| Abstract |
Richard Douglas Archer, (Doug), born in Melbourne on 3/4/1925, passed away on 8/8/2004 after a short illness. Doug had a diverse career in the academic, aeronautical and shock wave areas over a very long period, remaining active in all these until suffering a stroke three years ago.His career began with his enrolment in a physics degree programme at Melbourne University in 1943. Due to the wartime pressures, he completed the three year bachelor’s degree in two years, specializing in radio physics. He then served in the RAAF (Australian air force) as a radar engineer until 1946. On demobilization, his interest in aviation led him to undertake a Bachelor of Engineering (Aeronautical) at Sydney University which he completed in 1949. He was awarded a Fulbright scholarship for further study in the USA, which he undertook at the University of Minnesota, completing a Master’s in Aeronautical Engineering from 1950 to 1952. University of Minnesota had at that time the Rosemount Aerodynamic Laboratory, which was one of the major aeronautical research facilities in the USA. During this period he toured the length and breadth of the USA in his 1939 Chevrolet, at times working at building grain silos, making Turkish sandwiches and, of course, as a teaching assistant at the University. Upon completing his degree, Doug traveled to the UK where he worked with the aerodynamic and wind tunnel group at the Handley Page aircraft company in London.On returning to Australia in 1953, he was employed with the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC), becoming involved in many projects including supersonic interceptor aircraft design. In 1954, while still with the CAC, he obtained an additional position as a part-time lecturer at RMIT (now RMIT University). Realizing that his preferred career lay in teaching, he moved to a full time position at RMIT as Senior Lecturer in charge of Aeronautical Engineering in 1957. Further study was still attractive to him and, in 1959 he returned to the Rosemount Laboratory to undertake a PhD, which he completed in 1963. Here he was involved in wind tunnel testing of supersonic re-entry vehicles. He returned to a post as the aerodynamic specialist for the Aeronautical Engineering degree at the University of NSW which was then a group embedded in the School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. Within a short period, he became the Head of this group, a position he occupied with great distinction for over a quarter of a century until his retirement in 1990.His leadership of this group resulted in the development of both the Aeronautical Engineering course and the Aerodynamics laboratory which became noted for the range and quality of its equipment. He undertook the largest teaching and supervision load in the School and was greatly respected by students because of his empathy with them. He introduced many new undergraduate subjects in Aeronautical Engineering and was responsible for the development of the higher degree subjects in all areas of the School for many years.His initial research projects at the University of NSW were a continuation of his studies in the USA and were oriented towards a numerical assessment of the re-entry vehicle problems. In 1967, he initiated a new experimental project on shock wave focusing. While later diversifying into many other experimental shock wave projects, he always retained an interest in this area. Only recently, after his initial stroke, he proposed new studies on the potential damage to human brains from wave focusing at the rear from repeated small impacts from the front, such as with soccer players. In 1991, shortly after his retirement, he spent a period with Professor Takayama in Japan to learn more about the bioengineering applications of shock waves.He also developed many new research projects with both an international and an Australian orientation. These included studies of very low speed flight (related to agricultural aircraft), man powered and flapping wing flight. He was one of the pioneers of this last area with particular emphasis on the basic physics of bird flight. In addition, he examined the use of aircraft to create shock waves for the extinction of bushfires, he had a strong interest in engines, particularly those for aircraft and he published a comprehensive text on aerospace propulsion. He undertook a large study on light aircraft accidents in Australia which identified areas on concern where the rates are high. He was prominent in the Australian branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society, acting as a committee member and president for a many years.Internationally, he was best known for his work with shock waves. He attended his first meeting of the International Shock Wave Symposia in 1969 and missed few of the biennial meetings from then until his illness in 1999. He was highly respected in this community, not only for his papers and his careful questions, comments and discussion but because he was above all, a natural gentleman. Doug is survived by his wife Olga, who he married in 1959 and his three sons, Robin (born in the USA while Doug was studying for his PhD), Mark and John. |
