Neville Shute or, Neville Shute Norway to give hime his full name, was a very experienced aeroplane designer, he worked with Barnes Wallis on the design of the R100 airship before WW2 and he also started the Airspeed aircraft company who built many wonderfull aeropanes. His autobiography "Slide Rule" is still one of my favorite books and a must read for any one interested in aero engineering.