Original Spitfire Test Pilot

The Inspection Certificate is Form 1125 and the signature is W M Love or perhaps Lovel

I haven’t come across that name. I don’t know, but I’d presume that he was one of the AID Inspectors. VA had their own team of Inspectors out at the flight sheds too.

The Inspection Certificate is Form 1125 and the signature is W M Love or perhaps Lovel

Who signed-off the inspection?

Sadly the only original paperwork is the original Inspection Cert signed by the Inspector at CBAF detaisling all the incorporated mods and a coule of the 700s from its last few months

…but…

Lion Rocks problem is that even with the names, how will he corelate names and a/c without paperwork for either. I believe all the pilots are deceased or unavailable. Do logs etc survive for the machines listed..?

Quote from ‘Sigh for a Merlin’:_

During five years of flying, 25 pilots were engaged for six months or longer, the majority of these comprising RAF officers who had completed various tours of active service.

Mark

Snafu 3 – Many thanks for that, much appreciated!!

Hi all

I would be grateful if anyone can advise a method by which the original factory Spitfire test pilot flew a particular aircraft can be traced. There are three Spitfires I am researching and would really like to know who did the origianl flight test at Castle Bromwich

Any thoughts much appreciated!

I seem to recall that Alex Henshaw in his autobiography “(A) Sigh For a Merlin” named his fellow Test Pilots at CBAF. Unfortunately lent out my copy and never returned. Hope this helps.

“AADH tested MkXVI’s TE182/183 14/16/05/45 respectively”

Can anyone please prvoide identities of other tp’s who may have been undertaking test flights at Castle Bromwich at this time.

Many thanks

Snoopy 7422 – many thanks for that – much appreciated

Nada.

Yes it is the pilot(s) who test flew the following aircraft that I am seeking.

The Spitfire serials are: P8646, P8648 & TE184

Any assistance much appreciated!

AADH didn’t test any of those three, but for approx’ dates;-

AADH tested P8699, 27/06/41 (At VACBAF.) This whole range came to test in very random order. (Some higher and lower PXXXX were tested at VAS Eastleigh in 1940.)

AADH tested MkXVI’s TE182/183 14/16/05/45 respectively. (VACBAF.)

Good Luck.

Spitfire Test Pilot

Yes it is the pilot(s) who test flew the following aircraft that I am seeking.

The Spitfire serials are: P8646, P8648 & TE184

Any assistance much appreciated!

Spitfire Test Pilot

Some of the Vickers Weybridge/Brooklands pilots were seconded to CB to help out with their work. Do you have the Serial Numbers of the aircraft you are interested in? I could check them against the pilots concerned…
regards
Andy fana

If they’re all Castle Bromwich, it might be more difficult. Are Henshaw’s logbooks in his papers at the RAF Museum? That would be a good place to start.

bob

I think he means the pilot of a specific production spitfire (it’ll probably turn out to be Alex Henshaw)

I had always believed it was “Mutt” Summers and subsequently much of the test flying was undertaken by Jeffrey Quill.

Wasn’t it Joseph Summers who flew the prototype ?