Thomas E Twiggs 1934-2012

 

Thomas E Twiggs was born June 12. 1934,Twiggs was a graduate of Crossnore High School in June 1952. He was a graduate of Lees McRae College in Banner Elk, 1954 with an AA degree.

Twiggs attended North Carolina State University, Raleigh and received his Bachelor degree in Aerospace Engineering. He later received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Seattle University in Seattle, Wash.

He served 23 years of Active and reserve duty as a commissioned Naval Aviator and continued his flying with the Boeing Company in Seattle, Wash., retiring as a Flight Test Pilot in 1999.

 

Type rated in Boeing Transports from the 707 thru the 777 and the T-33, helicopter commercial privileges.

Transport Experimental and Certification Testing
Testing in Boeing transports includes Defining the airplane envelope, Flutter, Stall speeds and characteristics at forward and aft C. G., Stability and control, Engine-operating characteristics, Natural and simulated ice handling qualities. Takeoff and landing distances, Structural loads, Air and ground minimum control speeds, and Autopilot control law development including Cat IIIc auto-lands including GPS guided auto-lands.
767 testing outside the normal envelope involved handling qualities with relaxed static stability, flight characteristics at the service ceiling near 50,000 feet and in-flight reverser deployment.
Developmental Testing in various airplanes
727 wings fitted with a fixed leading edge to investigate stalls and handling qualities at high alpha.
The TCV was a joint Boeing/NASA program, using a 737, to explore the employment of electronic displays and advanced navigation computers. The program developed precise 3D and 4D fuel efficient, reduced noise terminal procedures.
Leading edge contamination on the 737 to simulate extreme icing. This testing was done to investigate the stall characteristics at forward and aft CG.
The QSRA, a modified DeHavilland “Buffalo”, with swept wings and 4 high mounted jet engines to provide an externally blown wing upper surface and leading edge. This airplane was designed to be a quiet, STOL, “Coanda Effect”, research airplane for NASA. The Boeing testing included flutter, defining the basic airplane envelope, engine operating characteristics and verifying the SAS control laws.
Tested and developed an advanced target acquisition system was done using the company owned light airplanes and T-33s.
Developed and certified the FMS and advanced displays for the 757/767 two-crew fleets. This carried forward to the 747-400 with the Future Air Navigation System (FANS-1), enabling it to be the first transport to navigate the Pacific using GPS.
ETOPS Certification of the 777 to achieve 180 minutes over water

Upon retirement, he established Alpha Test Inc. and continued flight testing as a Consultant Designated Engineering Representative (DER) for the Federal Aviation Administration appointed to approve or recommend approval of technical data to the FAA.

Carl Anson Cover 1893-1944

Carl Cover trained at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas and was commissioned Second Lieutenant, Air Service, during WWI.

Carl A. Cover wore two hats with Douglas Aircraft Company. He was vice-president of sales, and test pilot who was first to fly the following classic Douglas aircraft :-

DC-1 first flight on July 1, 1933

DC-2 first flight May 11 1934

DC-3 first flight Dec 17  1935

DC-4E first flight June 7, 1938

DC-5 first flight on 20 February 1939 He joined Bell Aircraft in September 1944 as vice president of Bell Aircraft Corporation and manager of the firm's Georgia division. Both Carl Cover and Max Stupar, Bell Industrial planning director, were killed in the crash of their twin-engine cargo plane at Wright Field in December 1944.

Allan Deacon 1932-1990

Allan Deacon was an ex Royal Navy pilot who had also flown at Boscombe Down. He was Chief Test Pilot for Shorts in Belfast until his death. He ejected from ZH203 Tucano Mk 51 off Rathlin Island, Mull of Kintyre on 22/2/1990.He suffered only minor injuries but was drowned in the rough sea conditions without getting into his dinghy,he was not wearing an immersion suit. The aircraft was the first one destined for the Kenyan AF and was doing high speed flutter trials with underwing stores when the tail came off because of the effects of the stores damping the wing oscillations

Sandford Bruce Fleming 1924-1996

Bruce Fleming was a Second World War and Korea fighter pilot. Bruce was a test pilot for Canadair and his last assignment was checking out the Challenger executive jet.

