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Duncan Simpson
Duncan Menzies Soutar Simpson (23 December 1927 - 5 December 2017) was a Scottish pilot, and the former chief test pilot of Hawker Siddeley in the 1970s. He flew the first production Harrier aircraft in December 1967, and the first two-seat Harrier in April 1969. Early life He was born in Edinburgh, and was educated at Merchiston Castle School there. His uncle was a test pilot for the Fairey Aviation Company. Career de Havilland After leaving school in 1945 he worked for de Havilland in Hertfordshire. Royal Air Force In 1949 he joined the Royal Air Force with 6FTS and 226 OCU, and flew the Gloster Meteor VIII with 222 Squadron. In 1953 he joined the Day Fighter Development Unit at the Central Fighter Establishment. Hawker Siddeley Aviation He joined Hawker Siddeley in 1954. He first flew the Hawker Siddeley P.1127 in August 1962; he was the third pilot to fly the P.1127. On 27 December 1967, he was the first the fly the first production Harrier GR1 ''XV738''. On 24 Apr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Test Pilot
A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testing of the Airplane.'' American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., 1996, p. 265 History Test flying as a systematic activity started during the First World War, at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) in the United Kingdom. An "Experimental Flight" was formed at the Central Flying School. During the 1920s, test flying was further developed by the RAE in the UK, and by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in the United States. In the 1950s, NACA was transformed into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. During these years, as work was done into aircraft stability and handling qualities, test flying evolved towards a more qualitative scientific profession. In the 1950s, test pilots were ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Queen's Commendation For Valuable Service In The Air
The Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air, formerly the King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air, was a merit award for flying service awarded by the United Kingdom between 1942 and 1994. It was replaced by the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery in the Air and the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service. Criteria The King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air was first awarded in 1942 to reward both meritorious and gallant service while flying, not in the face of an enemy, that did not reach the standard required for the Air Force Cross or the Air Force Medal.. It could be awarded to both members of the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces and to civilians. It was renamed the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in 1952, following the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne. Appearance Service personnel wear a bronze oak leaf device on the ribbon of the appropriate campaign medal, in the same way as those mentioned in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MoD Boscombe Down
MoD Boscombe Down ' is the home of a military aircraft testing site, on the southeastern outskirts of the town of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. The site is managed by QinetiQ, the private defence company created as part of the breakup of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) in 2001 by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). The base was originally conceived, constructed, and operated as Royal Air Force Boscombe Down, more commonly known as RAF Boscombe Down, and since 1939, has evaluated aircraft for use by the British Armed Forces. The airfield has two runways, one in length, and the second . The airfield's evaluation centre is currently home to Rotary Wing Test and Evaluation Squadron (RWTS), Fast Jet Test Squadron (FJTS), Heavy Aircraft Test Squadron (HATS), Handling Squadron, and the Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS). History First World War An aerodrome opened at the Boscombe Down site in October 1917 and operated as a Royal Flying Corps Training Depot Station. Kn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Folland Gnat
The Folland Gnat is a British compact swept-wing subsonic fighter aircraft that was developed and produced by Folland Aircraft. Envisioned as an affordable light fighter in contrast to the rising cost and size of typical combat aircraft, it was procured as a trainer aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as well as by export customers, who used the Gnat in both combat and training capacities. Designed by W. E. W. Petter, the Gnat has its origins in the preceding private venture Folland Midge. The issuing of Operational Requirement OR.303 by the British Air Ministry served to motivate the type's development; the Gnat was later submitted to meet this requirement. Its design allowed for its construction and maintenance tasks to be carried out without specialised tools, making it suitable for use in countries that had not yet become highly industrialised.Taylor 1969, p. 365. The Gnat has been viewed as a major motivating factor towards the issuing of the NATO NBMR-1 requirement, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edward Tennant (pilot)
Squadron Leader Edward Alan Tennant DFC (25 February 1922 – September 1981) was a Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot who later became chief test pilot of Folland Aircraft. Career Royal Air Force Tennant joined the RAFVR in 1940, qualifying as a Sergeant pilot in 1941. He served with 256 Squadron and 153 Squadron, first flying Defiants, then Hurricanes. He was promoted to Flight Sergeant in December 1942 and to Flying Officer in June 1943. Later in the war he was posted to 257 Squadron and 263 Squadron flying Typhoons. While he was with 263 Squadron he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant (war substantive) in December 1944 and awarded the DFC (in September 1945). By the end of the war he had flown 250 operational sorties, with 450 hours on ground-attack operations. After the war he remained in the RAF. He was posted to No. 84 Group Communications Squadron in Germany, and was at the Air Ministry from 1946 to 1948. He was promoted to Flying Officer (extended service) in Decem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of Harrier Family Losses
