Sir (Frederick) Henry Royce’s name today stands for the highest standards of achievement in the automobile and aeronautical professions. In peace and in war his motor cars and aero engines had no peers and performed feats of endurance under exacting conditions that demonstrated the brilliance of their design and the very high quality of materials and workmanship that went into their building.

At the beginning of the First World War, Sir Henry turned his mind to aero engines and a long line of superb aero engines was begun. First came the Eagle then the Hawk followed by the Falcon and then the Condor. More than half of the Allied aircraft in that war flew with Rolls-Royce engines all designed by Sir Henry. Immediately after the war, Alcock and Brown in a Vickers Vimy fitted with two Rolls-Royce Eagles completed the first air crossing of the Atlantic. Subsequently, the Kestrel aero engine was produced which lead to the R engine for the 1931 Schneider Trophy races and ultimately, the Merlin based on the design of the R engine.

In all his designs Sir Henry demonstrated an attention to detail never previously seen in the automotive and aeronautical worlds. His motto was his engineering standard - “Whatever is rightly done - however humble - is noble”. “Rightly done” are the key words in Rolls-Royce production and there are many fine examples of his determination to strive for perfection.

source : royce.org.au

• John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937)