Royal Aeronautical Society - 1929 Charles Wakefield Gold Medal
Offered is an impressive 65mm gilt-bronze Sir Charles Wakefield medal in original fitted case, awarded in 1929 by the the Royal Aeronautical Society to Henry Braid Irving (OBE, BSc, Fellow) for his contributions to aviation design. The Wakefield medal is one of 3 highly prestigious awards issued by the Society, and is not issued annually, but rather when ‘contributions to the field are deemed meritous.’ Although we are not certain of the frequency, this award is excruciatingly rare, likely indicating small numbers awarded, and high retention by recipients and their families. Although the Wakefield medal is associated with aviation safety, it is not limited to this field.
Henry Braid Irving’s career in the aviation sector started in 1914, when he joined the National Physical Laboratory after some time in marine engineering. Over the course of the subsequent quarter-century, he would publish in excess of 60 papers, in which he most notably developed ‘slot technology’ for ‘the improvement of lateral control’ in monoplanes - indeed it was this work for which he was awarded this very medal. In 1939, he was selected by the RAF to head up an experimental station at Duxford, and he remained in this post through the Second World War. After the war, he transferred to the Ministry of Supply as head of air research - a post from which he retired in 1954. Irving would remain active in aviation circles, doing quite a bit of ‘good will’ work with American colleagues until his death in 1961 from a stroke resulting from an automobile accident.
The medal itself is of the upmost quality, both in terms of design / manufacture, as well as preservation. The gilt is full and bright, and the original fitted leather case shows only minor signs of wear. In all, a stunning and rare award, issued to a person of considerable note in the field of early aviation engineering, with good attributability. A copy of the obituary published in the Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society will be included with the medal.
Offered is an impressive 65mm gilt-bronze Sir Charles Wakefield medal in original fitted case, awarded in 1929 by the the Royal Aeronautical Society to Henry Braid Irving (OBE, BSc, Fellow) for his contributions to aviation design. The Wakefield medal is one of 3 highly prestigious awards issued by the Society, and is not issued annually, but rather when ‘contributions to the field are deemed meritous.’ Although we are not certain of the frequency, this award is excruciatingly rare, likely indicating small numbers awarded, and high retention by recipients and their families. Although the Wakefield medal is associated with aviation safety, it is not limited to this field.
Henry Braid Irving’s career in the aviation sector started in 1914, when he joined the National Physical Laboratory after some time in marine engineering. Over the course of the subsequent quarter-century, he would publish in excess of 60 papers, in which he most notably developed ‘slot technology’ for ‘the improvement of lateral control’ in monoplanes - indeed it was this work for which he was awarded this very medal. In 1939, he was selected by the RAF to head up an experimental station at Duxford, and he remained in this post through the Second World War. After the war, he transferred to the Ministry of Supply as head of air research - a post from which he retired in 1954. Irving would remain active in aviation circles, doing quite a bit of ‘good will’ work with American colleagues until his death in 1961 from a stroke resulting from an automobile accident.
The medal itself is of the upmost quality, both in terms of design / manufacture, as well as preservation. The gilt is full and bright, and the original fitted leather case shows only minor signs of wear. In all, a stunning and rare award, issued to a person of considerable note in the field of early aviation engineering, with good attributability. A copy of the obituary published in the Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society will be included with the medal.
Offered is an impressive 65mm gilt-bronze Sir Charles Wakefield medal in original fitted case, awarded in 1929 by the the Royal Aeronautical Society to Henry Braid Irving (OBE, BSc, Fellow) for his contributions to aviation design. The Wakefield medal is one of 3 highly prestigious awards issued by the Society, and is not issued annually, but rather when ‘contributions to the field are deemed meritous.’ Although we are not certain of the frequency, this award is excruciatingly rare, likely indicating small numbers awarded, and high retention by recipients and their families. Although the Wakefield medal is associated with aviation safety, it is not limited to this field.
Henry Braid Irving’s career in the aviation sector started in 1914, when he joined the National Physical Laboratory after some time in marine engineering. Over the course of the subsequent quarter-century, he would publish in excess of 60 papers, in which he most notably developed ‘slot technology’ for ‘the improvement of lateral control’ in monoplanes - indeed it was this work for which he was awarded this very medal. In 1939, he was selected by the RAF to head up an experimental station at Duxford, and he remained in this post through the Second World War. After the war, he transferred to the Ministry of Supply as head of air research - a post from which he retired in 1954. Irving would remain active in aviation circles, doing quite a bit of ‘good will’ work with American colleagues until his death in 1961 from a stroke resulting from an automobile accident.
The medal itself is of the upmost quality, both in terms of design / manufacture, as well as preservation. The gilt is full and bright, and the original fitted leather case shows only minor signs of wear. In all, a stunning and rare award, issued to a person of considerable note in the field of early aviation engineering, with good attributability. A copy of the obituary published in the Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society will be included with the medal.