Colin Baron
Colin Baron | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1921-05-20 Nottingham, England |
| Died | 1987-11-07 |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Known for | Designing weaponry, particularly surface-to-air missile systems for the UK's Ministry of Defence |
Colin Baron (20 May 1921 – 7 November 1987) was an engineer from Yorkshire, England, who specialized in designing weaponry, particularly surface-to-air missile systems, for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence.
Early life
Born in Nottingham to John Baron and Dorothy Crumpler, he attended a boys' grammar school located in the south-east area of Bradford, formerly part of the West Riding. This school has been known as Carlton Bolling College since 1977. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics in 1941 followed by a Master of Science in 1947, both from the University of Leeds.
Royal Radar Establishment
His research at the RRE focused on microwave technology, which eventually led to his promotion as a division leader overseeing guided weapon systems.
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Royal Aircraft Establishment
In 1966, he was appointed Head of the Guided Weapons Assessment Research Group at the RAE. He advanced to Head of Avionics in 1970 and subsequently became Head of Flight Systems in 1974.
Rapier missile
Beginning in 1958, Baron collaborated with Cambridge-educated engineer John Twinn on developing an economically viable guided missile capable of targeting low-altitude aircraft. The British Army favored artillery equipped with proximity fuzes, and equipping missiles with radar guidance proved costly. To address this, they implemented a Command to Line of Sight Guidance System (CLOS), which eliminated onboard radar by using optical tracking for both the missile and its target. The project was handed over to BAC, who further developed it into the Rapier missile, which entered operational service in 1971.
Personal life
In 1942, Baron married Margaret Whalley in Bradford; they had two children—a daughter born in 1943 and a son born in 1944. He resided in Upton-upon-Severn. Later, he wed Anita Hale in 1961 in Worcester, gaining a stepson through this marriage. During his later years, he lived in Farnham, Surrey. He passed away at the age of 66.
See also
References
- Times obituary Saturday 14 November 1987, page 12