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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1334.PDF
448 FLIGHT, 9 September 1955 !l/io\ the Pilot? IT IS customary in the S.B.A.C. flying display to keep the pifece de resistance until the end of the programme. This year it may fairly be said that there is more than one piece ; but even so the English Electric P.I—which, unfortunately, is expected to appear on only the first three days—is perhaps the most eagerly awaited. Forming a climax to the programme with the P.I is the remarkable F.D.I delta research aircraft; and, a little before this, the diminutive and shapely Gnat. Portraits of their pilots appear on this page. Two test pilots not shown here may take over the controls of important aircraft on one or more of the dcys. They are GjC. R. G. Slade, F.D.2, in place of P. Twiss, and S/L. L M. Whittington in place of S/L. E. A. Tennant in the Gnat. W/C. R. J. FALK (Vulcan):Avro superintendent of flying. Flew in Abyssinia during the1935-36 war, and in Spain 1936. A.R.B. test pilot1938-39. Served with R.A.F. 1939-46: was chieftest pilot at Farnborough beginning of 1943. Has flown7,000 hows on 300 types. F/L. J. W. ALLAM (Vic-tor): Handley Page test pilot since 1954. Joined theR.A.F.V.R. in 1942. No. 9 course at E.T.P.S., andNo. 5 Course Test Pilot Training Division, U.S.Navy, 1950. " B " Squad- ron. Boscombe Down, from1951 to 1953. S/L. C. C. CALDER(Vulcan): Bomber Command liaison officer with A. V. Roe.With Bomber Command throughout war. CommandedNo. 158 Sqn.; posted to No. 37 San. Middle East in1945. In 1947-50, MM. left pilot. In 1950-52, AirMinistry staff. S/L. J. G. HARRISON(Vulcan): Joined R.A.F. in 1935. Served with No. 605San. and later on air staff of 64 Group Northern Reserveat York. At E.T.P.S. course in 1949 was runner-upfor McKenna Trophy. In 1952 completed course atR.A.F. Staff College. G, R. BRYCE (Valiant):V-A. chief test pilot (Wey- bridge Works) since July,1951. In Fighter, Coastal and Transport Commandsduring war. After service as a Viking pilot in theKing's Flight, joined Vickers- Armstrongs in 1946. Has morethan 5,000 hours. E. B. TRUBSHAW(Valiant): V-A. deputy chief test pilot (Weybridge Works)since 1950. Pilot with King's Flight from August, 1946 toDecember, 1948. On staff of Empire Fying School1949 and later on staff of R.A.F. Flying College,Matiby. Lincolnshire. S:L. E. A. TENNANT(Gnat): Folland's chief test pilot. Flew Defiants andTyphoons with No. 257 Sqn., completing some 250 sortiesby end of war. After war was at E.T.P.S. and Bos-combe Down. Joined Follands in June, 1953. Hasflown nearly a hundred types S/L. N. DUKE (Hunter)-With Hawkers since 1948; chief test pilot since 1951.In war destroyed 28 e\a. R.A.F. High Speed Flight,1946; E.T.P.S., 1946; Bos- combe Down, 1947-48.World record of 727.6 m.p.h. on September 7th, 1953. F. BULLEN (Hunter 6)Flew Spitfires and Mustangs in Fighter Command duringwar; joined Blackburns as a test pilot in 1946 andHawkers in 1949. Is now their chief production testpilot. He has 4,000 flying hours. l/T.-CDR. M. J. LITH-GOW (Swift F.R.5): Joined R.N. 1938, then BoscombeDown test pilot. Naval test pilot British Air Commis-sion, U.S.A., 1944-45. Joined Vickers Supermarine;now chief test pilot. Several records, including 735.7m.p.h. in Swift FA. D. W. MORGAN (SwiftF.R.5): Joined R.A.F.V.R. 1942, transferred to FleetAir Arm 1944. Left R.N. in 1950 to join Vickers Super-marine. Established London- Brussels record in Swift at665 m.p.h. in 1952. Is qualified helicopter pilot. F/L. L. R. COLQUHOUN(Swift F.R.5): Senior pro- duction test pilot, Super-marine Works. Joined R.A.F. in 1940; served inU.K. and Malta as a P.R. Spitfire pilot. Seconded toVickers as test Pilot in 1945; joined firm on demobilizationin 1946. W/C. R. F. MARTIN(Javelin): Gloster chief test pilot. In France in 73 Sqn.(awarded D.F.C.); fighters, M.E.A.F., 1941-44; Trans-port Command in India- China 1945. AfterE.T.P.S.,R.A.E. flight commander; later E.T.P.S. instructor. Has3,600 hours on 150 types. P. VARLEY (Javelin): Glos-ter assistant chief test pilot Joined Glasgow U.A.S. in1941. Flew Beaufighters and Mosquitos with 89 Sqn. inFar East 1945. At Bos- combe Down in 1953 beforejoining Glosters in 1955; 2,600 hours, 58 types. F/O. G. WORRALL (Jave-lin): Gloster chief production test pilot. Served in R.A.F.1940-46 and with No. 616 Sqn., R.Aux.A.F., 1947-51. Joined Glosters 1950. Has over 2,000 hours on 21types F/L. B. SMITH (Javelin):Gloster development and production test pilot. InR.A.F. from 1942-46. Spit- fires and Vampires with 501Sqn., R.Aux.A.F., 1947- 51. Has been with Glosters4J years. Over 2,000 hours on 22 type*. P. TWISS (F.D.2): Faireytest pilot since 1946. Joined Fleet Air Arm 1939; nightfighter interception unit; British Air CommissionU.S.A. for Naval night fighter evaluation. E.T.P.S.course in 1945, then Naval Squadron at Boscombe Down. H. C. ROGERS vConway-Ashton): Rolls-Royce assis- tant chief test pilot. R.A.F.apprentice in 1938. Bomber Command, D.F.C. and Bar.Transferred to Transport Command. In 1946 becameC.F.I, at Nottingham Fly- ing Club; in 1948 joinedRolls-Royce as a test pilot. A. J. HEYWORTH(Conway-Ashton): Rolls- Royce chief test pilot. Servedin Bomber Command and completed two tours ofoperations with No. 22 Squadron. D.F.C. andBar. Posted to Rolls-Royce in 1944 and remained withcompany on demobilization. J. D. BAKER (Shackleton):Joined R.A.F. in 1941; daylight bombing in T.A.F.Tested aircraft at Boscombe Down, flying-boats at Felix-stowe from 1944-48, then to Avros as Shackleton testpilot. Piloted the first Avro-built Canberra in 1952. LT.-CDR. J. G. P.MORTON (Gyrodyne): Entered Navy 1943, com-missioned 1944; after varied F.A.A. flying duties, recentappointments have been with No. 705 Helicopter Sqn..with A. and A.E.E., and in H.M.S. " Centaur." Onloan from Navy to Faireyi 9 »»
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