Robert H. Fowler 1922-2011

L-R DeHavilland Canada President Bernhard Bundesman with Bob Fowler and Mick Saunders

Bob Fowler has had a varied and interesting flying career. During WW2, he flew 44 Opeartional missions with 226Sqn,flying B-25 Mitchells. Post war he flew a P-38 Lightning performing Magnetic surveys and high altitude photography for Spartan in Ottawa, this helped give Robert Fowler a name in the aviation field.

In 1952, he was hired by de Havilland of Canada where he spent much time testing new aircraft models. He flew several maiden flights ffor de Havilland Canada, including the DHC-6 Twin Otter, DHCT-2 Turbo Beaver,DHC-5 Buffalo,DHC-7 DASH-7 and DHC-8 DASH 8. In addition to these first flights, he also flew several first flights with new engines such as the Pratt &Whitney YPT6a turboprop engine

Bob Fowler has also played a major role in the development of flight controls and propeller systems which led to de Havilland becoming a leader in the production of STOL aircraft. This work was later followed by his research in modulated jet thrust. He was involved with NASA AMES Resarch center flying the Augmenter Wing Flight Research Vehicle,which was developed from a heavily modified prototype Buffalo and also the QSJRA,Quiet Shorthaul Research AIrcraft,which was a swept upper-wing,surface blowing study.