Nevil Shute Norway Foundation

Photo TimeLine

1921-1930 page 4

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June 15 - 16 1926 : Shute and a Mr Temple attend tests to destruction at Birmingham University on 8 experimental girders for R100 manufactured by Airship Guarantee Company Ltd at Crayford.
October 26 1926 : On behalf of the Airship Guarantee Company Shute attends structural tests at Birmingham University on Transverse and Longitudinal "Spiders" of the R100.
November 02 1926 : On behalf of the Airship Guarantee Company Shute attends repeat structural tests on a transverse "spider" of the R100. The test on the October 26 seems to have shown the transverse spider to be too weak and increased gauge material was incorporated prior to the test on the November 02.
December 1926 : The 1 st polygonal ring of girders for R100 being 110' in diameter was hung. The widest ring was 130'.

1927

Half built frame of R100
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The half built frame of R100 is suspended in the Howden Hangar. Two tiny workers can be seen on top of the 130 foot high polygonal ring. The photo is probably from 1927 or 1928. ( BW )

1927 : The Other Nevil(le) Shute is born in Australia. He is named by his mother, Mrs Shute, after the new and as yet unknown author of a book she had just read called Marazan. Neville is later living in Melbourne in the 1950s where he meets the Shute family and often gets Shute's mail. Neville has also received several unexplained complimentary airline upgrades.

The other Neville Shute in 2001 with his mothers First Edition of Marazan. Neville was a guest of honour at Oz2001. (Photo: RM 2001) The other Neville Shute


1928

The R100 Drawing Office staff at Howden on November 15 1928. Shute is in the front row, seated 4th from the left. (Photo: The Barnes Wallis Memorial Trust) R100 Drawing Office staff
R100 schematic drawing
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A 1928 schematic drawing by S. Chatworthy showing the accomodation aboard R100. ( AO )

1928 : "So Disdained" is published.
February 09 1928 : On behalf of the Airship Guarantee Company Shute attends structural tests on R100 nuts and unions at Leeds University.

Cowdray House is a long ruined estate in West Sussex. I believe this is the model for Under Hall, the home of Lord Arner in So Disdained. (Photo: RM 2003) Cowdray Housein West Sussex
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Humped back bridges
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As in "So Disdained", there are at least 2 humped back bridges about a mile and a half from Cowdray House / Under Hall. (Photo: RM 2003)


1929
January 11 1929 : Shute attends a conference with Barnes Wallis, Sir Denistoun Burney, Bairstow and Major Bishop to discuss the condition of the R100 structure where Duralumin corrosion is evident. Longitudinal girder "H" Stbd. in Bay 5 is chosen as representative of the worst condition and it is decided to remove this and test to the requirements of the Airworthiness Authority at Birmingham University
February 13 1929 : Shute and Barnes Wallis attend an Airworthiness Test at Birmingham University on a longitudinal girder section of the R100. Two test specimens of the "H" Stbd, Bay No. 5 girder were taken and this test was on the first of these.
February 14 1929 : Shute attends a test on the second R100 girder specimen as the only representative of the Airship Guarantee Company.

The R100 Frame partially covered. We are looking from the tail towards the nose. Originally a postcard this is from the collection of John Middleton whose grandfather, Thomas Henry Berry, worked on R100. ( JMC ) R100 Frame partially covered
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Promenade Deck of R100
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The Promenade Deck of R100 before the gas bags have been inserted. ( JMC )


R100 showing The Promenade Deck before the observation windows were installed. ( JMC ) Promenade Deck
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