Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Geoff Worrall 1922-



Javelin Mk 7 on test flight,4th March 1959
Conducting flight refuelling tests in Javelin Mk IX XH965,with Mk VIII nozzle on 2th May 1960. The Valiant is being flown by John Cochrane, Vickers Test Pilot
Geoff sitting in Javelin Mk9 :XH759. This was flight No11 on the 1st September 1960 to conduct experimental pitch stabiliser tests
Geoff Worrall flying a Gloster Javelin @1950's
L-R, Russell Adams(FROS Photographer), Freddie Heather (Flight Test Foreman) and Geoff Worrall standing in front of the Meteor F.9 Prototype in 1951
Geoff Worral flying Gloster Gladiator in 1959

Geoff Worrall joined the RAF and trained at RAF Henlow as Group II aircraft Electrician and RAF Hereford as Group I Aircraft Electrician between 1941 and 1943. He serviced Hurricanes Typhoon I and Lysanders and at RAF Glenegdale serviced Beaufighter and Beauforts and other visiting aircraft. In 1943 he was remustered for aircrew training and went to Grading school at RAF Sealand on Tiger Moths. He went to South Africa in 1944 for Pilot training. In 1945 he joined 81 Squadron in India for Operation Zipper with SEAC and later transferred to 60 Squadron on the Disbandment of 81 Squadron flying P47 in the same role. Between 1946 and 1948 60 squadron converted to Spitfire XIV and XVIII at Kuala Lumpar Malaya and he was based at RAF Tengah in Singapore. He then returned to the UK and was demobilised. He joined 616 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force at RAF Finningley flying Meteor MK3 4 and 7s.
In 1948 he joined Gloster testing service and production Meteors . 1950-1954 he was involved in conversion training and the delivery of Meteors to the Middle East
. He was also promoted to Chief Production Test Pilot in 1954. Between 1954 and 1960 he was involved in production and experimental flying of GA5, Javelin testing MKs 1 - 9, Jet provost development.Hunter deliveries, communications flying Rapide Proctor Auster and Anson. In 1960 he was appointed Chief Test Pilot. 1961-196 he was Chief Test pilot Whitworth Gloster Aircraft on merge within Hawker Siddeley Group. 1967-1976 he was involved in the Concorde project regarding Sales Engineering, airline liaison, flight systems, cockpit design and ergonomics. In 1980 until 1984 he joined the Joint Production Directorate at BAC Filton until his retirement in 1984.