ABSTRACT
In June 1938, when he had already spent more than two years at the Air Ministry in charge of research and development, Freeman was assigned responsibility for production as well. ‘Everything in the way of reequipping the RAF therefore hinged on Freeman. No burden, except that of Prime Minister, could have been greater’, at a time when war against Germany, Italy and perhaps Japan as well seemed likely.1
Freeman, a man notoriously difficult to please, had thought highly of Tedder for more than 20 years, ever since they served together on the Western Front. He now had him summoned home from Singapore to take up a newly-created position: Director-General of Research and Development. In effect, Tedder was to be his service deputy, helping to manage what has been called ‘one of the largest state-sponsored industrial enterprises in British history: the expansion of the military aircraft industry in the rearmament years of the late 1930s and in the early years of the Second World War’.2
