Murphy continued to play a leading role in aircraft maintenance and production during World War II . In 1939 he helped set up the Government Aircraft Factories and local manufacture of the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber . Completing his tour as CO of No . 1 Aircraft Depot , he was promoted to group captain and appointed Inspector of Air Accidents in June 1940 . The newly created position reported directly to the Chief of the Air Staff . Murphy 's deputy was Flying Officer ( later Sir ) Henry Winneke , who found his boss 's companionship " exhilarating " . Murphy was , according to Winneke , " a product of the old school of airmen who could not only fly a plane but also pull it apart and put it together again " , generally " amiable " but who " could act gruffly when the occasion demanded " . The inspectorate was small but succeeded in reducing the number of accidents even as training expanded rapidly with Australia 's participation in the Empire Air Training Scheme . Murphy led the investigation into the Canberra air disaster of August 1940 , and the Brocklesby mid-air collision that occurred the following month
Canberra air disaster
1940 Canberra air disaster
Arthur William Murphy