Wing Commander Peter Ayerst DFC

Just to let the community know that Peter is 91 years young next week.

Apart from a slighly wonky left hip, he is still fighting fit. I “believe” that he is the last remaining Battle of France Hurricane survivor (73 Squadron) and that he still has the highest number of hours in his log book for any living pilot on Spitfires – due to test flying them out of Castle Bromwich with the late great Alex Henshaw.

He is, however, a little deaf in both ears from the almost continual pressure difference from taking one brand new Spit up for an air test, landing and then getting into the next one to do another air test. Thats dozen’s of tests per day, for weeks and months at a time.

For those interested, his book “Spirit of the Blue” is still available and is a great read. I recently saw his log book entry for D-Day 6th June 1944 which read –

“Very quiet” ! (He was on a channel patrol in a different area from Normandy).

Peter started flying in 1938 on Harvards at Gatwick (which was the very 1st RAF course that flew the type) and with the exception of a break to run a pub (!) for a few years returned to the RAF in the 1950’s and retired in 1973 following a last flight in a Lightning.

Tally Ho (and Happy Birthday Peter).