Henry Self

Sir (Albert) Henry Self KCB, KBE (1890-1975) was a British civil servant. Prior to and during the Second World War he was responsible for arranging purchase of American aircraft to fulfil the needs of the Royal Air Force. Post war he held a post in the Ministry of Civil Aviation as the Deputy Chairman.

During the war he was part of the British Air Commission in America. Initially he was the air representative to the British Purchasing Commission which was purchasing all kinds of armaments and war materiel in the US.

Generally at the start of the war, American fighters were lacking compared to European designs. Self asked if North American Aviation could produce the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk under licence. North American offered to draw up a superior design to the Warhawk and bring it to production in a shorter time than setting a production line of the Curtiss design. This led to the North American P-51 Mustang which entered service with the RAF in 1941. It subsequently entered service with the USAAF too.

Post war, Henry became Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, replacing Sir William Hildred.

He was married to Audrey Otter. He had two sons : Peter Self as below and Michael Self QC (1921-1997) who married Penny Drinkwater (daughter of the playwright John Drinkwater) they produced two daughters : Susie Self and Melanie Harvey Wood.

Already a Companion of the Order of the Bath, he was made Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the King's 1939 Birthday Honours list. He received the Knighthood in the Order of the Bath in 1947.

His son was Professor Peter Self (1919-1999), whose sons are Will Self and Jonathan Self.

Other positions

 * President of the Modern Churchmen's Union
 * Deputy chairman of the British Electricity Authority and Chairman of the Electricity Council and President of the British Electrical and Allied Research Association.