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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 2254.PDF
11 September 1959 221 The Flying-display Pilots PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES OF THE PARTICIPANTS TEST PILOT experience is rooted in different soils; it is the product, so to speak, of varying vintages. Some oftoday's test pilots started flying, if not in the proverbial days when Pontius was a pilot, then at least in ancienttimes in relation to modern machines and techniques; they were experienced aviators before some of their colleagues in the Farnborough flying display were born. Others, again, were nurtured in a wartime environment; andwith a distinguished operational record have brought similar dash and skill to the examination and development of new aircraft. A third generation is that of post-war airmen (some of whom, however, experienced operational hazards !.in the Korean hostilities and Suez action). With them, the pattern of a more formal test-pilot education seems to be emerging. Its lines are: service in the R.A.F. or Fleet Air Arm; a course at the Empire Test Pilots' School (whosework is described on pp. 230-231 of this issue); attachment to one of the Ministry of Supply establishments; then :. '; a post-Service appointment to an aircraft manufacturer. But there is nothing cut-and-dried about a pilot's progress to"• ' the status of civilian test-pilot; chance, inclination or design may take him there. Whatever his method of arrival, .- • . however, the qualities required are the same: flying skill, courage, determination and truthful reporting. Generally test' f • pilots do not work in the public eye, but at Farnborough (where, it should be noted, last-minute changes or cancella- tions of aircraft may occur) they are very much in it—and never fail to impress, astonish or entertain. Abbreviations: A. and A.E.E., Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment; A.F.R.Ae.S., associate fellow, Royal Aeronautical Society;A.R.B., Air Registration Board; A.T.A., Air Transport Auxiliary; B.A.F.O., British Air Forces of Occupation; C.F.E., Central Fighter Establish- ment; C.F.I., chief flying instructor; C.F.S., Central Flying School; E.T.P.S., Empire Test Pilots' School; F.A.A., Fleet Air Arm; F.T.S., flyingtraining school; G.A.P.A.N., Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators; M.U., maintenance unit; O.T.U., operational training unit; P.F.F., pathfinder force; R.A.E., Royal Aircraft Establishment; R.A.F.O., Reserve of Air Force Officers; R.Aux.A.F., Royal Auxiliary Air Force; T.A.F., Tactical AirForce; U.A.S., University Air Sqn. F/L. J. W. AUam Victor B.2): Deputy chief testpilot of Handley Page, which he joined in 1954 after serving with the R.A.F. and R.A.F.V.R.since 1942. Pilot of the first Victor to fly at supersonic speed; made first flight of Victor B.2on February 20 this year. Took No. 9 E.T.P.S. course and No. 5 course, Test Pilot TrainingDivision, U.S. Navy; with "B" Sqn., A. and A.E.E., 1951-53. S/L. P. P. Baker (Victor B.2): Entered R.A.F. in1943; flew Sunderlands (1946-49) with Nos. 201, 209 and 239 Sqns. Attended C.F.S. course, then(1950-52) instructor at F.T.S. and advanced F.T.S. Took No. 12 course, E.T.P.S., in 1953;at A and A.E.E., Boscombe Down, 1954-56. Tutor at E.T.P.S., 1957-59; in July this yearretired from R.A.F. to join Handley Page. P. Barlow (Sea Vixen): Development test pilotat Christchurch since January this year, having ' served in the Royal Navy since 1942 and beenseconded to de Havilland in 1957 for Sea Vixen flying. Trained at the R.N. Engineering College,Plymouth (1944); engineer in H.M.S. Victorious; trained as a pilot (1949), then with No. 804 Sqn.(1951-1953); at E.T.P.S. (1953) and at Boscombe Down (1954-1957). Holds the D.S.C. A. R. Barnard (Conway-Vulcan): Joined Rolls-Royce in 1952, having served in the R.A.F. from 1942 and then in the F.A.A., to which he trans-ferred in 1944. Was in the Far East until 1946 and later joined No. 800 Sqn. on a four-yearextended commission. Was recalled for 18 months during the Korean war and during that periodqualified as a B.I instructor at the C.F.S. W/C. R. P. Beamont (P.ll): Manager of flightoperations and chief test pilot of English Electric, which he joined in 1947. Had a distinguished wartime career in the R.A.F., in which he servedfrom 1938. Commanded No. 609 (West Riding) Sqn., with whom he introduced the day-and-night"train-busting" technique, and Nos. 122 and 150 Wings. During the anti-flying-bomb offensivedestroyed 32 of these weapons. Taken prisoner in 1944; on returning to this country commandedthe Air Fighting Development Sqn. at the C.F.E. Is an O.B.E.; holds the D.S.O. and D.F.C. A. W. Bedford Hunter FGA.9 and 66A): Chieftest pilot of Hawker Aircraft, having joined the company in 1951 after being at the R.A.E. Farn-borough (1950-51). Entered the R.A.F. in 1940 and served with Nos. 135 and 605 Sqns. in theFar East; in 1944 was a flight commander at the Armament Practice Camp and the following yearwent to No. 65 Sqn., becoming a flight com- mander. Attended the EIT.P.S. where he wasO.C. Instrument Weather Flight in 1949. Holds many gliding records and a Gold "C" with twodiamonds. Appointed chief test pilot in 1956. A. L. Blackmail (Vulcan): Test pilot with A. V.Roe since leaving the R.A.F., which he joined in 1948 after taking an Honours degree in physicsat Cambridge University. Flew with Nos. 5 and 11 Sqns. in 2nd T.A.F., then took the E T.P.S.course, gaining a distinguished pass. With "B" S h A. d AEE il A, distinguish pSqn. at the A and A.E.E. until August 1956. J. Blair (Twin Pioneer co-pilot): Joined ScottishAviation in 1947 having served in the R.A.F. (1940-46), flying Liberators in Coastal Command.Qualified instructor and airline captain. Latterly concerned with experimental and production test-flying of Pioneers and Twin Pioneers. R. S. Bradley (Wessex): Assistant chief testpilot of Westland Aircraft, having joined the com- pany in 1950 as an experimental test pilot. Served in the F.A.A. (1941-46), flying with No. 1833 Sqn.and later as CO. of the Command Flight at Donibristle. After the war became chief test pilotof Helliwells Ltd. T. W. Brooke-Smith (SCI): Chief test pilot, ShortBrothers and Harland having been appointed after taking an E.T.P.S. course in 1947-48.Started flying when 16, obtained "A" and "B" licences and for four years flew for a number ofcharter companies. At the outbreak of war was with Air Despatch Ltd. and in 1940 was stationedin France, flying Rapides on Army and R.A.F. communications. In 1941 joined the A.T.A. andthe following year came to Belfast to start the Stirling pilots* pool for delivery flights. Hasflown over 130 types and been responsible for the entire SC.l test flying programme. Was awardedthe perry and Richards Memorial Medal this year for his outstanding contribution to the develop-ment of British aircraft. G. R. Bryce (Vanguard): Chief test pilot ofVickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft), having joined the company in 1946. Started flying in 1939, when heentered the R.A.F. Subsequently served in Fighter, Coastal and Transport Commands andwith the King's Flight. Is an O.B.E. P. O. Bugge (Comet 4B): de Havilland chiefdevelopment test pilot, having been with the company since 1949. Born at Kristiansund,Norway, in 1918 and entered the Norwegian Air Force in 1939. After the German invasion escapedto Britain and in 1941 joined the R.A.F., serving with Nos. 604, 255 and 85 Sqns. (Beaufiehtersand Mosquitos). In December 1955 co-pilot of the Comet 3 on its round-the-world flight and inJuly of the 4B which won a special prize for "originality and ingenuity" for a B.E.A. syndicatein the Daily Mail race from London to Paris. F/L. J. W. Allam S/L. P. P. Baker P. Barlow A. R. Barnard W/C. R. P. Beamont A. W. Bedford
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