|
Ted O'Flynn
Ted O'Flynn was one of the original team recruited in 1929 to assist Tony Martin put EKCO on a sound footing of professionalism, which was needed to cope with the expansion of the business especially with the forthcoming move to the new factory being built in Priory Crescent Southend.
While he started as a Junior Laboratory Assistant, he progressed to be a Junior Engineer by 1936 working on domestic receiver design – a position he held until the war and the evacuation and relocation in 1940.
Rather than go to Malmesbury or Aylesbury, Ted re-located to the Green Park Hotel Aston Clinton, which was once a Rothschild Mansion set in the Buckinghamshire countryside.
This became the company head office for the duration of the war where in addition to being the H.Q., also undertook research and development by converting the stables (a substantial building in its own right) to become not only laboratories but also a fully equipped workshop as well as a drawing office
General view of the laboratory's converted from stables at Aston Clinton
Ted worked in a laboratory similar to this. Ted was engaged in the development of Airborne Radar at Aston Clinton, which was supplementary to the work being done in W.D.U. at Malmesbury. It was here that the Naval Radar sets were developed. Ted became responsible for an aircraft fitting party, carrying out the installation of Airborne Radar equipment in Fleet Air Arm Swordfish, Walrus and Albercore at the nearby R.A.F. Halton.
General view of the workshop within the stable block
After the war, Ted returned to Southend where he assumed overall responsibility for a 'special projects' laboratory, which was located over the car radio laboratory at the front of the site. Here he was instrumental in the design of the ARAA (Airfield Radar Approach Aid) along with John Price assisted by Mike Foggarty and later Bernard 'Johnny' Walker – who had just finished his National Service. In addition to this unit, they designed and built a Southend Airport NDB (Non Directional Beacon) about the same time using an adapted wartime R1154 transmitter (probably made at the Aylesbury shadow factory during the war), which was another example of 'low cost innovation' as used with the ARAA
The indicator unit shown above is part of the V.H.F. Communications and Direction Finding Equipment (CRDF) was also designed in this laboratory and it became widely used on airfields both in the UK and overseas. This indicator allowed accurate bearings to be taken on a received signal (communication) from an aircraft both as a QDM (bearing the aircraft needs to fly to reach the airfield) and a QTE (bearing of the aircraft from the airfield).
Editors note:
Circa 1960, the EKCO film unit recorded the visit to Southend Airport of the Mayor of Coventry and a delegation to view the Airport equipment described above. This copy of the film was rescued from a rubbish bin when the works closed down in 1971 and remained on a garage shelf for the best part of 25 years before being converted to VHS and more recently to DVD. The film can be viewed by clicking here.
During the 1950's Ted undertook many visits to many countries including the U.S.A, Canada, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Nigeria, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Nyassaland (now Malawi), South Africa and the Gold Coast promoting and selling the airport equipment.
As a result of this, the CRDF equipment became a best seller and widely adopted by airfields both in the UK and abroad. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for ARAA.
In 1955 along with Roy Burtenshaw (the chief Draftsman) Ted received his long service award from Eric Cole.
Ted in grey suit with long service award received from Eric Cole
Between1960 and 1971 Ted became the Technical Sales representative covering the Sales of V.H.F. Direction Finders and Ground Radar Aids for Airfields. This work involved demonstration, installation and flight calibration of equipment at the Airfields, both in the U.K. and overseas. One installation being carried out on one of the first Oil Drilling Rigs in the North Sea.
In 1971 with the EKCO Electronics move to Crawley, Ted joined Egen Electric Ltd on Canvey Island where he was responsible for the company's Electronic Services as Chief Test Engineer. Ted retired in 1979/80 after completing 50 years with the company. Unfortunately Ted died in June 1985.
Chris Poole & Pam O'Flynn January 2008.
|
