Mitchell was a civilian mechanical engineer whose 1931 arresting-gear work brought him to Admiralty attention. During the Second World War he served as an engineering adviser connected with the Department of Naval Construction and joined the investigation of V-1 launch sites. His postwar work at Brown Brothers continued the development of arresting gear and produced the steam catapult needed for much heavier aircraft. International engineering awards reflected how widely that contribution was recognized. Modern carrier aviation depended on coordinated mechanical engineering and ship integration as much as on new aircraft designs.
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Colin Mitchell and the engineering behind steam catapults
A profile of civilian engineer Colin Mitchell explains the arresting-gear and steam-catapult work that enabled heavier carrier aircraft.