The list of Harrier family aircraft losses covers each incident in which a Harrier was destroyed or otherwise written off due to damage sustained. List of losses Notes According to Indian media reports, as many as 16 out of a total 31 Indian Navy Sea Harriers were destroyed in crashes, which claimed seven pilots over a two decade period up to 2007. See also References Notes Bibliography * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Bishop, Chris and Chris Chant. ''Aircraft Carriers''. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA: Zenith Imprint, 2004. . *Braybrook, Roy''Battle for the Falklands: Air Forces''.Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1982. . *Brown, Kevin"The Plane That Makes Airfields Obsolete."''Popular Mechanics'', 133(6), June 1970, pp. 80–83. *Bull, Stephen. ''Encyclopedia of Military Rechnology and Innovation''. Westport, Connecticut, USA: Greenwood Publishing, 2004. . *Burr, Lawrence and Peter Bull. ''US Fast Battleships 1938–91: The Iowa Class''. New York, USA: Os ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ralph Hooper
Ralph Spenser Hooper, OBE, FREng, FRAeS (30 January 1926 – 12 December 2022) was an English aeronautical engineer, recognised mostly for his work on the Hawker Siddeley Harrier, specifically in relation to the marriage between the Pegasus engine and the layout of the aircraft, allowing it to safely hover with margins of stability. Early life Hooper was born in Hornchurch, then in Essex, now in the London Borough of Richmond. He was the son of Marjorie Spenser and Herbert Hooper. He is a distant relative of the poet Edmund Spenser. He went to Hymers College in Hull. Due to the Hull Blitz he was evacuated to Pocklington Grammar School for one and a half terms. His sister was Sheila Spenser Hooper. He became an apprentice at Blackburn Aircraft Company when aged 15 in January 1942, then went to University College Hull (became the University of Hull in 1954), gaining a Diploma in Aeronautics. He was one of the first students to join the Cranfield College of Aeronautics in 1946 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Society Of Experimental Test Pilots
The Society of Experimental Test Pilots is an international organization that seeks to promote air safety and contributes to aeronautical advancement by promoting sound aeronautical design and development; interchanging ideas, thoughts and suggestions of the members, assisting in the professional development of experimental pilots, and providing scholarships and aid to members and the families of deceased members. History Seventeen pilots attended the first organized meeting of the "Testy Test Pilots Society" on 29 September 1955. This name was to be short-lived, however, as it was changed to The Society of Experimental Test Pilots at the second meeting on 13 October 1955. The first officers of the society were instated on October 25, 1955, and consisted of Ray Tenhoff, President; Scott Crossfield, Executive Adviser; Dick Johnson, Vice-President; Joe Ozier, Secretary; Lou Everett, Treasurer; and Al Blackburn, Legal Officer. Once the organization and bylaws were established, the so ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1973 Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours 1973 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were published on 2 June 1973 for the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Mauritius, and Fiji.Fiji list: The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour, and arranged by honour, with classes (Knight, Knight Grand Cross, ''etc.'') and then divisions (Military, Civil, ''etc.'') as appropriate. United Kingdom and Colonies Privy Councillor * Ian Hedworth John Little Gilmour, MP, Minister of State for Defence. * Charles Patrick Fleeming Jenkin, MP, Chief Secretary, Treasury. Knight Bachelor * Geoffrey William Gerald Agnew. For services to Art. * Stephen France Burman, CBE. For services to the University of Birmingham. * Maurice Fletcher Coop. For political and public services in London and the Midlands. * Alfred Rupert Neale Cross, FB ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Honourable Company Of Air Pilots
The Honourable Company of Air Pilots, formerly the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (GAPAN), is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Company was founded in 1929, and became a Livery Company in 1956. Elizabeth II granted Honourable status to the company in February 2014. Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, formally presented the royal charter to the master of the company, Tudor Owen, at a banquet held at the London Guildhall on 19 February 2014. The company ranks eighty-first in the order of precedence of livery companies and fourth in the order of precedence of the modern livery companies. It is unique amongst City Livery Companies in having active regional committees in Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and North America. The Company's motto is '''Per Cælum Via Nostra','' 'Our Way Is By The Heavens'. Objectives of the Company The objectives of the company are: * To establish and maintain the highest standards of air safety through the promotion of good a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. With a population of approximately 1.2 million people, Surrey is the 12th-most populous county in England. The most populated town in Surrey is Woking, followed by Guildford. The county is divided into eleven districts with borough status. Between 1893 and 2020, Surrey County Council was headquartered at County Hall, Kingston-upon-Thames (now part of Greater London) but is now based at Woodhatch Place, Reigate. In the 20th century several alterations were made to Surrey's borders, with territory ceded to Greater London upon its creation and some gained from the abolition of Middlesex. Surrey is bordered by Greater London to the north east, Kent to the east, Berkshire to the north west, West Sussex to the south, East Sussex to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guildford
Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, around southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The name "Guildford" is thought to derive from a crossing of the River Wey, a tributary of the River Thames that flows through the town centre. The earliest evidence of human activity in the area is from the Mesolithic and Guildford is mentioned in the will of Alfred the Great from . The exact location of the main Anglo-Saxon settlement is unclear and the current site of the modern town centre may not have been occupied until the early 11th century. Following the Norman Conquest, a motte-and-bailey castle was constructed, which was developed into a royal residence by Henry III. During the late Middle Ages, Guildford prospered as a result of the wool trade and the town was granted a charter of incorporation by Henry VII in 1488. The River Wey Navig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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