached memo entitled 'The Establishment of the Schedule as a means of identifying an assembly, and the parts numbering of assembly drawings', a memo dated 1961, a document entitled 'Introduction of the numerical index of drawings' dated 10th October 1960 with example pages attached, a procedure document entitled 'Acceptance procedure for castings, forgings, mouldings etc' dated 20th February 1961, a drawing office instruction sheet entitled 'Flexible hose units' dated February 1961, a memo relating to the Drawing Office handbook and catalogue amendments dated 28th September 1960, a memo entitled 'Pipe assemblies' dated 5th April 1961, a standardisation memo dated 26th January 1960, a procedure document relating to spares provision for propellers and ancillary equipment for the Red Top and Firestreak missiles, a note from the Technical Library entitled 'Drawing Office Publications' listing additional pages for the catalogue of standard parts and handbook, an index for part 1 drawing practise, and a table of recommendations for bolt clearances and dimensions for machine countersinks.
Extent
1 item
Language
English
Level of description
ITEM
Repository name
Science Museum, London
Associated people and organisations
- Sevant, Anthony HenryBiographyBiography
(1933 - 2015) Aerospace Engineer
Anthony Henry Sevant was an engineering manager who was involved in the Blue Streak missile programme. He began his career in 1949 when he joined Harris Lebus as a Mechanical Engineering Apprentice. He would remain with the company for 5 years, which included 3 years working in the drawing office, before joining the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to complete his National Service. This was undertaken between 1954 and 1956 during which time he was employed as a Gun Fitter on a firing range.
Following his time in R.E.M.E., he joined Saben Hart and Partners, a design and engineering consultancy firm, where he worked as a Design Draughtsman. Here he was involved in the design of special-purpose machinery, earth-moving equipment, gearboxes, hydraulic systems and equipment, and pipework installations.
In 1958 Sevant would join De Havilland Propellers as a Senior Draughtsman before being promoted to Senior Designer in 1962. In 1963 his company would be merged with the missile and equipment departments of Whitworth Gloster and A.V. Roe to form Hawker Siddeley Dynamics, part of the Hawker Siddeley Group. He would remain in position in the Space Projects Division until the following year when he was promoted to Drawing Office Section Leader and then Senior Mechanical Engineer in 1965. During his time at De Havilland Propellers and Hawker Siddeley Dynamics, he would be involved in the design and manufacture of special purposed ground equipment for the Blue Steak missile and would also represent the company at the Woomera test facility in Australia, as a Design Consultant. Later he would also be part of the company’s involvement in EDLO (European Launcher Development Organisation).
In 1968 he would leave Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and move to The Plessey Company. Here he would initially work as a Senior Mechanical Engineer before moving on to become Principal Mechanical Design Engineer in 1969, Chief Mechanical Engineer in 1970, Engineering Services Manager in 1972 and Chief Mechanical Designer in 1977.
Conditions governing access
Open Access
Conditions governing Reproduction
Copies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions
