John Kenworthy

Who was John Kenworthy?

John Kenworthy B.Sc., F.R.Aes was an English aviation engineer and aircraft designer.

John Kenworthy appears in the 1901 Census of Darlington, aged 17, living with four sisters, one brother and his parents George and Ellen Kenworthy at 65 Greenbank Road, Darlington, County Durham. His father was listed as a Schoolmaster.

In his early years he was a design assistant at the Royal Aircraft Factory formed out of the HM Balloon factory in 1911 at Farnborough, Hampshire. His first design in 1912 was the B.E.3, also known as the Goldfish because of its horizontal tail fin. He also designed the H.R.E.2, a floatplane version of the earlier B.E.2 designed by Geoffrey de Havilland. Following closely in 1912 was the After the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the Royal Flying Corps needed fighter and reconnaissance aircraft from the Royal Aircraft Factory and Kenworthy as Chief designer produced the F.E.8 from 1916, and the R.E.8, used from 1917. In 1916 he was part of the project team as chief draughtsman who designed the 150 hp S.E.5, and its follow up, the S.E.5a which arrived several months later with the same basic designs, but a more powerful 200 hp engine.