Anyone shed light on this.

[tyne]

Going through my late father's photographs I found this.

He he was a TV reporter for the BBC in the early 1960s and I think the photo was taken somewhere in North East England.

Who was the woman? What was she doing to merit a TV interview? I guess flying or flying in the aircraft in the background.

The aircraft. A Lightning?

I would love it if anyone can shed any light on this.

Thanks in advance.

[vintage ATCO]

Isn't that Diana Barnato Walker?

Got her book somewhere.

[vintage ATCO]

Women's Speed Record Flight - 1262mph - on 26 August 1963, Squadron Leader Ken Goodwin and I pose for the cameras. And behind is the Lightning which I flew - XM996, a Mark T4.

Photo caption from her book, 'Spreading my Wings' 1994.

[Herod]

On 26 August 1963 she flew an English Electric Lightning T4 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Electric_Lightning) to Mach 1.6 (1,262 mph) after convincing the Air Minister (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretary_of_State_for_Air) to let her fly it with Squadron Leader (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squadron_Leader) Ken Goodwin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Goodwin_(RAF_officer)) as her check pilot (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Check_pilot), and so became the first British woman to break the sound barrier (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_barrier). She also established by this flight a world air speed record (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_airspeed_record) for women.[6] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Barnato_Walker#cite_note-F1-6)

I suspect you are right. here is a direct extract from Wiki

[diginagain]

Odd choice of footwear.

[sycamore]

And wearing a pair of flatties as well.....was she excused boots...?

[vintage ATCO]

Should be stilettos you mean? :-)

Maybe changed after the flight? The pics in her book do not show her feet but she was wearing a tie!

[Fareastdriver]

Could well have been later on..

"You've got an interview with the BBC; get a flying suit on."

[tyne]

Thanks so much for that. II'l write it on the back of the photo.

Much apprrciated!

[Fareastdriver]

I thought that a few WRAF officers had joined the ten ton club before then.

[ian16th]

Wasn't the flight from RAF Middleton St. George?

Which fits in with the NE England question.

[Warmtoast]

Fareastdriver
I thought that a few WRAF officers had joined the ten ton club before then
Flight Officer Jean Oakes was the first according to this report in The Times dated 14th September 1962.
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Ten-TonFlyer.jpg

[Ascend Charlie]

Well, was it John Smith or Ken Goodwin who was with her?

[Wholigan]

Hmmmmm Ascend ----- 2 different women at 2 different times mate.

Thus ---- 2 different pilots.

[ian16th]

Diana Banarto Wiki page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Barnato_Walker#Air_Speed_Record)

[hoodie]

The difference between Oakes and Barnato is that the latter was a qualified pilot and was performing an aircrew role during the flight. Oakes was evidently a passenger, given some hands-on time.

[Thomas coupling]

Where is she now (at 83years old)?

[hoodie]

?? Jean Oakes would be 90. Diana Barnato died in 2008 (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1927116/Diana-Barnato-Walker.html).

[Argonautical]

May I ask why the quoted speeds were only around Mach 1.6? Was it then a rumour that the Lightning was capable of Mach 2? :)

[2 TWU]

If my memory is correct, the small pointed fin Lightnings were limited to M1.7 for reasons of supersonic directional stability, big fin versions good for M2.0

[Dave Cudworth]

Jean married my father in May 1983 and became Jean Cudworth. She died on 4th July 2019, aged 92, in a nursing home near Swadlincote, having suffered from dementia for a number of years.

[ORAC]

RIP.........

[NutLoose]

My condolences Dave, truly an exceptional woman, Swadlincote is a nice place and not that far from Spondon the place of her birth.

[OvertHawk]

Dave

You have my sincerest condolences.

I hope that, after the difficulties of her dementia, you are able to look back on the happier time that Jean and your father spent together.

Dementia is the cruelest of diseases and i wish you and your family the best.

Oh

[colemoreton]

I'm sorry for your loss Dave. I'm a writer and broadcaster for Radio 4 and other platforms and my research into another story led me to read about your mother's extraordinary achievement in the Lightning in 1962. I would very much like to have a chat with you about this if at all possible, would you mind? You can reach me here or on [email protected]. Thank you.