{{Short description|British politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}} Air Commodore '''William Helmore''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE|FCS|FRAeS}}<ref>Proceedings of the Chemical Society. May 1936.</ref><ref>[http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.aspx?pdf=35586&geotype=London&gpn=2489&type=ArchivedIssuePage&all=helmore&exact=&atleast=&similar= London Gazette issue 35586]{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref>Proceedings of the Chemical Society. June 1942. "The congratulations of the Society have been conveyed to Group Captain W. Helmore on his receiving the honour of C.B.E."</ref> (1 March 1894 – 18 December 1964<ref>[http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.aspx?pdf=43237&geotype=London&gpn=1122&type=ArchivedIssuePage&all=helmore&exact=&atleast=&similar= London Gazette issue 43237]</ref>) was an engineer and Royal Air Force officer who had a varied and distinguished career in scientific research with the Air Ministry and the Ministry of Aircraft Production during the Second World War, as a broadcaster, and for two years as Member of Parliament for Watford 1943–1945.
==Early life== Helmore was educated at Blundell's School and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He served in the First World War as a Royal Artillery officer and then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as an observer and pilot. One result of this experience was his book ''Cavalry of the Air''. After the war he went to Christ's College, Cambridge, and obtained a first class (honours) degree in mechanical sciences.
==Post WWI== In 1922, Helmore was granted a permanent commission as a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force and developed his interest in scientific research in aviation. He was also involved in the development of aerial refuelling, serving as co-pilot and hose handler on Sir Alan Cobham's pioneering flight from Portsmouth, England, to India on 22 September 1934,<ref>[http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/75yrs_inflight_refueling.pdf USAF:75 Years of Inflight Refueling] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030054318/http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/75yrs_inflight_refueling.pdf |date=30 October 2008 }}</ref> also inventing the electrolytic process of forming flame or explosion traps.<ref name=patus2333567> {{Ref patent |country=us |number=2333567 |status=patent |title=Electrolytic process of forming flame or explosion traps |pubdate= |gdate=1943-11-02 |fdate=1940-12-28 |pridate= |invent1=William Helmore |invent2= |assign1= |assign2= |class= }}</ref> In 1931 Helmore was awarded the Groves Prize for Aeronautical Research.
Helmore was promoted squadron leader on 1 October 1928 and wing commander on 1 July 1935, but retired from the RAF at his own request on 1 March 1937 to devote himself to research at Cambridge. He returned to the active list in August 1939 and was promoted honorary group captain on 21 May 1941 and later honorary air commodore.
==World War II== As senior scientific adviser to the Chief of Air Staff from 1939, Helmore was chiefly concerned with defeating the night bomber. Helmore with aeronautical engineer L.E. Baynes, nicknamed "The Baron", worked on the development of the Turbinlite, a 2,700 million candela (2.7 Gcd) searchlight fitted in the nose of Douglas Havoc night fighters. The light was intended to be used to illuminate attacking enemy bombers for defending fighters to then shoot down.<ref>{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=John |last=McCarthy |title=Frederick Sidney Cotton (1894–1969) |id2=cotton-frederick-sidney-9834 |year=1993 |volume=13 |access-date=27 August 2025}}</ref> Unfortunately certain practical difficulties brought the idea to nothing, but much of his work was subsequently incorporated in the Leigh light, an anti-submarine aircraft searchlight, which with the aid of radar was particularly deadly to German U-boats.
For the last four years of the war he was technical adviser to the Ministry of Aircraft Production, and was responsible for a number of other valuable inventions and, in 1942, he was selected as one of the eight members of the Brabazon Committee which sought to identify aircraft for Britain's post war transport needs.
Helmore's contribution, to Britain's war effort was not confined to scientific research. He had earlier broadcast such events as the Schneider Trophy air races and reviews, and during the war his accounts of the RAF's work were heard frequently. His most notable commentary was when he broadcast an eye-witness account of the D-Day landings in Normandy, the first 'live', (recorded live onto transcription disc for transmission later), broadcast from over the invasion fleet on 6 June 1944, reporting overhead from an RAF B-25 Mitchell bomber.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01zkdry Historic D-Day Reports broadcast on BBC Radio]</ref>
Helmore was Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford 1943–1945.
==Post war== After the war Helmore entered industry, being technical director to Castrol, a scientific consultant to ICI and director-general of the Aluminum Association.
