He was Chief Designer of the Harrier from 1965–78, taking over from Ralph Hooper.
On 22 June 1960, the project finally received a contract and finance from the Ministry of Aviation.
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The Bristol Siddeley Orpheus had been the starting point for the engine, with the Orpheus 3 first used, then an Orpheus 6.
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He is sometimes referred to, with Sir Stanley Hooker and Sir Sydney Camm, as being one of the three people who created the Harrier aircraft.
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Although originally for use by Royal Navy and RAF squadrons, in 1963 it was decided the Royal Navy would use the McDonnell Aircraft Phantom.
Ralph Hooper recalled during an interview with Thomas Lean in 2010 that "Sydney Camm used to reduce his secretaries to tears from time to time and Roy Chaplin who was his number two used to come in and cheer them up again".
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