MITCHELL, R.J.

born May 20, 1895, Talke, near Stoke-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, Eng. died June 11, 1937, Southampton, Hampshire in full Reginald Joseph Mitchell British aircraft designer, developer of the Spitfire, one of the best-known fighters in World War II. After secondary schooling Mitchell was an apprentice at a locomotive works and attended night classes at technical colleges. In 1916, before the age of 22, he went to work at Supermarine Aviation Works in Southampton, where he remained the rest of his life, serving as the company's director for his last 10 years. He designed seaplanes (used largely for racing) between 1922 and 1931 and by 1936 had designed and developed the Spitfire, more than two dozen versions of which were eventually created before and after his death and which was known for its aerodynamic sleekness and maneuverability.