# James Arnot Hamilton

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_Arnot_Hamilton
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_Arnot_Hamilton.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Arnot_Hamilton
> Source revision: 1304337526
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|British aircraft designer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix   = [Sir](/source/Sir)
| name               = James Hamilton
| honorific_suffix   = {{postnominals|country=GBR|KCB|MBE}}
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1923|05|02|df=y}}
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2012|05|24|1923|05|02|df=y}}
| occupation         = Aircraft designer
| known_for          = [Concorde](/source/Concorde)<br>[SEPECAT Jaguar](/source/SEPECAT_Jaguar)
}}
'''Sir  James Arnot Hamilton''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|KCB|MBE}} (2 May 1923{{Spaced en dash}}24 May 2012) was a British aircraft designer who helped design [Concorde](/source/Concorde) and the [SEPECAT Jaguar](/source/SEPECAT_Jaguar). He also served as the [permanent secretary](/source/permanent_secretary) of the [Department for Education](/source/Department_for_Education). Specialising in wing design, he was largely responsible for Concorde's distinctive [wing](/source/Concorde).

==Biography==
James Hamilton was born on 2 May 1923 in [Midlothian](/source/Midlothian). He attended [Lasswade Secondary School](/source/Lasswade_High_School_Centre) and [Penicuik High School](/source/Penicuik_High_School), before going on to receive a degree in [civil engineering](/source/civil_engineering) from the [University of Edinburgh](/source/University_of_Edinburgh).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scottish-places.info/people/famousfirst4312.html|title=Sir James Arnot Hamilton|website=Gazetteer for Scotland|access-date=19 January 2020}}</ref><ref name=dnb>Barfield, Norman, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/105037 "Hamilton, Sir James Arnot (1923–2012)"], ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, online edition, 7 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2020. {{subscription required}}</ref> He served in the [Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment](/source/Marine_Aircraft_Experimental_Establishment) from 1943 to 1952, where he worked on [anti-submarine weaponry](/source/Anti-submarine_warfare) and seaplanes, rising to head of flight research. He then worked at the [Royal Aircraft Establishment](/source/Royal_Aircraft_Establishment), becoming head of the projects division in 1964 before budget reductions led to his projects being stopped.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/sir-james-hamilton-aircraft-designer-who-led-the-british-concorde-development-team-7932562.html|title=Sir James Hamilton: Aircraft designer who led the British Concorde|work=The Independent|access-date=16 October 2018|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/technology-obituaries/9295956/Sir-James-Hamilton.html|title=Sir James Hamilton|date=28 May 2012|work=The Telegraph|access-date=16 October 2018|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/jun/03/sir-james-hamilton|title=Sir James Hamilton obituary|last=Turnill|first=Reginald|date=3 June 2012|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=16 October 2018}}</ref>

In 1965, Hamilton took control of the project to build the SEPECAT Jaguar. Launched in 1972, with various air forces, the Jaguar was used in numerous conflicts and military operations in [Mauritania](/source/Mauritania), [Chad](/source/Chad), [Iraq](/source/Iraq), [Bosnia](/source/Bosnia), and [Pakistan](/source/Pakistan), as well as providing a ready nuclear delivery platform for Britain, France, and India throughout the latter half of the [Cold War](/source/Cold_War) and beyond.<ref>Jackson, Paul. "SEPECAT Jaguar". ''World Air Power Journal''. Volume 11, Winter 1992, pp.&nbsp;52–111. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1992. {{ISBN|1-874023-96-4}}. ISSN 0959-7050.</ref> In 1966, he was named head of the British portion of the Concorde project. Specialising in wing design, he was largely responsible for the plane's distinctive [wing](/source/Concorde).<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Scotsman">{{cite news |title=Obituary: Sir James Hamilton; aeronautical engineer who developed delta wing for Anglo-French Concorde |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-sir-james-hamilton-aeronautical-engineer-who-developed-delta-wing-for-anglo-french-concorde-1-2341725 |access-date=17 October 2018 |work=The Scotsman |date=7 June 2012 |language=en}}</ref>

Though the project would not be completed until 1976, Hamilton left in 1971 to become deputy secretary for aerospace in the [Department of Trade and Industry](/source/Department_of_Trade_and_Industry_(United_Kingdom)). As deputy secretary, he oversaw cancellation of the [Black Arrow](/source/Black_Arrow) project and the nationalisation of [Rolls-Royce](/source/Rolls-Royce_Holdings)'s aviation engine division. In 1973, he served as Deputy Cabinet Secretary until being moved to the education department and taking control of the [Department of Education and Science](/source/Department_of_Education_and_Science_(UK)). He retired from government in 1983.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

Hamilton served on the boards of various corporations, including [Hawker Siddeley](/source/Hawker_Siddeley), and chaired [Brown and Root UK](/source/Brown_and_Root). He was president of [The Association for Science Education](/source/The_Association_for_Science_Education).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />  Hamilton was appointed a [Member of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Member_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) in 1952, a [Companion of the Order of the Bath](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath) in 1972 and a Knight Commander of that order in 1978.<ref name=":1"/>

Hamilton married Christine McKean in Glasgow in 1947, they had three children together before the marriage was dissolved in 1977.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir James Hamilton |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/obituaries/13059823.Sir_James_Hamilton/ |access-date=17 October 2018 |work=Herald Scotland |date=30 May 2012 |language=en}}</ref>  From 1995 until his death he was in a relationship with Marcia Cunningham.<ref name=":2" />  Hamilton died in [Winchester](/source/Winchester), Hampshire on 24 May 2012.<ref name="Scotsman"/>
==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=Sir [William Pile](/source/William_Pile_(civil_servant))}}
{{s-ttl|title=[Permanent Secretary](/source/Permanent_Secretary) of the<br/>[Department for Education and Science](/source/Department_for_Education_and_Science)|years=1976–1983}}
{{s-aft|after=Sir [David Hancock](/source/David_Hancock_(civil_servant))}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, James Arnot}}
Category:1923 births
Category:2012 deaths
Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Category:British aerospace engineers
Category:British civil servants
Category:Concorde
Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire
Category:People from Midlothian

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [James Arnot Hamilton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Arnot_Hamilton) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Arnot_Hamilton?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.