F/O S. B. Fleming was a veteran of World War II, having flown Beaufighters with No. 58 Sqn. RAF. He was attached to the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, based at Kimpo, where he joined the 334th Sqn.,While in Korea they were given verbal instructions to complete 50 missions and return home. This was not immediately confirmed in writing, nor was the USAF informed of the 50-mission limit, so Fleming went on to fly 82 missions on sweeps, escort duties, reconnaissance, and interceptions. On 13 May, in the course of escorting an RF-80, he spotted 16 MIGS preparing to attack. He led his element into the first four MIGs, scattering the enemy and sending a few running for Manchuria. He then attacked two MIGs which were firing on the RF-80 and its close escort of two Sabres. One MIG went down and was later assessed as "probably destroyed".

Fleming kept up the fight until the RF-80 had withdrawn safely, and then returned to base, low on fuel and out of ammunition. He also damaged two MIGs during his tour, one on 1 Apr. and the other on 21 May. In addition he scored hits on several ground targets while strafing, an unusual job for the Sabres, whose prime duty was running interference for the bombers and fighter-bombers. Subsequently, F/O Fleming was awarded the American DFC.

He joined Canadair in 1949 as a test pilot after leaving the RCAF. However, he rejoined the RCAF until 1957 when he re-joined Canadair's flight operations department as a test pilot, testing Sabre 6s, T-33s and CL-28s. He went on to test the CF-104 and was involved in an accident of CF-104 (12712) but baled out successfully.

Flt Lt Richard Carew Reynell 1912-1940

Richard Carew Reynell was born in Reynella, South Australia on January 9th 1912 and was educated at St Peter's, Adelaide. He went to England in 1929 and passed the Oxford University entrance examination to read Agriculture at Balliol College. Reynell joined the University Air Squadron and he was commissioned in the RAFO in March 1931. He relinquished this on being granted a short service commission in the RAF in September 1931. On the 28th Reynell was posted to 5 FTS, Sealand and with training completed he joined 43 Squadron at Tangmere on March 8th 1932. He flew one of three Furies of the squadron, which performed at the International Air Meeting at Brussels on June 11th 1933. Reynell went to the Station Flight at Duxford on December 6th 1934 and then joined the instructing staff at 8 FTS, Montrose on May 4th 1936. He went on to the RAFO on January 15th 1937. After a visit to Australia Reynell returned to Britain and became a test pilot at Hawker's. At the outbreak of war, Reynell remained on the RAFO but was seconded to Hawkers to continue his test pilot duties. On August 26th 1940 he was attached to 43 Squadron at Tangmere, for operational experience. Reynell claimed a Me109 destroyed on September 2nd. On the 7th September 1940 Richard Reynell was stationed with No 43 Squadron flying Hawker Hurricanes from RAF Tangmere near Chichester.
 Richard was a pre war pilot with No 43 Squadron and at this time was employed as a test pilot by Hawker Aircraft. He had come back to the squadron two weeks previously to look at the attributes of the Hawker Hurricane in combat conditions and had shot down an enemy aircraft by this time and a number of probables. On the morning of the 7th he was called back to Hawkers because of the death of another test pilot, but opted to finish out the day with the squadron. In the afternoon the squadron was called out against what turned out to be the first big raid on London and the start of the Blitz. The squadron had 12 aircraft against well over 100. Richard attacked the bombers with his Squadron Leader all the way from Beachy Head to London. At approximately 5.00 PM he was shot down over Greenwich. Dickie Reynell did not bale out but was blown out of his hurricane,sadly his parachute failed to open and he was killed. The Hurricane (V7257) itself was blown into three pieces with the engine going through the roof of St Ursula’s Convent which set the building on fire

Carl E.Alber 1915-1994

L-R, Roy "Pappy" Seligman,Herb Crawford,Pat Gallo,Carl Alber, "Corky" Meyer and Fred Rowley

Carl Alber made the first flights of the Grumman Gulfstream 1,the E-2C and C-2 Greyhound

Frederick C.Rowley 1916-1989

Roy "Pappy" Seligman,Herb Crawford,Pat Gallo,Carl Alber,Corwin "Corky" Meyer,Fred Rowley

On September 20th 1951, test pilot Fred Rowley flew the Grumman XF9F-6 Cougar on its first flight.On August 14th, 1958 test pilots Carl Alber and Fred Rowley took the twin-engine turboprop Gulfstream I on its maiden flight over Grumman headquarters in Bethpage, N.Y.

