| Wilfrid Rhodes Freeman | |
|---|---|
Sir Wilfrid Freeman |
|
| Born | 18 July 1888 |
| Died | 15 May 1953 (aged 64) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1908–1942 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Military Cross Mention in Despatches (3) |
| Other work | Work at Courtaulds |
Air Chief Marshal Sir Wilfrid Rhodes Freeman, 1st Baronet, GCB, DSO, MC, RAF (18 July 1888 – 15 May 1953) was one of the most important influences on the rearmament of the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the years up to and including the Second World War.
Having joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1914, he saw active service during the First World War as Officer Commanding No. 14 Squadron and then as Officer Commanding 10th Wing and then 9th Wing, and continued to serve in the newly formed RAF during the inter-war years.[1] He was made Commandant of the Central Flying School in 1925, Deputy Director of Operations and Intelligence at the Air Ministry in 1927 and Station Commandert at RAF Leuchars in 1928.[1] He went on to be Air Officer Commanding Transjordan and Palestine in 1930, Commandant of the RAF Staff College, Andover in 1933.[1]
In 1936, as Air Member for Research and Development, he was given the job of choosing the aircraft with which to rearm the RAF, and in 1938 his remit was expanded to include the controlling of their production, which he did with great distinction until 1940. In November 1940 he was moved against his will to become Vice-Chief of the Air Staff.[1] His department, now formed into the Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP) by the opportunistic Lord Beaverbrook (who took credit for much of Freeman’s work) rapidly stagnated, and after two years Freeman was moved back to MAP which he continued to run with distinction.[2]
More perhaps than any other single figure, Freeman was responsible for the RAF ordering the Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, De Havilland Mosquito, Avro Lancaster, Handley-Page Halifax and Hawker Tempest. He played an equally vital role in the development of the Merlin-engined P-51 Mustang, providing North American with the original specification and then installing Rolls-Royce Merlin engines in place of the unsatisfactory Allison V-1710 engines.[2]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New title Group established
|
Officer Commanding No. 2 Group 1918 |
Vacant
Title next held by
B E Sutton |
| Preceded by F V Holt |
Commandant of the Central Flying School 1925–1927 |
Succeeded by C S Burnett |
| Preceded by P B Joubert de la Ferté |
Commandant of the RAF Staff College, Andover 1933 – 1935 |
Succeeded by Sir Arthur Barratt |
| Preceded by Sir Hugh Dowding |
Air Member for Research and Development Post renamed Air Member for Development and Production on 1 August 1938 1 April 1936 – 1940 |
Ministry of Aircraft Production created |
| Preceded by Sir Richard Peirse |
Vice-Chief of the Air Staff 4 October 1940 – 19 October 1942 |
Succeeded by C E H Medhurst (Acting) |