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Known by many as
the editor of 'Practical Wireless', Frederick James Camm* was born in
Windsor, UK in 1895, the second of two boys and the younger brother, by two
years, of Sydney Camm. Their father, George, was an accomplished craftsman
and their can be little doubt that both the brothers gained much from the
skills and attitude of their father.
Both boys were very keen on aeronautics and flying machines in general. Sydney went on to design the famous WWII 'Hurricane' fighter. FJ and Sydney were the founding members of the Windsor Model Aeroplane Club. They planned to build a full-size man-carrying glider but the first world war brought their venture to a halt. |
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In 1910, FJ began what was to be a long and varied career when he gained an apprenticeship (seven years) for Brown Brothers Coachbuilders. He started writing early in life: A 1915 edition of 'Flight' magazine has notes from him of a technical nature to do with the loading, balance and thrust of flying model aircraft. FJ married Dorothy May Field in 1919. Their only son, Frederick William Sydney, was born in 1920. FJ began working for Pitmans in London, where his excellent draughtsmanship and technical writing abilities were put to good use. He wrote for a number of publications including Hobbies (wireless telegraphy and modelling) and Everyday Science. At the same time he began to build a store of material and ideas for the soon-to-be Newnes publications 'Practical Mechanics' and Practical Wireless'. |
| In 1919 his
first book, the first of many, was published. It was entitled 'The Design of
model Aircraft'. By the time of the second edition hit the streets he could
claim to be Model editor of 'Flight' and technical editor of 'Everyday
Science'. He continued to develop a growing interest and ability in all
branches of engineering and he freelanced his journalistic work and designed
a five cylinder compressed air model aeroplane engine and numerous designs
for flying model machines of all kinds. He introduced the 'Reader's Queries'
sections in his journals, a free 'help' service which continued throughout
his career.
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| With the help of his brother
and father, George, he built a three-wheeler car which he christened 'The
Cambro'. These cars were manufactured by The Central Aircraft Co. of Kilburn
and offered for sale at 79 guineas. Later, as editor of 'Practical
Mechanics' he designed a home-build car which had three and four-wheel
versions.
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FJ began editing Hobbies
Weekly for Newnes and soon began a 'Practical Wireless' section in that
magazine. By 1932 this title had become a fully-fledged magazine of its
own. By 1935, Practical Wireless had merged with 'Amateur Wireless' and
the combined magazine was edited - of course - by FJ. Always outspoken, when using the pseudonym 'Thermion', FJ could give vent to the things that irked him in life and it is on the Thermion page (On Your Wavelength, each month in Practical Wireless until his death brought an end to them), that we can glean some insight into the man behind the initials. A stickler for accuracy, he suffered fools not at all and disliked Americanisms and the BBC penchant for affectation in pronunciation. Typical of his mistrust of 'novelty', he denigrated the long-playing record upon its arrival when 'Thermion' expressed considerable reservations and stated the need for record decks to be set up with the aid of a spirit level if the record was to stand any chance of being tracked without the pick-up skating! He preferred 78 rpm discs (at the time, though doubtless he would have been persuaded otherwise in later years) F.J. Camm pictured in the early 1930s
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