The 32nd Main Lecture of the Society to be given at a Branch Centre, “ Freighters—A General Survey “ by Mr. E. D. Keen, B.Sc., A.F.I.A.S., F.R.Ae.S., was held under the auspices of the Birmingham Branch on 4th December 1958.

MR. F. F. CROCOMBE, F.R.Ae.S., President of the Birmingham Branch, opened the meeting by reminding those present that this was the second Main lecture to be held at the Birmingham Branch since its formation in 1944. The Branch had never been a large one and now numbered about 100 members drawn from local aviation enthusiasts and representatives of aircraft equipment and motor industry firms in the area. There was some longer-range support from Coventry and Wolverhampton but little from their own Birmingham University. Mr. Crocombe then welcomed the visitors, particularly the strong representation from Armstrong Whitworth and Blackburn and General Aircraft Ltd. He welcomed especially the President of the Society, Sir Arnold Hall, M.A., F.R.S., F.R.Ae.S. who would preside over the rest of the proceedings.

After thanking the Birmingham Branch for their hospitality, SIR ARNOLD HALL, said that the holding of Main lectures at Branches had proved to be extremely popular and the practice should certainly be continued with enthusiasm. Introducing the lecturer, the President said that Mr. Keen had been a leading member of the Branch for a long time and was at present its Vice-President. Educated at the Regent Street Polytechnic, where he took a degree of the University of London, Mr. Keen had joined Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Ltd. in 1928 and had been with the Company ever since. He became Assistant Chief Designer in 1949 and since 1955 he had been Chief Designer. In 1955 the Society had awarded him the Simms Gold Medal for a classical paper on “ Integral Construction.” His subject now was “ Freighters,” which was a part of aeronautical engineering that he had made particularly his own, first by study and later by putting his ideas into practice.