Don Papish 1929-1964

Donald Hall Papish was a former USAF pilot, who joined Northrop as test pilot. He flew the Northrop X-21 and Northrop F-5. He died on the 3rd July 1964 from injuries sustained during a demonstration flight in an F-5B for the Spanish Airforce

Don P Thometz 1922- 2003

Don Thometz (centre) with student pilots

Don Thometz was an Army Air Corps instructor during World War II and a United Airlines DC-3 copilot in United’s early years. He flew nonscheduled cargo operations to Alaska and flights that supported the building of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line in the Arctic in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He finally landed a job as a test pilot for Boeing in the KC-97, B-47, B-52, and KC-135. When production of military air planes slowed down in the mid-1960s, he transferred to Seattle as a senior flight instructor in the B-707, B-720, B-727, B-737, and eventually, the B-747, instructing pilots around the world.

By the time her retired, he held airman certificates in 23 different countries.

Sqn Ldr Leslie V. Worsdell 1917-2008

 

Leslie Worsdell was the first apprentice flying instructor trained pre-war by Marshall of Cambridge. He played an important part in flying training over a career of 50 years in aviation, which included working as Marshall of Cambridge’s Chief Test Pilot where he was involved in the introduction of the C-130 Hercules aircraft to Royal Air Force Service. Leslie became a Director of Marshall in 1977 and served in that role until his retirement in December 1987.

Jack D.Wells 1920-2011

Jack Wells, Northrop test pilot flew the maiden flight of the Northrop X-21

Jack Wells was born in Ardmore, OK. He served 6 years as a pilot in the Pacific during WW2. He then obtained his Aeronautical degree at Northrop University and was immediately hired by Northrop Corp. to be their chief test pilot, which he happily served for years. During this time he built his own 2 seater plane, thus enabling him to fly the children of Parents Without Partners and other volunteer projects.

George Wood 1927-1978

George Wood was born  in 1927 and educated at Manchester Grammar school. He joined the Royal Air Force  as a Flight Navigator in Bomber Command, serving on a B-29 Washington Squadron. After leaving the RAF he joined British United Airways.

He joined British Aircraft Corporation at Wisley, as a Flight Navigator in the flight test programmes of the Valliant, VC-10 and BAC 111. He joined the Concorde flight test programme and flew as operating navigator in Prototype 002 G-BSST prior to the; eventually successful, installation of Litton Inertial Nav systems. Subsequently he flew from Tangier, Morocco, in Concorde 01 G-AXDN during the engine air intake flight test programme when Mach numbers in excess of Mach 2.24 where first achieved. He continued to fly in many overseas Concorde trials until sadly in 1978 George was fatally injured on the M4 approaching Filton for another day in Flight Ops.

Brian George Watts 1928-1996

Brian George Watts was the Flight Engineer on the first flight of Concorde 002 G-BSST back in 1969.

Brian Watts was born in Bristol, England in 1928. He served as an Engineering Apprentice for the Bristol Aeroplane Company before being called up for his National Service with the RAF as a Pilot. He subsequently re-joining Bristol's, in the Flight Operations Department as a Flight Engineer / Communication's Pilot.

 He flew under Walter Gibb as Test Flight Engineer during the Britannia flight test programme. He became the Concorde project Flight Engineer and in 1969 flew with Brian Trubshaw and John Cochrane on the first flight of Concorde 002 G-BSST from Filton, and later Concorde 01 G-AXDN. He continued Concorde test flying from Fairford until his retirement in 1978. He died in 1996 at Bristol.

Walter Shirley 19xx-1993

Walter Shirley (left) with Mike Randrup

Scorpion Engined Canberra B.2, WK163

In August 1957, Canberra B.2 WK163 captured the world altitude record. Fitted with a Napier "Double Scorpion" NScD1/2 rocket motor.WK163 achieved a height of 70,310 feet

Walter Shirley, Chief Engineer of D.Napier and Sons was observer on the Record setting altitude flight. When Napiers folded, Walter Shirley transferred to BAe and worked as a Flight Test engineer on the MRCA (Tornado) programme.  Walter described the development programme for the twin Scorpion rocket programme flown using the Canberra to Dave Eagles. There was concern that the rocket flame path which extended under the Canberra belly would grow dangerously close to the skin as indicated airspeed reduced at high altitude. He devised a crude but effective way of checking the flame path. He fitted an array of silver solder bars protruding from the a/c belly and with a series of flights was able to observe, post flight, the pattern of the flame path as indicated by the material burnt away, and related this to the flight conditions they had set up.

