Sir Lawrence Wackett | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 2 January 1896 Townsville, Queensland |
| Died | 18 March 1982 (aged 86) St Leonards, New South Wales |
| Allegiance |  Australia |
| Service | Australian Flying Corps (1915–21) Royal Australian Air Force (1921–30) |
| Years of service | 1913–1930 |
| Rank | Wing Commander |
| Commands | RAAF Experimental Section (1924–30) No. 7 Squadron (1919) |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Flying Cross Air Force Cross Mentioned in Despatches |
| Relations | Air Vice Marshal Ellis Wackett (brother) |
Sir Lawrence James Wackett KBE, DFC, AFC (2 January 1896 – 18 March 1982) is widely regarded as "father of the Australian aircraft industry". He has been described as "one of the towering figures in the history of Australian aviation covering, as he did, virtually all aspects of activities: pilot, designer of airframes and engines, entrepreneur and manager".[1] He was knighted for his services to aviation and was a winner of the Oswald Watt Gold Medal. He was also a keen angler and wrote two books on the subject.