Photo: British Newspaper Archive. Illustrated London News August 7th 1954
Lieut-Cmdr J.R.S. (Jack) Overbury of The Naval Test Squadron on his return to Bovingdon 29 July 1954 having set a point to point Class C1 London (Bovingdon) - Amsterdam (Schipol) Record 224 miles in 23 minutes, 39.7 secs at 571.5 mph in his Sea Hawk.
Photo: British Newspaper Archive Illustrated London News August 7th 1954
Jack Overbury 1925-1960 served in The Royal Navy from 1943. He graduated from 12th Course ETPS Farnborough in 1953. From 1954 until 1956 he was on the strength of The Naval Test Squadron at Boscombe Down. During this time he set another record on 2nd July 1955 flying a Sea Venom from Rome to Malta at 538 mph.
Prototype de Havilland Sea Venom 21 XA539. Overbury was one of several pilots who carried out Deck Trials on HMS Albion with this particular aircraft at the end of August 1954.
Jack Overbury left the Navy and joined Saunders Roe in 1957 as the Assistant Chief Test Pilot. Here he flew early development flights on the SR53 Prototype XD145 and the ill-fated XD151.
It was during this period that Jack met with a mishap displaying a Turbulent at Sandown on the Isle of Wight and ended up in hospital.
And here we see Elizabeth
In 1959 Jack Overbury was employed as a Test Pilot by Huntings at Luton. I think the couple moved to Studham near Whipsnade. Unfortunately Jack was killed in 1960 when Jet Provost G-AOUS suffered a sequence of events that resulted in a structural failure.
Photo: BAE Systems Heritage - Percival Hunting Collection. G-AOUS at Luton. Date Unknown.
Photo: Langford History Society. Wreckage at Langford Common Bedfordshire 16th November 1960.
Photo Langford History Society
At sometime around 1964 Elizabeth who had been instructing at Luton Flying Club joined Autair International as a First Officer at Luton Airport. Initially she mainly flew Ambassador aircraft graduating to the 748 (In those days you could fly both types concurrently). In 1968 she was among the first Autair Pilots to be sent for Ground School and Flying Training on the BAC111 with British United Airways at Gatwick before returning to Luton for further training and line flying on Autair's newly introduced BAC111s.
2021 Correction published by The Guardian.
Photo: Elizabeth Overbury/Graham Simons. Senior First Officer Palma Majorca 1969
With the collapse of Court Line in 1974 Elizabeth found employment with Dan Air as a Captain on their HS748 Fleet.
Photo: Dan Air Remembered.
I'm afraid that Elizabeth died some years ago now. I have been unable to track down her obituary. She re-married in 1977. I have found an interesting snippet on the following link - for the second part of the video click on 'read the full conversation'. It shows Elizabeth as sparky as ever. Just as I remember her from all those years ago at Autair. It was tough for her being a young widow and being mucked around by an inexperienced tea boy come Crewing Officer (Me). I remember she had a very smart White Volvo Sports Car in those days.