In 1947 Helmore was invited by the Minister for Civil Aviation to become the chairman of the Brabazon Committee, to consider the certification of aircraft and approval of equipment. In addition he was the vice-chairman of a committee set up to review the licensing, recruitment and training of civil aviation personnel.
Helmore was a keen yachtsman, owning the schooner ''Allegro'' from 1929 to 1963.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.britishclassicyachtclub.org/register/Foglio.htm |title=Foglio |access-date=3 August 2008 |archive-date=1 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080801110122/http://www.britishclassicyachtclub.org/register/Foglio.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Helmore married twice. His obituary in The Times records that he left two sons and three daughters of his first marriage but other reports say he had four children, Peter, Patrick, Peggy and Pamela. Peggie, his eldest daughter married Cuthbert Scott in 1942.<ref>[http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=33634 Church Times, obituary for the Revd Cuthbert Scott]</ref><ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/capt-the-rev-cuthbert-scott-439030.html Independent, obituary for the Revd Cuthbert Scott]{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>[http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersS.html Unit Histories]</ref>
==Patents== {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 344806 |status= patent |title= An improved trap for flame resulting from explosion of gases in a conduit |gdate= 1931-03-02 |invent1=William Helmore; Andrew Swan }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 351613 |status= patent |title= Improved means for protecting internal-combustion engines for use on aircraft or other vehicles |gdate= 1931-07-02 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 352550 |status= patent |title= Improvements relating to the supply of fuel to internal combustion engines |gdate= 1931-07-13 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 354398 |status= patent |title= Improvements relating to fuel for internal combustion engines |gdate= 1931-08-13 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 366947 |status= patent |title= Improvements in and methods of using fuels in internal combustion engines |gdate= 1932-02-03 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 1849051 | y = 1932 | m = 03 | d = 08 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Fuel oil for compression ignition systems }}, Assigned to Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd<br> {{Ref patent |country= US |number= 1887305 |status= patent |title= Device for use in association with gases or gas–liquid mixtures, as alpha flame or explosion trap, alpha mixer, alpha flow controller, alpha silencer, or alpha cooler |gdate= 1932-11-08 |invent1=William Helmore; Andrew Swan }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 1887305 | y = 1932 | m = 11 | d = 08 | inventor = William Helmore and Andrew Swan | title = Device for use in association with gases or gas–liquid mixtures, as a flame or explosion trap, a mixer, a flow controller, a silencer, or a cooler }}<br> {{Ref patent |country= DE |number= 564899 |status= patent |title= Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Brennstoffes fuer Brennkraftmaschinen mit Kompressionszuendung |gdate= 1932-11-24 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 394736 |status= patent |title= Improvements in or relating to testing combustible fluids |gdate= 1933-07-06 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 398222 |status= patent |title= Improvements relating to lubricating oils |gdate= 1933-09-11 |invent1=William Helmore; Ernest Walter John Mardles }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=CA |number=338398 |status=patent |title= Lubricating Oil |gdate=1934-01-02 |invent1=William Helmore and Ernest Walter John Mardles |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd }}<br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 414410 |status= patent |title= Means for preventing freezing of the induction systems of internal combustion engines |gdate= 1934-08-03 |invent1=Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 417653 |status= patent |title= Improvements in the treatment of fuel spirits |gdate= 1934-10-01 |invent1=Ernest Walter John Mardles; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 423510 |status= patent |title= Improvements relating to preventing freezing of the induction systems of internal combustion engines |gdate= 1935-02-04 |invent1=Andrew Swan; William Helmore |assign1= }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 423938 |status= patent |title= The inhibition of deterioration in olefinic oils and spirits |gdate= 1935-02-11 |invent1=Ernest Walter John Mardles; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 427260 |status= patent |title= Means for testing lubricating oils |gdate= 1935-04-18 |invent1=William Helmore; Alan Arnold Griffith }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= US |number= 2001164 |status= patent |title= Induction system for internal combustion engines |gdate= 1935-05-14 |invent1=Andrew Swan; William Helmore }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 2001164 | y = 1935 | m = 05 | d = 14 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Induction system for internal combustion engines }}<br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 429682 |status= patent |title= Improved means for regulating the supply of fuel and/or other fluids to internal combustion engines |gdate= 1935-06-04 |invent1=Andrew