John A. Crosby-Warren 1910-1944

John Crosby-Warren

L-R John Crosby-Warren ( test pilot), Michael Daunt ( test pilot),  Mckenna (Gloster MD), Frank Whittle and Carter (Gloster Designer)

John Crosby-Warren was a Cambridge M.A and flew with the Cambridge University Squadron. He was a large man,over 6ft8in in height, which was a handicap when flying single seat fighters. When flying an open cockpit, he always wore a Russian fur hat, as the windscreen was not high enough to give sufficient protection!

He served a short apprenticeship with the Bristol Company. His flight testing work was with the Parnall Company on their Gispy-engind trainer, and he was,at the same period, a pilot in the Bristol Squdron of the Royal Auxillary Air Force.
Just after the Battle of Britain he joined the Gloster Aircraft Company and became one of the senior test pilots of the Hawker Siddeley Aircraft Company's pool of pilots. After much work on Hurricanes he took over the production testing of typhoons from Michael Daunt and latterly assisted him in flying prototypes and experimental jet aircraft.

He was killed on April 27th 1944 whilst flying the Gloster F.9/40 (DG205/G). The trim tab detached, causing the aircraft to roll inverted into the ground.