Cambridge Industrial Archaeology Group’s June talk will be presented by Dr John Rolfe. He will discuss the contributions of three Cambridge men who changed RAF flying training in the Second World War. They were Kenneth Craik, the creator of the Cambridge Cockpit, Gordon Iles, the inventor of the Silloth Trainers and Gwilym Grindley who identified and quantified the process of Optic Flow. One came to Cambridge already labelled a genius, one spent an inauspicious time at the University carrying out modifications to cinema organs in his college rooms and one, a physicist who studied animal behaviour, had opportunity thrust upon him and nearly never got the credit he warranted. It is a story that involves early computing devices, roller coasters, Hudson Bay, Marshall’s Aerodrome, academic amnesia and the bottom of a filing cabinet.

Dr Rolfe trained as an engineer at the Royal Dockyard Chatham and also took a degree in Psychology at Hull University. He spent sixteen years in research at the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine Farnborough before moving to become scientific adviser at HQ RAF Support Command. Following a Defence Fellowship at Wolfson College Cambridge he was Assistant Director Science (Air) MOD London. After retiring he was a visiting professor at Cranfield University. He holds doctorates in Philosophy and Science and has been the recipient of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Silver Medal and Flight Simulation Silver Medal.

The talk will take place in the Pye Building at Cambridge Museum of Technology. Entrance on the night is via the Museum’s Cheddars Lane gate.

Tickets are available on the door for £5 a head, £3 for students or click below to purchase on-line. Cambridge Museum of Technology members and volunteers can come along for free.

Cambridge Industrial Archaeology group organises a programme of talks on industrial heritage at Cambridge Museum of Technology. For further information about Cambridge Industrial Archaeology Group contact Robin Chandler robin.chandler@btinternet.com

Cambridge Museum of Technology is the home of Cambridge’s industrial heritage. For further information on the Museum contact Nick Plaister nick.plaister@museumoftechnology.com