Alan Sutcliffe DFM 19xx-1949

Alan Sutcliffe had a distinguished R.A.F. career he was awarded the D.F.M. as a bomber pilot. He completed tours with No. 85 Squadron (Mosquito night fighters) and with a fighter interception unit where he
was engaged on operational testing of new airborne radar. He spent two years as a Service test pilot in the Engine Research Flight of the R.A.E., Farnborough. He joined D.Napiers  in June 1946 as an engine test pilot. He was killed on Friday, November 4th 1949 as a result of an accident to the Tempest on which he was making a routine test flight. A colleague wrote of him: Test pilots of the calibre of Alan Sutcliffe
are rare, and his loss will be felt acutely by his company and by the industry as a whole. Those who knew him will have lost a staunch companion and loyal friend.

Frederic A.Madenwald III 1951 - 2012

Frederic Albert Madenwald, III was born in Beaumont, Texas,on April 13, 1951, he passed away on August 5, 2012. He was laid to rest at Bakersfield National Cemetery on the afternoon of August 10, 2012, with full military honours. Fred completed a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, followed by more than 20 years of Marine Corps service as a fighter pilot and a test pilot.He served two tours as an instructor pilot at Patuxent River Naval Air Station Test Pilot School.After retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, Fred worked another 20 years as an experimental test pilot and flight test director,distinguishing his career with the first flight of the F-18 Super Hornet E/F.He was honoured by being elected as Fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.In the full span of his career, he logged over 4,000 hours in more than 11 different tactical aircraft.

Denis Prost

On 13 May 1971, Denis Prost and Jean Marie Besse broke two speed records in the Gazelle helicopter class: 307km/h over 3 km and 296km/h over a 100 km closed course.

Robert “Bob” Brookes 1941 -

Robert “Bob” Brookes born October 1941 joined Westland Aircraft Ltd as an engineering apprentice in 1957. Educated at Yeovil Technical College and later The Open University, Bob worked initially in the Mechanical Section of the Design Office and then the Advanced Projects Office before transferring to the Development Department to assist in the type testing of the Wessex Mk 2 helicopter. Transfer to the Flight Test Department in early 1966 led to participation in flight trials of the Wessex Mk3 and in the datum trials of the Sikorsky SH3D helicopter (XV370) prior to conversion to  UK Sea King equipment standard. Participation in the intensive flight programme of the Westland built Sea King Mk1 for the Royal Navy then followed. A similar programme, with the conversion of an Aerospatiale prototype SA330 to UK equipment standard prior to entry into RAF service of the Westland built Puma HC Mk1 then followed. In the mid 1970’s he became lead Flight Test Engineer for the Utility version of the Lynx and subsequently for weapon systems clearance for all helicopter types. Following promotion to Chief Flight Test Engineer there followed the development and certification of the Westland 30 series of helicopters. He left the Flight Test Department to become Chief Instrumentation Engineer 1987, Deputy Chief Development Engineer 1990, and then Deputy Chief Designer(Development) EH101 1998. Following the completion of the EH101 development programme and the introduction into service of the Merlin Mk1 and Mk3 he enjoyed a final spell as Chief Flight Test Engineer overseeing further flight development of Merlin, Apache and Lynx upgrades, prior to retiring in October 2001.

Bob was a founding member of the European Chapter of the Society of Flight Test Engineers in 1987

Brian McCann

Brian McCann - BAC TSR Navigator/Observer.

Donald Bowen

XR219, the first British Aircraft Corporation TSR.2, took off on its maiden flight at 1528hr local time on Sunday, September 27th 1964. The white-painted strike/reconnaissance aircraft is based at the Ministry of Aviation's Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down, Wilts, and was flown by Mr R. P. Beamont, BAC deputy chief test pilot, and Mr Donald Bowen, BAC chief test navigator, TSR.2.

