Signed Aviation Dinner Menu's,Cards and Posters

1950's Aircraft Poster which I had signed in person by the following test pilots at the last test pilot reunion at Popham Airfield:-

Eric Brown, Tony Blackman, Mike Oliver, Clive Rustin, John Farley, Geoff Worrall, JO Lancaster, David Lockspeiser, Don Knight,Reg Stock, George Aird, Dave Eagles, Roger Topp

Royal Aero Club 50th Anniversary Britannia Trophy Dinner Menu signed by the following past winners:-

1914 - Squadron Commander J.W. Seddon RNAS 

1925 - Alan Cobham

1927 - Lieutenant Richard.R. Bentley

1937 - Flying Officer A.E. Clouston

1938 - Harry A.V.Hogan, Brian K.Burnett, Maurice Larwood Gaine

1939 - Alex Henshaw - for his record flight from London to Cape Town and back

1945 - Group Captain H.J. Wilson

1946 - Group Captain E.M. Donaldson

1947 - Squadron Leader Harold.B 'Micky' Martin and Squadron Leader E.B. Sismore

1950 - Phillip.A. Wills

1952 - W/Cdr Roland.P. Beaumont, F/lt Peter Hillwood and S/Ldr Dennis.A. Watson

1956 - L.Peter Twiss

1957 - Mike Randrup and Walter Shirley

1958 - John Cunningham and Per Bugge

1959 - Peter Latham - 111 Squadron RAF

1960 - T.W. Brooke-Smith

1961 - Anne Burns and Dennis Burns

Fairy Aviation Signed Menu from 1929. It features the signatures of
C.R.McMullin and Maurice E.A. Wright

Westland Helicopters Signed Card
 

Ted Ciastula, Chief designer Saunders-Roe at the time of the Westland takeover. Responsible for designing P531, Scout, Wasp as senior designer at Hayes played an important part in the initial design of the WG-13, which was to become Lynx

 

Jazz Young, in charge of the stress office at Hayes.

 

Desmond Liegh, senior  Stressman at Hayes and later at Yeovil.

 

Sid Smith,

John Wilson,

Bill Spinks,   

 

Graham Cole, Sales and Marketing at Yeovil, resident in Brazil for many years.  Became Chairman of Westland.  Awarded CBE

 

Gilbert Hatton, Production at Hayes

 

Syd Williams, Inspection at Hayes

 

Tony Underwood, Structural department Hayes

 

Ted Roadnight, vibration specialist, moved to Yeovil 1970, Subsequently joined Marketing 

 

A Boardman, MOD Resident Technical Officer (RTO)

 

John Firmin Electrical, Radio, Avionics Development, From 1969 Retired 1993 in charge Avionics

 

Reg Maltby, Senior design; I think Wessex, Sea king etc 

 

Arthur Baker; senior development Test Engineer.

 

Reg Swinfield: Chief Stressman Hayes, later at Yeovil

 

Stan Thear: Electrical design Hayes

 

Cyril Scott: i/c Radio section White Waltham

 

Jimmy Wildhaber; Stress Hayes and later I think White Waltham

 

Betty Tillyer: Central registry Hayes

 

Mike Breward; Projects Yeovil

Eric Stanmore  ; Radio Installations 

George Isaacs: Chief Electrical designer Hayes and later Yeovil 

Stan Griggs; senior design, Electrical or Mechanical 

Bill Pemberton: Hydraulics Designer Hayes and later Yeovil 

Roy Cowdrey; Structural design Hayes later Yeovil 

Bill Reading; 

Les Fitzgerald: Hydraulics 

Mike Kelly ; Superintendent  White Waltham South, Fairey managed RAF site

Dr Winney: Very Senior Hayes, Head of Technical office

David Balmford; Dynamics Hayes, Chief Dynamics Yeovil became Chief Scientist 

Alan Vincent  Dynamics Hayes and Yeovil 

Mostyn-Davis; Projects Hayes and Yeovil 

Steve Templar: Engineering Management Hayes later Yeovil 

Jim Schofield; Propulsion Rotodyne, Armament design Yeovil 

George Garaghty: Aerodynamics 

Vic Adams: computing in 1957? 

