EJA4 Supermarine Type 392 RAF test pilot signed COLQUHOUN DFC GM DFM WW2 WWII For Sale

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EJA4 Supermarine Type 392 RAF test pilot signed COLQUHOUN DFC GM DFM WW2 WWII:
$27.94

Supermarine Type 392 First Flight 27th July 1946 cover signed Supermarine Test pilot

Cover produced for the 50th Anniversary of the Supermarine Attacker. Cover depicts the First Prototype, Second prototype, Attacker F1 and Attacker FB2. Cover bears 35p Football legends stamp cancelled with BFPS 2534 for hte 50th Anniversary of the Attacker.
Cover has been flown in Supermarine Spitfire PR Mk XIX PM631 of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at two air displays held on 27th July 1996, the 50th Anniversary of the first flight of the Supermarine Attacker\'s first prototype. The Spitfire first displayed at the RAF Town Show, Blackpool before making a flypast at Heckington, Lincolnshire and then landing at RAF Lakenheath prior to displaying there at the annual re-union of the Battle of Britain Fighter Pilots Association.

Supermarine Type 392

After the death of R J Mitchell the new Chief Designer Joe Smith designed a new fighter to replace the Spitfire. The new aicraft was built to F1/43 and was named Spiteful wbut with poor handling qualities only 17 production examples were built. The new compound wing was a success and so the design team modified the Spitful wing by removing the coolant radiaors and fitted inboard split flaps. The first three Supermarine 392 E10/44 prototypes were allocated the serial numbers TS409, TS413 and TS416. Jeffrey Quill took it on its maiden flight on 27th July 1946.Modifications were made and TS416 was designated Supermarine type 398 and named the Attacker. TS 413 made it\'s maiden flight with Mike Lithgow at the controls. It was fitted with catapult hooks and on 15 October Lithgow made the first deck landing on HMS Illustrious.
Finally after delays the Ministry of Supply agreed to the purchase of sixty Attackers with folding wings for the Royal Navy. WA469 the first of the production batch flew on 4 May 1950. On 23 May 1950 it was being flown by L R Colquhoun to asses high Mach behaviour and during a dive the starboard wing folded. With the ailerons locked by the folded wing he amde circuit of the airfield using the rudder, lowered the flaps and touched down at 200kts. The aircraft came to a halt close to the end of the runway after the application of some fierce braking the only damage being a burst type. For this feat of outstanding airmanship he was desevedly awarded the George Medal.
The first Royal Navy Operational jet unit was 800 Squadron which formed with Attacker F Mk1s at Royal Naval Air Station Ford on 17 August 1951 embarking on HMS Eagle on 4 March 1952. Re-equipment of 803 Squadron followed in November and 890 Squadron in April 152 each squadron having eight aircraft with reserves.

Cover has been signed by

Leslie Robert Colquhoun DFC GM DFM
Vicker-Supermarine Test Pilot 1946-1963

In 1940 he volunteered to join the RAF Volunteer Reserve as aircrew. He completed flying training at 18 Elementary Flying Training School at Fairoaks on Tiger Moths, and at 9 Flying Training School at Hullavington on Masters and Hurricanes.
In 1941 he was on Operational Trinaing Unit at Hawarden on Spitfires and in October joined 603 Squadron at RAF Hornchurch carrying out sweeps and patrols. In 1942 he was posted to deliver Spitfire PR MkIV to 2 Photo Reconnaissance Unit in Cairo via Gibraltar and Malta. He was ordered to remain in Malta and join 69 Squadron carrying out photo reconnaissance flights over Sicily, Southern Italy, Greece, North Africa and Sardinia totalling 157 Operational Sorties. He was awarded the DFM for operations in Malta with 69 Squadron. In January 1943 he was posted to 2 Photo Reconnaissance OTU at Dyce and in October was posted to 682 Squadron carrying out reconnaissance flights over Italy and Europe completing 236 operational Sorties. He was awarded the DFC for operations with 682 Squadron. In September 1944 he was posted back to OTU at Dyce. In February 1945 he was posted to Vickers-Supermarine at High Post near Salisbury as a Service test pilot working under Jeffrey Quill the Vickers Chief Test Pilot. He was involved with the production testing of later marks of Spitfire, the Spiteful and seafang. In 1946 he was invited to remain with the Vickers test flying team after being demobilsed from the RAF.
As a full member of the Vickers test flying team he became involved with the development of Attacker, Swift, Scimitar ans Seagull in addition to duties as chief production test pilot.In 1951 he carried out some of the flying for David Lean\'s Film \'The Sound Barrier. In 1953 he was responsible for selecting and setting up the course in Libya for Mike Lithgow\'s World Air Speed Record attempt in the Swift.
In 1957 he elected to stay with Vicjers to complete the company\'s Scimitar Programme. The remainder of the Vickers-Supermarine test pilot team went to join merged Vickers and English Electric Orgainisation which became British Aircraft Corporation.
In 1960 he was involved with the development of the Vickers Hovercraft project and became Operations Manager. In 1963 he delivered last production Scimitar to the Royal Navy. In 1962 he pioneered the fisrt commercial passenger carrying hovercraft service between Wallasey and Rhyl using 30 Seat Vickers VA3 Hovercraft. In 1966 he left Vickers after 21 years as a test pilot to start up Hoverlloyd cross channel service from Ramsgate to Calais and was appointed Managing Director in 1967. In 1972 he left Hoverlloyds to set up consultancy specialising in fast marine ferries.

Harry Griffiths FIM
Supermarine Aviation 1928-1961

He joined Supermarine as a laboratory assistant in 1928. Between 1930 and 1935 he was apprenticed to Chief Metallurgist Arthur Black. He worked on the material and structural tesing and devlopment of fuel systems and engine coolant systems for Southampton Flying boats, the S series of Schneider Trophy seaplanes, F7/30 fighter and Spitfire prototype K5054. Between 1940 and 1958 he was assistant Chief Metallurgist and Head of materials laboratory during wartime development of Spitfire and Seafire aircraft followed by the Attacker, Swift and Scimitar Developments. He specialised in analysis of material and structural failures and initiaed original research into internal stresses and stress corrosion. He retired from VIckers in 1961 and later set up his own metallurgical consultancy.

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EJA4 Supermarine Type 392 RAF test pilot signed COLQUHOUN DFC GM DFM WW2 WWII

$27.94