John W. R. Taylor: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|British intelligence analyst and author (1922–1999)}} |
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{{Use British English|date=July 2012}} |
{{Use British English|date=July 2012}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} |
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{{Infobox writer |
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1922|6|8|df=y}} |
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1922|6|8|df=y}} |
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| death_date = {{death date and age|1999|12|12|1922|6|8|df=y}} |
| death_date = {{death date and age|1999|12|12|1922|6|8|df=y}} |
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| occupation = Draughtsman, Author, Journalist |
| occupation = Draughtsman, Author, Journalist |
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| nationality = British |
| nationality = British |
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| education = [[King's |
| education = [[King's Ely]], [[Soham]] Grammar school |
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| notableworks = Editor: [[Jane's All the World's Aircraft]] 30 years |
| notableworks = Editor: [[Jane's All the World's Aircraft]] 30 years |
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'''John William Ransom Taylor''', [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] [[Doctor of Engineering|Hon DEng]] [[Royal Aeronautical Society|FRAeS]] [[Royal Historical Society|FRHistS]] AFIAA,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sohamgrammar.org.uk/taylor_jwr.htm|title=Soham Grammarians - JWR Taylor|date=2004-02-18|website=sohamgrammar.org.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022212633/http://sohamgrammar.org.uk/taylor_jwr.htm|archive-date=22 October 2018|url-status=live|access-date=18 July 2014}}</ref> (8 June 1922 – 12 December 1999<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Fairhall |title=John W R Taylor |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2000/jan/25/guardianobituaries.davidfairhall |work=The Guardian |date=25 January 2000 }}</ref>) was a British aviation expert and editor |
'''John William Ransom Taylor''', [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] [[Doctor of Engineering|Hon DEng]] [[Royal Aeronautical Society|FRAeS]] [[Royal Historical Society|FRHistS]] AFIAA,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sohamgrammar.org.uk/taylor_jwr.htm|title=Soham Grammarians - JWR Taylor|date=2004-02-18|website=sohamgrammar.org.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022212633/http://sohamgrammar.org.uk/taylor_jwr.htm|archive-date=22 October 2018|url-status=live|access-date=18 July 2014}}</ref> (8 June 1922 – 12 December 1999<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Fairhall |title=John W R Taylor |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2000/jan/25/guardianobituaries.davidfairhall |work=The Guardian |date=25 January 2000 }}</ref>) was a British aviation expert and editor of a number of aviation publications. |
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He edited ''[[Jane's All the World's Aircraft]]'' (JAWA) for three decades during [[Cold War|the Cold War]] between the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies and the USA/European alliance (NATO). He retired as Jane's editor in 1989, just as the [[Iron Curtain]] obscuring much of the [[Eastern Bloc|Soviet Bloc's]] technology started to be revealed. |
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| ⚫ | A quote from the UK Guardian newspaper said: "In 1961, when [[UK-US Security Agreement|Western intelligence]] was fascinated by early glimpses of a new Soviet bomber, the [[Tupolev Tu-22]], many [[Intelligence analysis|analysts]] estimated it could reach a speed of [[Mach number|Mach 2]].5 - more than twice the [[speed of sound]]. But Taylor, after noting the shape of the aircraft's engine intakes, put the maximum at no more than Mach 1.4, which proved much closer to the truth. In 1983, he analysed the [[Mikoyan MiG-29|MiG-29]] fighter, whose agility was the cause of much anxiety amongst [[NATO|NATO's]] [[Military simulation|war-gamers]]; seven years later, when [[Jane's Information Group|Jane's]] was able to check his suggested measurements, they were found to be accurate to within an inch. " [[The Guardian]], Tuesday 25 January 2000. |
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| ⚫ | Taylor was educated at [[Ely Cathedral]] Choir School ([[King's School, Ely]]) and [[Soham]] [[Grammar school|Grammar School]] in [[Cambridgeshire]]. He trained as a [[Drafter|draughtsman]] and joined [[Hawker-Siddeley|Hawker Aircraft]] in 1941. There he worked on the development of the [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane fighter]] and its successors. His specialisation was |
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| ⚫ | Taylor was educated at [[Ely Cathedral]] Choir School ([[King's School, Ely|King's Ely]]) and [[Soham]] [[Grammar school|Grammar School]] in [[Cambridgeshire]]. He trained as a [[Drafter|draughtsman]] and joined [[Hawker-Siddeley|Hawker Aircraft]] in 1941. There he worked on the development of the [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane fighter]] and its successors. His specialisation was improving details of design. |
