Published in Windlesora 05 (1986)
© WLHG
Wednesday March 12 1986, the 20th anniversary of his death, saw the unveiling of a plaque in memory of Sir Sydney Camm at the house in Alma Road Windsor, where he was born 93 years ago. The plaque, which was erected by the Windsor and Maidenhead Council on the initiative of Mr Gordon Cullingham, Chairman of the Windsor Local History Publications Group, was unveiled by the Mayor, Cllr. Richard Shaw.
Sydney Camm’s early love for aviation was inspired by the pioneer Thomas Sopwith who, after circling the Round Tower of Windsor Castle, landed on the East Lawn in front of King George V and Queen Mary. A pupil of the Royal Free School on Bachelor’s Acre, Camm would spend his school breaks whittling wooden propellers for his model aircraft. During World War I he worked as an aircraft engineer at Woking, but the real breakthrough came in 1923 when Sopwith invited him to join the H.G. Hawker Engineering Co. In 1925 he became Chief Designer and led the Hawker team until his death in 1966.
Of the many aircraft designs which came off his drawing board, the one which will always be synonymous with the name of Sydney Camm is the Hurricane fighter. But there were others of importance, not least the Hunter of 1951, said to be one of the most successful jet fighters ever produced; and the design which evolved into the Harrier and won fame in the Falklands campaign.
Sydney Camm was knighted in 1953, awarded the Royal Aeronautical Society Gold Medal in 1958, and was made an Honorary Fellow of the R.Ae. Soc. in 1961.
The oval shaped plaque outside 10, Alma Road bears the profile of a Hurricane fighter.
The inscription reads:
ROYAL BOROUGH OF WINDSOR AND MAIDENHEAD
SIR SYDNEY CAMM
(1893-1966)
LIVED-HERE
Designer of the Hawker Hurricane
the Battle of Britain Fighter
March 12, 1986
Windsor Local History Group 