19 Facts About Adrian Lombard

Adrian Lombard was involved with the Rolls-Royce company in a variety of roles for almost 30 years.

Adrian Lombard was born in the city of Coventry, Warwickshire, on 19 January 1915.

Adrian Lombard was the second of three sons of Arthur, a toolmaker, and Louisa.

Adrian Lombard subsequently joined Rolls-Royce and was appointed chief engine designer of factories in the north of England.

The design centre was relocated to Derby in 1946, and there Adrian Lombard became chief projects designer.

In 1949, Adrian Lombard was promoted to chief designer at the Derby plant, and was made Rolls-Royce's chief aeronautical designer three years later.

Adrian Lombard was appointed chief engineer at Rolls-Royce in 1954, and around this time he was involved in the production of the world's first 'bypass turbojet' or turbofan engine, the Conway, which was used in the Vickers VC10 and installed in the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 aircraft.

Adrian Lombard joined the council of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and was involved with the Air Registration Board and the Aeronautical Research Council.

Adrian Lombard became the director of the Rolls-Royce aeronautical engine division in 1958, and was responsible for overseeing the production of all the company's jet turbines.

In November 1962, Adrian Lombard visited Japan to meet with several companies that had expressed an interest in Rolls-Royce's vertical take-off aircraft engines.

Significantly, Adrian Lombard predicted the crossover of lift jet technology to the by-pass engine, where the engine carcasses would be integral with the pod structure, thus reducing engine weight.

Adrian Lombard indicated that the same principle could be applied to a pair of propulsion engines mounted on an underwing pylon.

In 1966, Adrian Lombard presented the first Royal Society Technology Lecture Aircraft: Power Plants Past, Present and Future.

Adrian Lombard's death had unfortunate consequences for Rolls-Royce when it came to the initial design of the early RB211, which suffered performance problems, the cost of solving-which, ultimately were to lead to the company going into receivership in 1971.

Adrian Lombard was married to Joan Taylor on 18 April 1940 and the couple had three children, one of whom died in infancy.

Adrian Lombard was appointed a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 1967.

Adrian Lombard died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary in Derby on 13 July 1967, at the age of 52.

The 'Adrian Lombard Award' was established by Rolls-Royce in his memory, with those in the final year of a company apprenticeship eligible for consideration.

Adrian Lombard's granddaughter, Fleur, was a firefighter who became the first female firefighter to die in the line of duty in the United Kingdom.