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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1292.PDF
440 FLIGHT, 7 September 1956 THE DISPLAY PILOTS . W/C. D. de VILLIERS,A.F.C. (P.I): Chief experi- mental test pilot of EnglishBltctrw. Flew Beau fighters with 68 Sqn. during thewar and was also in Middle East. After work with 282Sgn. in Britain was se- conded to D.H. Left R.A.F.in 1946 and in 1948 was appointed chief lest pilotof de HavUland Propellers. Was awarded A.F.C. whilewith 500 Son. R.Aux.A.F. and is now a deputy con-troller, R.Aux.A.F. at Fighter Command H.Q. S/L. N. DUKE (Hunter):Has been with Hawkers since 1948, and chief testpilot since 1951. Served with R.A.F., and destroyed28 enemy aircraft during war. Attended E.T.P.S.1946 and was at A. and A.E.E. 1947-48. Estab-lished London - Rome- Karachi and London-Cairospeed records in 1949, and world speed record of 726m.p.h. in 1953. J. ELLIOT (D.H.110):With R.N. 1941-54. Has been on active service inKorea and attended E.T.P.S. where, in 1948, hewon rhe McKenna Trophy. Was with R.A.E. from 1949to 1952 and, until joining de Havillands, was postedto the Mediterranean. Has been chief lest pilot at theChristchurch factory since 1954. R. J. FALK, O.B.E.,A.F.C. (Vulcan B.l):Joined Avros in 1950 and was ap-pointed Superintendent of Flying four years later. Hasabout 7,000 hr as pilot in charge. Flew in the Abys-sinian war and in Spain in 1936. Was an A.R.B. testpilot 1936-39, became chief test pilot at Farnborough in1943. Has flown 300 differ- ent aircraft, including flyingboats, jet- and rocket-pro- pelled types, and flew theVulcan on its maiden flight. J. S. FAY (Widgeon): Testpilot and C.F.I. of West- lands; joined Fleet Air Armin 1940 and first flew heli- copters in 1944. Afterleaving the Service flew with B£.A. helicopter unitfor five years, joining West- lands in 1952. Has 2,700hr on helicopters, including 1,000 hr as an instructor. E. G. FRANKLIN, D.S.C.(Sea Hawk 6): Became chief test pilot of ArmstrongWhitworth in 1948, having been apprenticed to thecompany in 1937. Joined R.A.F.V.R. in 1939; didtwo tours in Bomber Com- mand on Whitleys, Hali-faxes and Lancasters. Be- gan test flying at A. andA.E.E. in 1943 and later completed course atE.T.P.S. Rejoined A. and A.E.E. before becomingA.WJl. test pilot in 1945. J. E. FRAZER (Widgeon):Was born in Australia, and joined the R.A.F. in 1941,saving in the south Pacific. Completed the Test Pilots'course with the R.A.A.F. in 1950 and flew at theWoomera rocket range un- til 1952. He joined West-lands in the following year. S/L. W. R. GELLATLY(Ultra-Light Helicopter): Enlisted in R.N.Z.A.F.1940. Did operational fly- ing on light bombers andgeneral reconnaissance. Squadron Commander of293 Sqn., 1944^5. Per- manent commission inR.AJ1. obtained 1947. Com- pleted E.T.P.S. course,1950. Attended R.A.F. Staff College course, 1954,and joined Faireys, April 1955. Has flown 51 types,12 of them rotary-wing air- craft. W/C.W. F. GIBB, D.S.O.,D.F.C. (Britannia 101 and 301): Apprenticed to Bris-toh in 1937. Served in R.A.F. 1940-46 mainly onnight fighters. In 1946 re- joined Bristols and was co-pilot of Brabazon on its first flight. Holds world altituderecord in Olympus-Can- berra, and is now Bristolassistant chief test pilot. S/L. J. G. HARRISON(Shackleton M.R.3): In 1935 joined R.A.F. and wascommissioned in 1942. Served with 605 Sqn. andlater on 64 Group Northern Reserve Air Staff. AtE.T.P.S. course in 1949 was runner-up for theMcKenna Trophy. Com- pleted a course at theR.A.F. Staff College in 1952. S/L. H. G. HAZELDEN,D.F.C. (Herald): Was ap- pointed chief test pilot atHandley Page in 1947 and currently responsible forflight test development of Victor and Herald. Servedwith 44 and 83 Sans, and as assistant chief instructorat No. 11 O.T.U. Joined No. 1 course at E.T.P.S.,1943, and was posted in 1944 to A. and AE.E.,where he was later ap- pointed O.C. of Civil Air-craft Test Section. A. J. HEYWORTH,D.F.C. (Rolls-Rpyce-en- gincd types): Having beenposted to Rolls-Royce for special duties in 1944, wasappointed chief test pilot in 1954. Served with 12 Sqn.Bomber Command during war and completed twotours of operations, gaining bar to D.F.C. and Mentionin Despatches. P. HILLWOOD, D.F.C(Canberra P.R.9): Became experimental test pilot withEnglish Electric in 1949. Began flying with R.A.F.V.R. in 1938 and after serving with Fighter Com-mand went to Canada as instructor. Returned toFighter Command in 1943 and served in France, Bel-gium and Holland. Co- pilot of record transatlanticCanberra which won Bri- tannia Trophy. Has flown50 different types, including P.I. C. T. D. HOSEGOOD(Bristol 173 and Sycamore): Chief helicopter test pilotof Bristol Aircraft. Joined R.N. in 1939 and flew cata-pult aircraft from armed merchant ships in Battle ofAtlantic. Took specialized helicopter flying trainingcourse in U.S. in 1944, was appointed naval experimen-tal helicopter pilot, and was loaned to R.A.F. JoinedBristols in 1948. J. J .M. JEFFERY (Skeeter):.Joined Fleet Air Arm in 1940 and graduated infirst Helicopter Instructors' Course, U.SJl., in 1943.Became naval helicopter test pilot attached to AerialTorpedo Development Unit and Air/Sea Warfare De-velopment Unit, 1944-46. Joined Sounder s-Roe as testpilot in 1951. C. A. C. JONAS (Rolls-Royce-cngined types): Was granted permanent com-mission in R.A.F., having joined Cambridge U.A.S.in 1947. Completed a tour in Transport Command,R.A.F., on Hastings. Com- pleted E.T.P.S. course in1952 and served with "B" Squadron at A. and A.E.E.Joined Rolls-Royce in 1954. Lt.-Cdr. M. J. LITHGOW(N.I 13): After joining R.N. in 1938, feecome test pilotat A. and A.E.E. in 1943. Posted to E.T.P.S. in early1944. Was naval test pilot, British Air Commission,U.S. Naval Air Test Centre, 1944-45. Joined VickersSupermarine that year after release from Navy. Set up100 km closed-circuit speed record in Attacker and in1953 world speed record in Srvift FA. L G. McCOWAN (Seawk FGA.6): JoinedR.A.F. as boy entrant in 1937. Posted to U.S.A. andCanada as instructor in 1941. Served with 5 and 84Sqns. in Malaya and Burma, 1944-47. Posted toDay Fighter Conversion Unit and, later, to Arma-ments Practice School, Acklingum. Left R.A.F. in1951 to join Airwork and later, Armstrong Whitworthaircraft. < - ik
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