Page 31 - issue05.04.2019

Royal Air Force News Friday, April 5, 2019 P23

Feature

GOOD SELLER: John
with his Haynes MGB
manual, centre, his
affectionate homage
to the Supermarine
Spitfire, one of many
technical guides to
some of the RAF’s
most iconic aircraft

Manual
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN: John and family with the first car he rebuilt, a converted Austin 7

labour

National service in Aden

helped car-mad amateur

engineer John Haynes

create a publishing icon

T WAS during his RAF Manuals’ trusted hallmark. He said: “Many people were far more copies of those manuals
service that John Haynes His first manual, for the Austin making Austin and Ford Specials, than cars that were ever produced.”
– founder of the famous Healey Sprite, was published in so it was fairly easy to go around Born in March 1938 in what was
IHaynes guides, who has died 1966, and its initial print run of and get the information you then Ceylon, where his father was
aged 80 – created his first manual. 3,000 sold out in less than three needed. The RAF at the time was the manager of a tea plantation,
In 1965 he was posted to Aden months. To date more than 200 a terribly social occupation, and in while at school in Kent John
where an RAF colleague, who had million Haynes Manuals have been the evening all the lads would be in persuaded his House Master to let
bought an Austin Healey ‘Frogeye’ sold world-wide and their subject the bar, but I’d be scampering up to him convert an Austin 7 saloon
Sprite in poor condition, asked matter includes aircraft, how men my room in the Officers’ Mess and into a lightweight sports car instead
John to help him rebuild it. and how women work and even a just getting on with it.” of playing rugby.
Realising the official factory sex guide. He finished He eventually sold the car
manual was not designed to help A spokesperson for the Haynes his three-year and, because of the immense
the average car owner, John bought family said: “John joined the RAF extended National interest in it,
a camera and captured the process after leaving school to do his Service in 1960 decided to produce
of dismantling and rebuilding National Service, where he made and returned to a booklet showing
the engine. The use of step-by- many lifelong friends. England, forming his other enthusiasts PROUD DAY: With wife Annette
step photo sequences linked to “During his time in the Air Force company in May. how he had made it. collecting his OBE in 1995
exploded diagrams became Haynes his role in logistics taught him Later that year he Its first print run of ones, including a baby manual for
business management skills, while rejoined the RAF as 250 copies sold out in men.”
enabling him to pursue his passion a Flying Officer and 10 days. A collector of classic cars, in
for motor racing and publishing in was posted to Church Fenton. Annette said John 1985 John Haynes founded the
his spare time.” By 1964 he was a Flt Lt and, with was ‘amazed’ Haynes International
Annette, went to RAF Khormaksar. at the Haynes Manuals’ Motor Museum in
e married Annette in 1963; on He left the RAF in 1967. success. He said: “I was very Sparkford, Somerset, as
Hthe way to their wedding he fortunate in finding a gap in an Educational Charitable
stopped to buy her a secondhand he first Haynes non-car guide, the market – a huge gap, as Trust, bequeathing his
typewriter as a wedding present. TThe Bike Book, was published I later found out.” collection of 30 cars to the
He wanted her to use it to type up in 1995, followed by The Computer Talking about the sex charity.
his manuals for him, and she was Manual in 2001. The first aircraft manual, Annette said: He was awarded the
happy to do so. manual was for the Spitfire, in “That happened more or OBE in 1995 for services to
John was called up for National 2007. less by accident. One of our staff publishing and in 2014 was made
Service in 1957 and, commissioned In America, more copies of the knew a doctor who wanted to do a a life member of The Guild of
SERVICE: as a Pilot Officer, was posted to Haynes Manual for the Porsche book on men’s health. We thought Motoring Writers.
John in his RAF Bruggen, where he compiled were sold than actual Porsches. it would be an excellent idea to do He is survived by his wife, his
RAF days booklets on how to build Austin Annette said: “The same thing it as a workshop manual type. It did two sons and daughters-in-law and
Specials and Ford Specials. happened with the MGB – we sold so well that we went on to other five grandchildren.