Marcel Jules Odilon Lobelle (1893-1967) was a Belgian aeronautical engineer who spent his professional career working in Britain, and was responsible for many original designs and inventions including a pilot-less target drone, an inflatable wing and many other concepts[1]
1893 He was born in Kortrijk, Flanders, and fought in the Belgian Army at the start of World War I, with the 1st Regiment of Grenadiers.
He was seriously wounded in the fighting for Tervaete during the Battle of the Yser in October 1914.
On being discharged from the army in 1917 he moved to Britain, taking employment with the Tarrant company, and then Martinsyde, before eventually becoming chief designer at the Fairey Aviation Co in 1925, where he designed the Fairey Swordfish and other aircraft[2]
1939 Aeronautical Engineer and Designer lived in Eton with Doris M. Lobelle[3]
He left Fairey in 1940 and joined the R. Malcolm Co, which became M. L. Aviation in 1946 (after Mobbs and Lobelle, the managing director and chief designer respectively).
He died at Wexham Park Hospital on 30 August 1967, the death notice says he was aged 74 and his wife was Doris
1967 Obituary [4]
Mr Marcell Lobelle (Member) an engineer of considerable eminence in the aircraft world, died recently. Mr Lobelle, who was Chief Designer and Technical Director of the M. L. Aviation Company will be remembered as the designer of the Fairy Swordfish.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Flight Archive 1967
- ↑ Flight Archive 1962
- ↑ 1939 register
- ↑ 1967 Institution of Mechanical Engineers: Obituaries
- National probate calendar