“I say, it produced a satisfaction almost amounting to a religious experience. After literally months of labour, having filled perhaps fifty foolscap sheets with closely pencilled figures, after many disappointments and heartaches, the truth stood revealed, real, and perfect, and unquestionable; the very truth.’’
This focus on ‘scientific/mathematical’ truth has overtaken modernity. This is an outstanding expression of the seductive power of science. Many hoped this ‘truth’ could be found for every problem. We now know it was false. Sad.
“It did one good; one was the better for the experience. It struck me at the time that those who built the great arches of the English cathedrals in mediaeval times must have known something of our mathematics, and perhaps passed through the same experience, and I have wondered if Freemasonry has anything to do with this.’’
Another false road shown in this work . . .
“The last of them was R. 38. On her third flight a structural weakness in the girders was revealed, but was made light of. On her fourth flight she was doing turning trials over the Humber in very perfect weather when she broke in two, the front part catching fire and falling in the river and the rear part coming down on land. Forty-four lives were lost in the accident.’’
‘Structural weakness ignored’! How bad? Forty-four died!
“At the enquiry into the disaster it came out that the officials responsible had made no calculations whatsoever of the aerodynamic forces acting on the ship in flight; it was not therefore very surprising that she broke when doing turns at full helm and full speed. . . . Andwhen I came on the report of the R. 38 accident enquiry I sat stunned, unable to believe the words that I was reading.’’
Why stunned?
“I had come from the hard commercial school of de Havillands where competence was the key to survival and a disaster might have meant the end of the company and unemployment for everyone concerned with it. It was inexpressibly shocking to me to find that before building the vast and costly structure of R. 38 the civil servants concerned had made no attempt to calculate the aerodynamic forces acting on the ship, and I remember going to one of my chiefs with the report in my hand to ask him if this could possibly be true. Not only did he confirm it but he pointed out that no one had been sacked over it, nor even suffered any censure. Indeed, he said, the same team of men had been entrusted with the construction of another airship, the R. 101.’’
‘The civil servants’ no attempt calculated the forces! No reproof. . .no nothing. Just a promotion to another . . . Why?
“The Government of Mr. Ramsay MacDonald appointed a Cabinet Committee to investigate the whole matter and to decide a course of action. There was, of course, a strong inclination towards State enterprise and a disinclination to put the whole airship programme in the hands of private capital; moreover there was a nucleus of civil servants in the Air Ministry who had been associated with the R. 38, who considered that they alone knew how to build airships.’’ (Their airplane killed forty-four)
Preconceived ideas are powerful. The state is trusted, business is evil.
“The controversy of capitalism versus State enterprise has been argued, tested, and fought out in many ways in many countries, but surely the airship venture in England stands as the most curious determination of this matter. The Cabinet Committee heard all the evidence, and had difficulty in making up their minds. Finally, in effect, they said, “The Air Ministry at Cardington shall build an airship of a certain size, load-carrying capacity, and speed, and Vickers Ltd shall build another one to the same contract specification. By this ingenious device we shall find out which is the better principle, capitalism or State enterprise.” I joined the capitalist team.’’
What happened?
“For the sake of appearances it had been necessary to give commercial interests some small share in the experiment, but it was impossible to suppose that any private company could compete with Cardington in this matter, backed as it was by all the finance and research resources of the Government.’’
‘Impossible business better than government’. Really?
“The staff of the private company took a different view. In 1916 the principle had been laid down for aeroplanes that all construction should be left in the hands of private enterprise, a decision which had been imposed by bitter experience. In the realm of airships this principle had never been observed, and the bitter experience was not yet at an end. The disaster to the government-designed R. 38 was still fresh in the memory. These were the people, said the private staff bitterly, these very same men all but one who had killed himself in R. 38, who were to be entrusted with the construction of another airship when by rights they ought to be in gaol for manslaughter.’’
They didn’t go to jail. Where did they end up?
“Most of those men are now dead, killed in the accident to the airship they designed in competition with us, the R. 101, and it may be that these acerbities ought not to be revived twenty-five years later. If I revive them for a moment now it is because there are still lessons to be learned.’’
Wow!
This story covers about quarter of the book. Shute presents his childhood, some war time service, and touching family stories. The majority explains his starting and then developing an airplane construction business.
Says he is writing with the goal of helping entrepreneurs succeed. Venture capital, stock holders, board members, auditors, debt and risk, are all here. Reads like a business case study; only more personal, more heartfelt. Wonderful!
One other revealing insight is his explanation of his writing. Covers how he started and why. Now world famous author, with a number of his books used as movie sources.
I have read several of his books over the years. Some more than once. Now, I think I might take a second look.
Smooth, pleasant read. Touching. Enlightening and interesting. Recommended.
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Top reviews from other countries
Hien G.
Important book to have in your library.
Reviewed in Canada on February 13, 2024
Kindle Customer
Zeppelin were not the only makers of Rigid Airships in the 1930's.
Reviewed in Germany on October 2, 2023