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He joined Jane's as editorial assistant on Jane's All the World's Aircraft (JAWA) in 1955 and four years later he took over as editor. He edited JAWA until the late 1960s. |
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==Works== |
==Works== |
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* ''Helicopters of the World,'' (with Michael J.H. Taylor) 1978, [[Charles Scribner's Sons]], New York |
* ''Helicopters of the World,'' (with Michael J.H. Taylor) 1978, [[Charles Scribner's Sons]], New York |
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* ''Aircraft, Aircraft!'' |
* ''Aircraft, Aircraft!'' |
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* ''Helicopters and VTOL Aircraft,'' 1968, [[Doubleday & Co Inc.]], New York |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:1999 deaths]] |
[[Category:1999 deaths]] |
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[[Category:English editors]] |
[[Category:English editors]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:British aviation writers]] |
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[[Category:British aviation historians]] |
[[Category:British aviation historians]] |
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[[Category:British historians]] |
[[Category:British historians]] |
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[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Historical Society]] |
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Historical Society]] |
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[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]] |
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]] |
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[[Category:People educated at King's Ely]] |
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Latest revision as of 20:19, 23 August 2024
John W. R. Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 June 1922 |
| Died | 12 December 1999 (aged 77) |
| Occupation | Draughtsman, Author, Journalist |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | King's Ely, Soham Grammar school |
| Notable works | Editor: Jane's All the World's Aircraft 30 years |
John William Ransom Taylor, OBE Hon DEng FRAeS FRHistS AFIAA,[1] (8 June 1922 – 12 December 1999[2]) was a British aviation expert and editor of a number of aviation publications.
He edited Jane's All the World's Aircraft (JAWA) for three decades during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies and the USA/European alliance (NATO). He retired as Jane's editor in 1989, just as the Iron Curtain obscuring much of the Soviet Bloc's technology started to be revealed.
Taylor died age 77 and specialised in what has been called "Kremlinology", in that he made predictions of the performance of Soviet military equipment from poor and sometimes blurred photographs and other evidence.
A quote from the UK Guardian newspaper said: "In 1961, when Western intelligence was fascinated by early glimpses of a new Soviet bomber, the Tupolev Tu-22, many analysts estimated it could reach a speed of Mach 2.5 - more than twice the speed of sound. But Taylor, after noting the shape of the aircraft's engine intakes, put the maximum at no more than Mach 1.4, which proved much closer to the truth. In 1983, he analysed the MiG-29 fighter, whose agility was the cause of much anxiety amongst NATO's war-gamers; seven years later, when Jane's was able to check his suggested measurements, they were found to be accurate to within an inch. " The Guardian, Tuesday 25 January 2000.
Taylor was educated at Ely Cathedral Choir School (King's Ely) and Soham Grammar School in Cambridgeshire. He trained as a draughtsman and joined Hawker Aircraft in 1941. There he worked on the development of the Hurricane fighter and its successors. His specialisation was improving details of design.
He joined Jane's as editorial assistant on Jane's All the World's Aircraft (JAWA) in 1955 and four years later he took over as editor. He edited JAWA until the late 1960s.
He also provided a monthly aviation feature in Meccano Magazine up to the 1960s.
Works
[edit]Books
[edit](partial list)
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft (Editor, 30 years)
- Civil Aircraft of the World,(with Gordon Swanborough) 1972 and 1974, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York
- Combat Aircraft of the World, 1969 Paragon, U.K.; 1979 G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York.
- Helicopters of the World, (with Michael J.H. Taylor) 1978, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York
- Aircraft, Aircraft!
- Helicopters and VTOL Aircraft, 1968, Doubleday & Co Inc., New York
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Soham Grammarians - JWR Taylor". sohamgrammar.org.uk. 18 February 2004. Archived from the original on 22 October 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
- ^ Fairhall, David (25 January 2000). "John W R Taylor". The Guardian.
