Cameron Earl

Cameron Earl (8 May 1923 – 18 June 1952) was a British automotive engineer.

Cameron Earl
Born8 May 1923
Sculcoates,[1] Yorkshire, England
Died18 June 1952 (aged 29)
Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England
NationalityBritish
OccupationAutomotive engineer

Early life

Earl was born in Yorkshire in 1923.[2]

German research

Earl was sent to Germany after the Second World War by the British Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee to study the development of 1930s Grand Prix racing cars, and wrote an influential report about them.[3] This report aided British engine designers by presenting them with secrets of German design, based on Earl's interviews with designers at Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union in April and May 1947, and blueprints he obtained.[4]

Death

Earl was a technical consultant for the English Racing Automobiles team when on 18 June 1952 during a test drive of racing car R14B at the Motor Industry Research Association's (MIRA) test track in Nuneaton, Warwickshire when his car overturned.[5] Earl, aged 29, died in hospital from a fractured skull.[5]

Cameron Earl was the first driver to die as a result of a crash in a Formula One car.

References

  1. Actual location not known; the Sculcoates Registration District covers the towns and parishes of Anlaby, Cottingham, Hatlemprice, Hedon, Hessle, Kirk Ella, Melton, North Ferriby, Preston, Sculcoates, Sutton on Hull, Swanland, Wauldby, West Ella and Willerby
  2. General Register Office index of births registered in January, February and March 1923 - Name: Earl, Cameron C. District: Sculcoates, Yorkshire. Volume: 9D Page: 243.
  3. Earl, Cameron C., "Investigation into the development of German Grand Prix racing cars between 1934 and 1939 (including a description of the Mercedes world's land speed record ... Intelligence Objectives Sub-committee) [Paperback]" Technical Information and Document Unit (1947), ASIN: B0007JG0I0. Reprinted 1996 with new introduction,"Quick Silver : B. I. O. S. Report No. 1755 : Investigation into the Development of German Grand Prix Racing Cars Between 1934 and 1939 (Including a Description of the Mercedes World's Land Speed Record Contender)" HMSO, reprint edition, 1996. ISBN 0-11-290550-1
  4. Ludvigsen, Karl "BRM V16: How Britain's auto makers built a Grand Prix car to beat the world ," Veloce, 2007, pages 6,7, and 10. ISBN 978-1-84584-037-2. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
  5. "Killed While Testing Racing Car". The Times. London. 19 June 1952. p. 4.
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