David A.Seeman 1928-

Dave Seeman graduated from Jamaica High School in June 1945 and went to work with American Airlines as a junior mechanic at LaGuardia Field. He entered the wartime Navy V-5 program and attended Adelphi University in 1946,reporting to NAS Pensacola in 1948. Designated Naval Aviator (Aviation Midshipman) in 1949. He saw Fleet service in VF-14 and VF-173 from 1949 until 1953 flying F6F,F4U-4& -5,F9F-6 and SNB aircraft. He became a Navy acceptance pilot  and assistant engineering officer attached to the Bureau of Aeronautics office at Grumman,Bethpage 1953 through 1954 flying AF,F9F,S2F and UF aircraft. CIC School and Commissioning crew of USS Forrestal through Nov 1955.

He joined Grumman as an engineering test pilot in November 1955. He graduated from Naval Test Pilot School (Class 17) in Jan 1957. He flew build-up and contractor's spin demo of the long nosed F11F-1 at Bethpage,Edwards and Patuxent River 1957/8. The program consisted of over 600 spin entries in 5 different stores configurations and included tactical entry profiles.

Concurrent with work on other Grumman programs, he was one of the three prime pilots assigned to assist in design studies for the development of the W2F-1 (E-2A) in 1958. After the first flight of the design in October 1960, he became the third pilot flying program and initially concentrated on the stability and control and performance aspects of the test work. This included considerable stall investigation to try to improve less than desirable stall characteristics. During the course of the E-21/C-2A programs he flew the formal contractor's structural build u-ups and demonstrations of both aircraft (flown solo). He was P1C for the first flights of the C-2A (1964) and the re-procured C-2A (1985).

His other work during his 33+ years of flying at Grumman included envelope expansion and structural demonstrations of the TC-4C, OV-1D and RV-1D. He flew as P1C for the first flight of the TC-4C and carrier suitability structural programs to end points on the E-2A/C, WF-2 (E-1) and C-2A aircraft. Assigned as project pilot for the first manned nose tow catapult work using a non flyable AJ-1 test bed on the H-8 and TC-7 sites at Patuxent in preparation for  W2F and A2F designs. He was designated Senior  Engineering project pilot for the E-2C,C-2AOV-1D and TC-4C aircraft. He worked as an engineering pilot for stability and control, performance and systems development for the F9F series, F11F-1, A-6A,E-1,S2F and the OV series aircraft. He also assisted the FAA certification of the G-111 (HU-16B).

He has held collateral responsibilities a TC-4C and OV-1D Test Manager and Flight Test Manager of the Grumman Stuart Facility. While there he doubled as the on-site program manager for the modification of the 46 A6-A aircraft  into KA-6D tankers. From 1972 through 1975 he served as on-site Grumman Flight Test Manager for the Board of Inspection and Service Trials of the F-14,E-2C and the EA-6B at the Naval Air Test Center at Pax River. He returned to Bethpage in 1975 as the Senior E-2C/C-2A project pilot and conducted flight operations, planning and training for all FMS programs (Israel,Japan, Singapore,Egypt and the French Air Force effort). Additionally he conducted development and production flights of the re-procured C-2A and the initial flight of the Allison T-56-427 engine installation in the E-2C.

Dave Seeman retired in February 1989 to Patuxent River with 33years at Grumman in flight status and with 9600hours of flight time (4000 of which in the E-2/C-2 aircraft designs). He has been P1C in 52 aircraft types and has completed 251 carrier landings.

Richard L. "Dix" Loesch 1918-2007

Richard L. "Dix" Loesch was a combat seasoned fighter pilot when he came to the squadron VF-6 having also served in the "Cactus Air Force" from Henderson field defending Guadalcanal. He had shot down one enemy plane and had been wounded.

Shortly after checking in to the squadron he was loaned out and flew from the USS Nassau (CVE-16) during the invasion of Attu in the Aleutians.

Back in the squadron in the summer of '43, he was the first Navy pilot to be credited with shooting down an enemy aircraft in both the F4F Wildcat and the F6F-3 Hellcat.

He participated in the 21 plane Memorial Flight of Hellcats back to Barber's Point on Dec 26, 1943.

After the war "Dix", (holding a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautics), became the lead test pilot of Boeing Aircraft and helped develop several of the jet transport aircraft in service today. On July 15, 1954, Chief Test Pilot Tex Johnston, along with co-pilot Richard L. "Dix" Loesch, took the Dash 80 on its first flight. He later became the Chief of Flight Test during the development and first flights of the 727, 737 and 747. Before retiring, he received the Elmer Sperry Award for the advancement of aviation transportation.

Joe Mashman 1916-1994

Joe Mashman

Charles R.Woods