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Leslie Frise

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Leslie Frise
Born
Leslie George Frise

Template:Birth date
Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
Died26 September 1979(1979-09-26) (aged 84)
Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Aerospace engineer and designer

Leslie George Frise FRAeS (2 July 1895 – 26 September 1979) was a prominent British aerospace engineer and aircraft designer, credited with creating the Type 156 Bristol Beaufighter. His contributions also extended to the advancement of aircraft hydraulic systems, including those used for gun turrets.

Early life

Born in Bristol, Gloucestershire—now part of South Gloucestershire—Frise was the son of William George Frise and Alice Cecilia Avery of Hillside in Westbury-on-Trym, within the former Barton Regis Rural District. Notably, in November 1887, his parents performed together in Charles Selby’s play Boots at the Swan.[1]

Frise attended Bristol Grammar School before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bristol.[2] He secured a Merchant Venturers scholarship in September 1912.[3] He graduated with a second class degree in July 1915.[4][5]

During the early stages of the First World War, Frise served with the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS).[2]

His father passed away on Sunday, 19 December 1943, and was laid to rest at Canford Cemetery. Born in 1868 in Yetminster, northwest Dorset near Yeovil, he was the son of William Frise and Harriett King. The Frise lineage traces back to Devon.[6][7]

Boulton Paul Aircraft

In 1915, Frise initiated Boulton Paul Aircraft’s inaugural aircraft manufacturing facility at Mousehold Heath, Norwich, tasked with producing one hundred Sopwith Camels. Prior to this venture, the company operated as a general engineering firm founded in 1873.

Bristol Aeroplane Company

Frank Barnwell rejoined the Bristol Aeroplane Company in August 1915 and sought an assistant. After interviewing Leslie Frise, Barnwell hired him in 1916. Barnwell remained a leading aircraft designer at Bristol until his death in an aviation accident on 2 August 1938. Together they developed the 1916 Bristol F.2 Fighter.

File:FriseAileron.svg
Frise aileron

In 1921, Frise invented the Frise aileron, also known as the slotted aileron, engineered to mitigate adverse yaw. This innovation earned him the Royal Aeronautical Society's prestigious Wakefield Gold Medal for contributions to aviation safety on 30 May 1933. The Frise aileron design influences parasitic drag so that during an aircraft roll maneuver, drag forces on both wings remain balanced.

In collaboration with Frank Barnwell in 1934, he developed the Bristol Type 143, a monoplane featuring retractable landing gear; only one prototype was produced.

By 1936, when Barnwell assumed the role of chief engineer, Frise advanced to chief designer.

On Monday evening, 25 May 1942, he was featured in an interview on the BBC Forces Programme.[8] He transitioned from his position as designer on Wednesday, 28 July 1943, taking up the role of chief engineer.[9]

After dedicating thirty-two years to Bristol Aeroplane Company, Frise retired as chief engineer in 1946 due to health reasons.[10]

Percival Aircraft

In 1948, Frise became the technical director and chief engineer at Percival Aircraft.[2] His appointment at Percival took place in November of that year.[11][12]

Among his contributions were the designs of a naval variant of the Percival Prince and the Percival Sea Prince. He was also responsible for creating the Percival Provost basic trainer and its jet-powered successor, the Jet Provost.[2] In 1956, he transitioned to the role of Director of Special Projects at Blackburn Aircraft.[2]

Frise delivered a lecture on the Beaufighter during the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Barnwell memorial event in March 1967.[13][14]

Aircraft designed

File:Bristol Beaufighter a.JPG
Bristol Beaufighter displayed at the RAF Museum; its maiden flight was on 17 July 1939, with operational service commencing on 17 September 1940

Frise played a key role as chief engineer or contributed significantly to the design teams for the following aircraft:

Personal life

Frise married in Bristol in 1922; the couple had a son born in 1938 and a daughter born in 1948. He passed away in Bristol at the age of 84 in 1979.[15] From the 1960s onward, his residence was at 17 Richmond Terrace, Clifton.[16]

He frequently competed in golf tournaments, particularly in foursomes.[17]

On Saturday, April 29, 1922, he wed Sybil Childs Knight—daughter of Frederick Knight from St Andrews, Bristol—at St Michael and All Angels church in Bishopston, Bristol, located on the A38 road (the building was demolished in the 1990s). The ceremony was officiated by Rev Ridgwell Barker.[18][19]

His older brother, (William) Donald Frise (born January 7, 1894 – died September 1977), married Vera Dorothy Pope on June 16, 1923.[20] Donald's first son was born on May 26, 1926,[21] and another son named Derek Raymond King Frise studied English at Jesus College, Cambridge and later stood as a Conservative candidate for Whitchurch Park ward during the 1999 Bristol City Council election.[22]

Frise’s son was born on April 27, 1938, at St Brenda's Maternity Hospital in Clifton.[23] Leslie Barnaby Knight Frise attended Harrow School during the early 1950s and resided in Frampton Cotterell by the early seventies. He married Lorna Barrett from Harrow in 1965 and died aged sixty-seven on Sunday, July 17, 2005, in Grass Valley, California. Lorna passed away on February 22, 2016. They have a granddaughter named Julia living in California.

While residing at Bamville Wood on East Common in Harpenden, his wife Sybil died on July 30, 1955. She was born in the year 1898.[24]

Honours and awards

In 1948, Frise was granted the Freedom of the City of London.

References

  1. ↑ Bristol Mercury Friday 4 November 1887, page 3
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Template:Cite newspaper The Times
  3. ↑ Times Wednesday September 18 1912, page 7
  4. ↑ Western Daily Press Friday 16 July 1915, page 7
  5. ↑ Times Monday July 19 1915, page 8
  6. ↑ Western Daily Press Monday 20 December 1943, page 4
  7. ↑ Western Daily Press Thursday 23 December 1943, page 4
  8. ↑ Times Monday May 25 1942, page 8
  9. ↑ Times Thursday July 29 1943, page 2
  10. ↑ "Mr Frise resigns" Flight 11 April 1946 p258
  11. ↑ Manchester Evening News Wednesday 10 November 1948, page 1
  12. ↑ Times Saturday November 13 1948, page 2
  13. ↑ Bristol Evening Post Thursday 16 March 1967, page 4
  14. ↑ Bristol Evening Post Tuesday 25 March 1969, page 40
  15. ↑ Bristol Evening Post Tuesday 9 October 1979, page 1
  16. ↑ Bristol Evening Post Friday 20 February 1970, page 41
  17. ↑ Western Daily Press Monday 25 May 1936, page 10
  18. ↑ Western Daily Press Monday 1 May 1922, page 5
  19. ↑ Bishopston Record Friday 5 May 1922, page 2
  20. ↑ Western Daily Press Tuesday 19 June 1923, page 10
  21. ↑ Western Daily Press Thursday 27 May 1926, page 12
  22. ↑ Western Daily Press Tuesday 5 March 1929, page 12
  23. ↑ Western Daily Press Thursday 28 April 1938, page 12
  24. ↑ Bristol Evening Post Monday 1 August 1955, page 12

External links

Template:S-bus
Preceded by Chief Designer of the Bristol Aeroplane Company
August 1938 - April 1946 		Succeeded by

Template:Bristol aircraft Template:Aerospace industry in the United Kingdom

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