Gp Capt Richard Gordon Slade OBE 1912-1981

Group Captain R.Gordon Slade was O.C. of the Testing Flight at Boscombe Down. He was responsible for carrying out the RAF (A&AEE) proving trials on all the Mosquito prototypes until October 1941. He was given command of the first Mosquito fighter Squadron 157,which was formed at Debden on Dec 13 1941. On Aug 22 1942 while flying in DD612,he shot down a Dornier DO217. During the last year of the war, he commanded Raf Swannington in 100 Group with 85 and 157 Mosquito Squadrons.

After the war he became Chief Test Pilot and Superintendent of Flying with Fairey Aviation, and flew the maiden flights on the Fairey FD1, VX350 on 10 March 1951 and the Fairey Gannet. He was involved in the establishment of a new World Absolute Speed Record of 1132 miles per hour by a Fairey Delta II, which was piloted by Peter Twiss in 1956. He was awarded and OBE in 1957.