Keiron Mackenzie: Chief aerodynamicist Hayes later Yeovil 

George Smith-Pert : Transmission design Yeovil 

Alan Smith; Lynx Programme Manager

David Gibbings;  

R D Trumper; Chief Development Engineer Hayes and Yeovil 

Vic Rogers, Head Stress Hayes, Chief designer Yeovil became Director 

John Morton Test Pilot  

Ron Cure: rotor design Hayes 

Keith Chadbourn ; Test Pilot 

Archie Pitt ; White Waltham North site superintendent 

Jack Packett; costing

Dr George Hislop; Chief designer Rotodyne became MD at Yeovil 

Bill Denyer; Mechanical designer 

Roger Strange ; Programme Management

 

Sir Francis Chichester signed menu in recognition of his solo yacht crossing

 

Dinner in honour of French Air Rally hosts 1963

Signed by Claude Grahame-White, Brabazon of Tara and Alan Lennox-Boyd

Royal Aero Club menu signed by following early aviators:-

Lord Barbazon of Tara 1884-1964

Edward Keith Davies 1885-1968

James George Weir 1887-1973

Sir Thomas Sopwith 1888-1989

Andrew George Board 1878-1973

Medal awarded to G/Capt E.N Ryder for competing in the race.

Menu signed by the following, plus 1 un-identified.

G/C Edgar Norman Ryder DFC* (1914-1995)
W/Cdr Charles Maughan (1923-2009)
Colonel Charles Frederick Howard Gough MC (1901-1977)
Eric Rylands
Arthur Wareham (1909-1985) Editor of Daily Mail
Maj Jacques Allez (President of French Aero Club)

Maj Jack Stewart OBE (Aviation Consultant)

A very nice multi-signed Dinner menu commerating the first flights of deHavilland Comet on the 27th July 1949 and the Bristol Brabazon on the September 4th 1949.This dinner was held at the Dorchester Hotel,Park Lane W London on Wednesday December 20th 1950. It has been signed by several of those involved in the Brabazon and Comet programs.

John Cunningham (1917-2002) - de Havilland Chief Test Pilot - maiden flight of the de Havilland Comet

A.J. 'Bill' Pegg (1906-1978) - Bristol Aeroplane Co. Chief Test Pilot - maiden flight of the Bristol Brabazon

Cyril Uwins (1896-1972)- Former Bristol Aeroplane Co. Chief Test Pilot

Archilbald Russell (1904-1995) - Chief Designer of the Bristol Brabazon

Kennelm Bartlett (1892-1960) - Bristol Aeroplane Co. Sales Director

Clarence (Clary) S. Thom (1900-1960)- de Havilland Sales Director

Sir Aubrey F.Burke (1904-1989) - de Havilland Engine Co. Managing Director

F.E.N.St.Barbe (1892-1975) - de Havilland Business Director





If anyone can identify the remaining two signatures, please email me and let me know





Cartoon from the 1954 Aeroplane magazine depicting the Awards Dinner.
Listed below are some of the signatories of the Dinner menu. It reads like a who's who of British Aviation History,with outstanding Test Pilots,Designers and Engineers.

Michael J. 'Mike' Lithgow (1920-1963) - Supermarine Test Pilot
World Speed Record
Sqn Ldr Neville F.Duke (1921-2007) - Hawker Test Pilot
World Speed Record
Sir Sydney Camm (1893-1966) - Aircraft Designer
Designed the Hurricane, Seahawk,Hunter and Harrier

Albert. G.Elliot (1889-1978) - Rolls Royce Chief engineer
Designed the Rolls Royce Merlin and Avon Engines.

W.E.W 'Teddy' Petter (1908-1968) - Aircraft Designer

Designed the Lysander,Whirlwind,Welkin,Canberra,Lightning,Midge and Gnat.

Joseph 'Joe' Smith (1897-1956) - Aircraft Designer

Who took over as Chief Designer for Supermarine's upon the death of R.J.Mitchell and led the team responsible for the subsequent development of the Spitfire and other Supermarine aircraft such as the Swift.

John Cunningham (1917-2002) DeHavilland Test Pilot

Lord Brabazon of Tara (1884-1964) - Pioneer Aviator and holder of British Aviation Licence No 1

Captain Kennelm Bartlett (1892-1960)- Former Bristol Aeroplane Company Sales Director and President F.A.I.
Col Rupert L. 'Mossy' Preston (1902-1982) - Sec-General RAe.C

 Sopwith Apprentices 8th Re-union Dinner 1962 signed by the following:

Neville Duke 
Maurice Smith
E.A 'Chris' Wren
R.J. Ashfield
R.H. Shaw
J.D.Stranks
George Anderson
Herbert Parsons
James Stuart