Great British aviation heroes
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: New Zealand
Age: 77
Posts: 519
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dont forget Dame Mary Russel, Duchess of Bedford..
Mary Russell, Duchess of Bedford - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mary Russell, Duchess of Bedford - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Small but Great
I had the privilege of being checked out on the mighty PA 28 by Joan Hughes in January 1974. Although not quite as tiny as she appears in the photo above, she did bring a substantial cushion out to the aircraft for the right hand seat!
Ian BB
Ian BB
I have told the story of Joan Hughes's log book and the flying scholarship students at Whte Waltham so won't repeat it.
As a kid I had Neville Duke's photo, amongst others, on my wall.. Nearly sixty years later, I had the great privilege of knowing him - he was a Member of the South Coast Yacht Club of which I was professional secretary. What a lovely guy to have known.
As a kid I had Neville Duke's photo, amongst others, on my wall.. Nearly sixty years later, I had the great privilege of knowing him - he was a Member of the South Coast Yacht Club of which I was professional secretary. What a lovely guy to have known.
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK. East Mids.
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Tray Surfer - "Stupid Boy" - just a very heart warming and chastening story and well deserving of inclusion in the list -Reading the link my eyes started to itch................. Well included. Thank you
Aircon in this office seems to be on the blink as my eyes are watering badly.
Barbara Jane Harrison, True grit indeed.
How badly we need people of her calibre.
In 5 years it will be 50 years. I hope there will be some kind of remembrance.
Barbara Jane Harrison, True grit indeed.
How badly we need people of her calibre.
In 5 years it will be 50 years. I hope there will be some kind of remembrance.
Last edited by ericferret; 30th Oct 2013 at 16:34.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Weston Super Mare/UAE
Age: 60
Posts: 406
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Can remember being stirred-up as a kid by the tales of derring-do of such men as Douglas Bader, Bob Stanford Tuck, Paul Richey and Ginger Lacey et al and really had no other choice after these but to follow them into aviation....
Tray Surfer, may I add my thanks for highlighting Barbara Harrison's story? How marvellous, too, to see how fitting her memorials are.
exmanman asks what became of the VAAC Harrier - i think it's still at Boscombe Down, in store.
I truly hope it ends up in a museum. My order of preference would be:
1. Cosford, in the Research and T&E section.
2. Yeovilton.
3. Farnborough Air Sciences Trust.
exmanman asks what became of the VAAC Harrier - i think it's still at Boscombe Down, in store.
I truly hope it ends up in a museum. My order of preference would be:
1. Cosford, in the Research and T&E section.
2. Yeovilton.
3. Farnborough Air Sciences Trust.
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK. East Mids.
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is such a great thread... I am so happy I stumbled across it.
I have always been interested in aviation. Since I took my first flight on an Air Malta 737-200 in July 1987, being invited into the flight deck to see Paris as we overflew it, then being taken around varying air shows in the UK by my dad, setting off at silly o'clock in the morning to drive for 5 hours to get somewhere to spend hour upon hour with my jaw hanging open as planes buzzed overhead...
I have spent hours, clicking on links and googling and searching information about all the things posted in this thread, truly inspirational and I have had an amazing few hours.
I now fly for a living, all be it in the commercial cabins, and to me, it is still just that little bit more, every time I step over the threshold of an aircraft door, I still get a few wee butterflies in my stomach at the thought of being in the air.
A whole hearted thank you to all the contributors to this thread, you have made an unplanned day on the ground, very, worthwhile.
TS
I have always been interested in aviation. Since I took my first flight on an Air Malta 737-200 in July 1987, being invited into the flight deck to see Paris as we overflew it, then being taken around varying air shows in the UK by my dad, setting off at silly o'clock in the morning to drive for 5 hours to get somewhere to spend hour upon hour with my jaw hanging open as planes buzzed overhead...
I have spent hours, clicking on links and googling and searching information about all the things posted in this thread, truly inspirational and I have had an amazing few hours.
I now fly for a living, all be it in the commercial cabins, and to me, it is still just that little bit more, every time I step over the threshold of an aircraft door, I still get a few wee butterflies in my stomach at the thought of being in the air.
A whole hearted thank you to all the contributors to this thread, you have made an unplanned day on the ground, very, worthwhile.
TS
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: UK
Age: 68
Posts: 736
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I saw a programme on BBC 4 about flight attendants and this included details of Barbara Harrison's heroism. I wanted to add her to this thread but could not remember her name. Reading more about her on this thread made realise that she was on BOAC at the time that I was regularly flying with my brother as unaccompanied children between UK and USA, so it is even possible that as an Aunt we might have been attend to by her. Very moving.
Jean Lennox Bird
I'd add to the list Jean Lennox Bird who was the first female RAF pilot to be awarded full RAF pilots Wings (as a member of the WRAFVR) in 1952.
There's a British Pathe clip of her receiving her wings here:
FIRST R.A.F. WINGS FOR WOMEN aka 1ST WOMAN GETS RAF WINGS - British Pathé
Her portrait hangs in the National Portrait Gallery as seen here:
National Portrait Gallery - Portrait - NPG x86584; Jean Lennox Bird
She sadly died in 1957 when the Miles Aerovan she was piloting crashed at Ringway Airport, Manchester.
I'd add to the list Jean Lennox Bird who was the first female RAF pilot to be awarded full RAF pilots Wings (as a member of the WRAFVR) in 1952.
There's a British Pathe clip of her receiving her wings here:
FIRST R.A.F. WINGS FOR WOMEN aka 1ST WOMAN GETS RAF WINGS - British Pathé
Her portrait hangs in the National Portrait Gallery as seen here:
National Portrait Gallery - Portrait - NPG x86584; Jean Lennox Bird
She sadly died in 1957 when the Miles Aerovan she was piloting crashed at Ringway Airport, Manchester.
Last edited by Warmtoast; 31st Oct 2013 at 20:47.
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: NornIron
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not sure if hero is correct but...........
Raymond Baxter
I grew up in the seventies and his voice described some of the best moments of my early years.
Farnborough with Concorde, Harrier, Phantom etc.
I'm now off to youtube to relive those moments
I grew up in the seventies and his voice described some of the best moments of my early years.
Farnborough with Concorde, Harrier, Phantom etc.
I'm now off to youtube to relive those moments
My wedding reception was held in a pub in New Malden Surrey and the landlord was the Steward who was with Barbera. This was many years later and he still could not forget her and blamed himself for her demise.
He had to give up flying due to this terrible incident.
He had to give up flying due to this terrible incident.
Another vote for Joan Hughes. Did my instructor's rating with her 5000 years ago. She was very unassuming and never mentioned her ATA and film careers. She was like a character from an Agatha Christie novel. Especially endearing was her propensity to refer to people she didn't approve of as "it", as in "It wandered in expecting some sort of special treatment and it wasn't happy when everyone ignored it."
Last edited by Discorde; 2nd Nov 2013 at 19:36.
vctenderness
Andy McCarthy who trained me at BOAC Cranebank in 1973 was another Cabin Crew survivor of the Whisky Echo incident - it had scarred him for life also - I don't think he ever went back to regular line flying - those of us who have gone through a flying life as pros or pleasure flyers without such traumas must count our blessings - God bless Barbara.
IanBB
IanBB