Edward W 'Ed' Virgin 1906-2002

Edward Warren Virgin, Test Pilot North American Aviation.

Edward Warren Virgin was born in Montgomery, Ala., and graduated from Auburn University.During the 1930s, he was an Army Air Corps test pilot. From 1941 until 1950, he had been chief of engineering flight tests and the chief engineering test pilot for North American in California.This included directing the efforts of test pilots in the development of World War II aircraft, including the B-25, P-51, and Navy fighter aircraft. He made the initial flights of the B-25C Mitchell, XB-28, XB-28A and the B-25G Mitchell.

He came to the Washington area from California in 1950 for North American Aviation as eastern representative for North American Aviation. He joined Bell Aerospace Corp. and served in Washington as vice president. He retired rom Bell Aerospace in 1970 after seven years as the company's lobbying and public affairs officer in the national capital.
In retirement, he was the chief vintner in a small wine-producing operation, Virgin Vineyards, at Royal Oak on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

In 1996, Mr. Virgin was named a fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.