Lt Cdr John G.P. Morton 1925-2014

Ron Gellatly and John Morton (left) with the Fairey Rotodyne.
Fairey Rotodyne in flight


John Morton flying the Fairey Ultralight


John Morton joined the Royal Navy in 1942 and completed his flight training in the USA. He served as a fighter pilot at home and in the Far East. He was a Flight Commander of 1835 Sqn between 1944-1945. He served in HMS Colossus and Theseus. In 1949 he converted to helicopters and became Flight Commander,Helicopter Flight,Underwater Development Establishment. He attened CFS and later A&AEE. In March 1955 he was lent to Faireys from HMS Centaur,joining the company permanently as a test pilot soon after. He was co-pilot on the maiden flight of the Fairey Rotodyne and was intimately connected with the development of the Gyrodyne,Rotodyne,Scout and Wasp. He beacme the project pilot for the Navy Lynx.
He has flown over 90 different types of aircraft, 34 of them helicopters.

He continued test flying with Westland Helicopters, and was Naval Lynx project pilot.