Swan; Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=CA |number=351407 |status=patent |title=Lubricant Production |pubdate= |gdate=1935-07-02 |invent1=Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd }}<br> {{Ref patent |country= FR |number= 784876 |status= patent |title= Perfectionnements aux dispositifs d'aspiration de moteurs à combustion interne |gdate= 1935-07-27 |invent1=Andrew Swan; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= US |number= 2032279 |status= patent |title= Treatment of lubricating oils |gdate= 1936-02-25 |invent1=Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 2032279 | y = 1936 | m = 02 | d = 25 | inventor = Alan Arnold Griffith and William Helmore | title = Treatment of lubricating oils }}, Assigned to CCWakefield &Co Ltd<br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 446914 |status= patent |title= Improvements in or relating to the exhaust systems of internal combustion engines |gdate= 1936-05-08 |invent1=Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 446915 |status= patent |title= Improvements in relating to the exhaust silencers of internal combustion engines |gdate= 1936-05-08 |invent1= Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 446983 |status= patent |title= Ice accretion indicator for aircraft and internal combustion engines |gdate= 1936-05-11 |invent1=Andrew Swan; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 449532 |status= patent |title= Means for automatically preventing detrimental ice formation in aircraft |gdate= 1936-06-22 |invent1=Andrew Swan; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= US |number= 2045389 |status= patent |title= Induction system for internal combustion engines |gdate= 1936-06-23 |invent1=William Helmore; Alan Arnold Griffith |assign1=HM Hobson Aircraft & Motor }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 2045389 | y = 1936 | m = 06 | d = 23 | inventor = William Helmore and Alan Arnold Griffith | title = Induction system for internal combustion engines }}, Assigned to H.M.Hobson (Aircraft and Motor) Components Limited<br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 473288 |status= patent |title= An improved internal-combustion engine |gdate= 1937-10-08 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= FR |number= 825380 |status= patent |title= Perfectionnements apportés aux moteurs à combustion interne |gdate= 1938-03-02 |invent1=William Helmore and Alan Arnold Griffith }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = RE20775 | y = 1938 | m = 06 | d = 28 | inventor = Andrew Swan and William Helmore | title = System for preventing detrimental ice formation }}, Assigned to H.M.Hobson (Aircraft and Motor) Components Limited<br> {{Ref patent |country= US |number= 2137941 |status= patent |title= Internal combustion engine |gdate= 1938-11-22 |invent1=William Helmore and Alan Arnold Griffith }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 2137941 | y = 1938 | m = 11 | d = 22 | inventor = William Helmore and Alan Arnold Griffith | title = Internal combustion engine }}<br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 510244 |status= patent |title= Improved lubricating oils |gdate= 1939-07-28 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 512689 |status= patent |title= Improvements in plate heat exchangers for fluids |gdate= 1939-09-22 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 526269 |status= patent |title= Improvements in air speed indicators |gdate= 1940-09-13 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 530824 |status= patent |title= Improvements in flame or explosion traps |gdate= 1940-12-23 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= US |number= 2229740 |status= patent |title= Air speed indicator |gdate= 1941-01-28 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 2229740 | y = 1941 | m = 01 | d = 28 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Speed Indicator }}<br> {{Ref patent |country= FR |number= 865601 |status= patent |title= Perfectionnements aux indicateurs de vitesse de l'air |gdate= 1941-05-29 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 531610 |status= patent |title= Improvements in flame or explosion traps |gdate= 1941-01-08 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 542592 |status= patent |title= Improvements relating to the control of the temperature of charges supplied to internal combustion engines |gdate= 1942-01-19 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=GB |number=548062 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to flame or explosion traps |gdate=1942-09-23 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=CA |number=414919 |status=patent |title=Engine charge temperature control device |gdate=1943-08-31 |invent1=William Helmore |assign1=Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd }}<br> {{Ref patent |country=US |number=2333567 |status=patent |title=Electrolytic process of forming flame or explosion traps |gdate=1943-11-02 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 2333567 | y = 1943 | m = 11 | d = 02 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Electrolytic process of forming flame or explosion traps }}<br> {{Ref patent |country=CA |number=418103 |status=patent |title=Flame or Explosion Trap |gdate=1944-02-01 |invent1=William Helmore }}<br> {{Ref patent |country=US |number=2372272 |status=patent |title=Apparatus for controlling temperature of boosted charge of internal-combustion engines |gdate=1945-03-27 |invent1=William Helmore |assign1=Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 2372272 | y = 1945 | m = 03 | d = 27 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Apparatus