The 1172nd Main Lecture to be given before the Society and the 41st to be held at a Branch centre “Ballistic Research Rockets with Particular Reference to Black Knight” was given under the auspices of the Luton Branch on 1st December 1960. Mr. F. H. Pollicutt, F.R.Ae.S., Chairman of the Luton Branch opened the meeting by welcoming the President, Dr. E. S. Moult, C.B.E., B.Sc., F.R.Ae.S., M.I.Mech.E., the other members of the Council of the Main Society who were present, and representatives from the Bristol, Birmingham and Wolverhampton, Coventry, Christchurch, Derby, Hatfield, Halton, Henlow, Preston and Weybridge Branches. He then asked Dr. Moult to preside over the rest of the proceedings.

Dr. Moult expressed his pleasure at being present on this occasion–the second time a Main Society Lecture had been presented at the Luton Branch–and then introduced the Lecturer, Mr. D. J. Lyons. Mr. Lyons took his degree in Aeronautical Engineering at Queen Mary College and subsequently joined the Wind Tunnel staff at Farnborough. During the war he became a flying instructor in the R.A.F. and later rejoined the Aerodynamics Flight Section at. the R.A.E. For the next ten years Mr. Lyons was engaged in Flight Research on stability and control. In 1951 he was appointed Superintendent of the Experimental Projects Division in the Guided Weapons Department and in 1955 was promoted to his present position as Senior Superintendent of the Ballistic Missile Group of the Guided Weapons Department. He had been responsible from the Ministry aspect for the research and development connected with the Black Knight and Blue Streak Missile systems.