Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Foster H 'Dickie' Dixon 1912-1949


Dixon who was educated at Clifton and Cambridge, joined the Raf IN 1932, and from 1933-1936
was a member of No1 Fighter Squadron. He was a pilot of one of five Fairey Fury aircraft which gave demonstartion flights in Canada in 1934. He took part in the RAF Hendon pageants in 1935 and 1936.

He was transferred to the RAF reserve in 1936, in which year he joined Fairey's staff as a test pilot. He was appointed Chief Test Pilot in 1942 and continued in this role until 1946. He was latterly largely concerned with the firm's helicopter programme and with the introduction of the Primer trainer and Juniors. He was killed during flight trials of the prototype Fairey Gyrodyne in 1949.