Stanley Hooker started his career at Rolls-Royce, where he made an immediate impact by increasing the power of the legendary Merlin by thirty per cent. He later joined the Bristol Aeroplane Company, which was subsequently bought by Rolls-Royce. During a long career, Hooker was responsible for almost every modern British aero engine, including those of Concorde and the Harrier, as well as the great RB211.