for controlling temperature of boosted charge of internal-combustion engines }}, Assigned to Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd<br> {{Ref patent |country=US |number=2391311 |status=patent |title=Lubricating composition |gdate=1945-12-18 |invent1=William Helmore |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 2391311 | y = 1945 | m = 12 | d = 18 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Lubricating composition }}, Assigned to CCWakefield &Co Ltd<br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 574970 |status= patent |title= An improved method and means for intercepting night flying hostile aircraft |gdate= 1946-01-29 |invent1=Frederick Sidney Cotton; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 575093 |status= patent |title= Improvements in or relating to searchlights for use in aircraft |gdate= 1946-02-04 |invent1=Frederick Sidney Cotton; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country= GB |number= 576118 |status= patent |title= Improvements in or relating to navigation lights for night-flying aircraft |gdate= 1946-03-20 |invent1=Frederick Sidney Cotton; William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=GB |number=576214 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to the mounting of searchlights on aircraft |gdate=1946-03-25 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=GB |number=579159 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to submersible watercraft driven by internal-combustion engines |gdate=1946-07-25 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=US |number=2413350 |status=patent |title=Air intake pipe for motor watercraft |gdate=1946-12-31 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 2413350 | y = 1946 | m = 12 | d = 31 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Air intake pipe for motor watercraft }}<br> {{Ref patent |country=US |number=2551124 |status=patent |title=Lubricating compositions and additives therefor |gdate=1951-05-01 |invent1=William Helmore |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 2551124 | y = 1951 | m = 05 | d = 01 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Lubricating compositions and additives therefor }}, Assigned to CCWakefield &Co Ltd<br> {{Ref patent |country=DE |number=832029 |status=patent |title=Mineraloelschmiermittel |gdate=1952-03-24 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=GB |number=743201 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to heat exchangers |gdate=1956-01-11 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=GB |number=745914 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to heat exchangers |gdate=1956-03-07 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=GB |number=745936 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to corrugated sheet material |gdate=1956-03-07 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=CA |number=560166 |status=patent |title=Lubricating compositions and additives therefor |gdate=1958-07-08 |invent1=William Helmore |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd }}<br> {{Ref patent |country=GB |number=851758 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to means for collecting litter |pubdate= |gdate=1960-10-19 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{US patent reference | number = 3309795 | y = 1961 | m = 07 | d = 12 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Mechanisms for simulating the movement of vehicles }}<br> {{Ref patent |country=FR |number=1301003 |status=patent |title=Perfectionnements apportés aux agencements de simulation des mouvements des véhicules |gdate=1962-08-10 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=GB |number=918705 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to mechanisms for simulating the movement of vehicles |gdate=1963-02-20 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=CA |number=676942 |status=patent |title=Mechanisms for simulating the movement of vehicles |gdate=1963-12-31 |invent1=William Helmore }}<br> {{Ref patent |country=GB |number=979495 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to mechanisms for simulating the movement of vehicles |gdate=1965-01-06 |invent1=William Helmore }} <br> {{Ref patent |country=GB |number=1004005 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to means for reducing the effect on the occupant of a vehicle of changes in the velocity of the vehicle |gdate=1965-09-08 |invent1=Air Commodore William Helmore }}
==References== {{reflist}} *Obituary of Air Commodore W. Helmore, The Times, 20 January 1964 (pg. 14; Issue 55913; col C)
== External links == * {{Hansard-contribs | air-commodore-william-helmore | William Helmore }} *[http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Helmore.htm Full details of military career]
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{succession box | title=Member of Parliament for Watford | years=1943–1945 | before=Sir Dennis Herbert | after=John Freeman}} {{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Helmore, William}} Category:1894 births Category:1964 deaths Category:Royal Artillery officers Category:People educated at Blundell's School Category:Graduates of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich Category:Royal Flying Corps officers Category:Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:English aerospace engineers Category:UK MPs 1935–1945 Category:Burmah-Castrol Category:British Army personnel of World War I Category:Royal Air Force air commodores Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Fellows of the Royal Aeronautical Society