Testing Time The Story of British Test Pilots and Their Aircraft

272 Pages·1961·1.92 MB·English

by  Constance Babington-Smith

Time
Testing
THE STORY OF BRITISH TEST PILOTS
AND THEIR AIRCRAFT
CONSTANCE BABINGTON-SMITH
i
$4.00
TESTING TIME
THE STORY OF
BRITISH TEST PILOTS
AND THEIR AIRCRAFT
BY
Constance Babington-Smith
Testing Time traces the development of
the combined art and science of test piloting
throughout the whole fifty years of pow-
ered rtight. Constance Babington-Smith,
though not a pilot herself, has for years
been closely associated with aeronautics and
Photo Intelligence.
Beginning with John William Dunne's
experiments in aeronautics and plane design
in the early years of the century, Miss
Babington-Smith follows with the story of
Samuel Franklin Cody, improviser and
showman, a character out of an American
Wild West show who took British citizen-
ship Wilfred Parke, the first Englishman
;
who after recovering from a spin was able
to analyze how he had done so; Harry
Hawker, first loop-the-looper; Sir Henry
Tizard who laid the foundation of RAF
test flying; and other pioneers and adven-
turers to the present, ending with Roland
Beamont's experiments with the Lightning,
the first of a completely new line of manned
fighting machines.
The last chapter surveys the whole in-
credibly swift evolution of powered flight
and the new challenges which jet engines,
vastly increased speeds, and other late de-
velopments present.
Here is a book with not only exciting
tales of bravery and endurance but also
with definite historical and reference value
in the field of aeronautics. 32 pp. photo-
(jraplis.
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T*».. Property Of

Testing Time
By the same author:
AirSpy: The Story of Photo Intelligence
in World War II
HARPER k BROTHERS
Time
Testing
TheStoryofBritishTestPilots andTheirAircraft
CONSTANCE BABINGTON-SMITH
TESTING TIME: the story of British test pilots
AND THEIR AIRPLANES
©
Copyright 1961 by Constance Babington-Smith
,
Printed in the United States ofAmerica
All rights in this book are reserved.
No part of the book may be used or reproduced
in any manner whatsoever without written per-
mission except in the case of brief quotations
embodied in critical articles and reviews. For
information address Harper & Brothers
49 East 33rdStreet, New York 16, N. Y.
FIRST EDITION
Library of Congress catalog card number: 61-8610
Preface
Test Flying, in its simplest terms, is concerned with the relation-
ship ofman and machine ; it is a combined art and science which
exemplifies a theme with significance far beyond aviation. But the
work of the test pilot has been badly in need of re-interpretation.
Almost all the existing books on it are written from the angle ofthe
specialist flier, and there has been urgent need for a book that
views the subject in longer perspective, and traces its development
from the earliest beginnings until the present day.
Test flying is a vast subject, and even after narrowing the field
to the work of British pilots there still had to be a great deal of
selection. I therefore decided to concentrate upon the spearhead
oftes—t-flying effort, namely the most advanced ofthe experimental
work some ofit in pure research and some in the development of
prototypes. And this, by force of the world events of the past
fifty years, has meant dealing chiefly with work related to military
aircraft.
I have purposely focused attention upon ' creative ' test flying,
by which I mean the work ofthe most experienced pilots employed
by the aircraft companies, as distinct from those Service test pilots
whose role is essentially that ofcritic. Nevertheless I have tried to
indicate the high importance of the work of the Service pilots
;
for the standards and traditions ofBritish test flying have stemmed
largely from their influence.
All the first half of the book concerns the period before 1918.
Thatwas the time when test flyingcame into being, and in the early
setting the basic issues can be seen at their most vivid. In the
second half I have chosen various sequences to illustrate the part
test flying has played, during the past forty years, in the swiftly
evolving aeronautical scene. And as regards the present, I have
tried to show why, despite the rapid development of' black boxes ',
the test pilot is still indispensable ; although, looking to the future,
it seems certain that his opportunities will gradually dwindle, as
the tide ofautomation rises ever higher.
This book could never have been written without the encourage-
mient and help of my friends, both in aviation and outside it. I
hope that in expressing my deep gratitude to all of them, I can
convey my personal thanks to each one. Nor could the book have
been written without the unfailing kindness of those test pilots to
whom I turned again and again for information and advice.
PREFACE
especially Roland Beamont, ' George ' Bulman, Michael Daunt,
John Lankester Parker, andJeffrey Quill.
The relatives of many of the leading figures in this book have
also been extremely helpful, in lending me albums, etc., and in
giving me information ; and here I would like to make special
mention of Dr. D. E. Derry, Major F. T. V. Dunne, The Hon.
Mrs.J. W. Dunne, Mrs. B. Gordon, Lady Hill, Mrs. R. P. Maxfield,
Mrs. E. Morse, Mrs. N. Steele, Lady Tizard, and Mrs. A. C.
Williams.
At the Royal Aeronautical Society, where much of the research
was done. Captain Laurence Pritchard took a most helpful interest
in the book throughout its progress ; while the Librarian, Mr.
F. H. Smith, and Mrs. L. Kay, as well as Miss Florence Bar-
wood, gave me frequent assistance. I am also warmly grateful to
Mr. R. C. Wright, Librarian at the Royal Aircraft Establishment,
to Mr. L. A.Jackets and his staffat the Air Historical Branch, and
to Mr. J. Blake, Librarian at the Royal Aero Club, for their
co-operation on many occasions.
—
Among those with whom I discussed various matters and some
ofthem g—ave generously oftheir time to read and criticize parts of
my draft I am specially indebted to Mr, R. J. Ashfield, Air
Marshal Sir Richard Atcherley, Captain H. S. Broad, Mr. G. R.
Bryce, Group Captain R. E. Burns, Sir Sydney Camm, Mr. W. G.
Carter, Miss Mary de Bunsen, Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, Mr.
V. W. Derrington, Sir William Farren, Sir George Gardner, Mr.
G. H. Gibbs-Smith, Sir Bennett Melvill Jones, Air Chief Marshal
SirArthur Longmore, Mr. P. G. Lucas, Mr.J. L. Nayler, Mr. Peter
G. Masefield, Mr. C. Howard Pixton, Mr. L. A. Pollard, Mr. H. O.
Short, Mr. C. A. Sims, Sir Thomas Sopwith, Sir Geoffrey Taylor,
Sir George Thomson, the late Sir Henry Tizard, Group Captain
H. J. Wilson, Mr. John Wilson, and Major S. C. Winfield-Smith.
I am, in addition, very grateful to Mr. Peter W. Brooks, who read
the entire book in typescript from the viewpoint of aeronautical
history and to Air Commodore Allen H. Wheeler, who also read
;
the typescript, and advised on it.
C. B. S.
Cambridge,
December i960