A chief technician with the Royal Air Force at Swanton Morley, George Dalrymple, who has died aged 88, won an official award for a cost-saving design.

His idea for an improved circuit of airspeed indicators achieved major savings over the years. In March 1969, he was presented with �250, together with letters of appreciation from the Air Force and Maintenance Board by Group Capt W D Hunter, officer commanding, RAF Swanton Morley.

On his own initiative, he had modified a complicated navigational instrument and used the cheque to install central heating in the family's Dereham home.

Born in Newcastle upon Tyne on November 5, 1922, he was the youngest of five and went to Rutherford College Grammar School, Fenham. Excelling at sport, he represented the school when they won three football cup finals in three days.

He joined the RAF in 1938 as a 15-year-old boy apprentice at Cranwell. His first posting was to west Norfolk at Docking, where he was involved in servicing navigational equipment for Beaufighters with Coastal Command. Then he was sent to Iceland to work on Halifax's before ending the war in Australia.

Seconded to the Fleet Air Arm and posted to Macrihanish, Scotland, he met and in April 1947 married Eileen, who was a WREN at the time. They were to be married for more than 60 years.

They moved to Norfolk in about 1957 and he spent his last five years with the RAF Central Servicing Development Establishment at Swanton Morley. In 1962, he retired and continued on the civilian staff, effectively moving two yards left to an adjoining desk.

When he retired in 1987, he had completed a combined 50 years' service in a job, which he relished.

A keen sportsman and passionate supporter of Newcastle United, he was secretary to Dereham Golf Club for several years and club captain in 1980.

His wife died about three years ago. He leaves three children, Ian, Joyce and Gordon, and grandchildren, Tom and Claire.

A funeral service will take place at Earlham Crematorium today at 2.15pm.