S/Ldr Douglas Richard 'Dickie' Turley-George DFC 1918-1991

Dickie' Turley-George

Dickie' Turley-George (right) with Maurice Rose'Meyer

Turley-George (left) and F/O C Fenwick (in front of their Hawker Hurricane on board the SS Empire Tide

Douglas Richard Turley-George was born in Finchley, London on 8th August 1918. He joined the RAFVR in 1937 and did his weekend flying at 19 E&RFTS Gatwick. He joined the RAF on a short service commission in August 1938 and, with his training completed, he was posted to the Test Flight at RAF Henlow.

Turley-George joined 54 Squadron at Rochford on 15th July 1940. He made a crash-landing near Dover on the 25th after combat with Me109's and wrote off Spitfire P9387.

On 12th August he made a crash-landing at Denton after again being damaged in combat with Me109's. Turley-George was admitted to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital with shrapnel wounds to the head and eye. After leaving hospital he was grounded and sent on a 2nd Class Navigator's Course, after which he was posted to 54 OTU as a navigation instructor.

He later regained his full operational category and was posted to the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit in September 1941.

In June 1942 Turley-George was senior pilot on the Camship Empire Tide in Russian convoy PQ 17. The convoy was ordered to scatter when it was thought an attack by German warships was imminent. After the scatter order came, the ships were subjected to six days of bombing and torpedo attacks, until only eleven remained of the original forty-two.

Empire Tide was one of the survivors. It lay in a bay for two weeks, joined a small Russian convoy and finally reached Archangel on 24th July 1942.

Later in the year Turley-George went to the newly-reformed 198 Squadron at Digby as a supernumerary Flight Lieutenant. In early 1943 he was attached to 231 Squadron as an instructor. It was originally an army co-operation unit which had converted to a fighter-reconnaissance role.

In March 1943 he went on to the squadron strength as 'A' Flight Commander. Turley-George was wounded in November during a ground-attack sortie over Normandy. He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 3rd October 1944).

In December 1944 he was posted to 88 Group Communications Squadron at Turnhouse as a Flight Commander. The unit later moved to Fornebu, Norway. In December 1945 Turley-George took command of the Reserve Command Communications Squadron.

He was released from the RAFO in November 1949 as a Squadron Leader and became a test pilot with Shorts Bros. He was involved with the Canberra U.10 and Canberra PR9 programmes.

Turley-George was awarded the Norwegian Medal of Liberation.

Paul Hopkins 19xx-2014

Paul Hopkins joined the RAF in 1969. He was an outstanding pilot and went on to become one of the first 1^st tourist pilots to be trained onto the Harrier. His first tour was with No 1(F) Squadron (1973-75), before moving to No 3(F) Squadron and then No 233 OCU as a QWI.

 Paul was selected for test pilot training on exchange with the US Navy before returning to the UK for 3 years with A Squadron at RAF Boscombe Down. He left the RAF in 1985.
He had an outstanding career with BAE Systems where he was involved in test flying on the Harrier GR5, Hawk 100/200, Tornado GR1 & ADV, Gripen & Typhoon. He became Chief Test Pilot in 1997. In 2004 he was awarded the GAPAN Derry & Richards Memorial Medal for his contribution to test flying and finished flying in 2005, moving into project work until his retirement in 2012.

Maurice Rose'Meyer 1928-

 Maurice Patrick Rose'Meyer was born in 1928. He spent his early years in India where he travelled extensively. His father was a captain in the Indian army who later was an executive in the Indian railways. His mother was the daughter of a rubber plantation owner in Burma, now Myanmar who later owned a tea estate in Southern India. Armed with a science degree and a diploma from the College of Aeronautical Engineering in London UK, Maurice was first employed by AV Roe in 1951, in Woodford, Cheshire in the UK, as a Flight Test Observer, and took part in tests on the Shackleton Submarine Hunter, Ashton, Vulcan Bomber, Anson and the delta wing 707 research aircraft.
In 1953 he was employed in N.Ireland with Short Brothers and Harland as Senior Flight Test engineer. he took a major role in research and development tests. His first task was to participate in water handling tests on the Sealand Seaplane on which he experienced severe porpoising. He was also given the task of flight testing modifications, on a large Solent Seaplane.  Military aircraft tests were conducted on the Seamew Submarine Hunter, Sturgeon.
In 1956 he joined the Air Registration board in London England now the CAA.  There, he represented the Board during certifications tests on the Blackburn Beverly and flew in many aircraft to check and certify major modifications on a variety of aircraft, such as the DC 8, Stratocruiser, Dakota, Pioneer, Auster, and Dragon Rapide.
He also conducted pilot examinations to test their knowledge of the flight manual.
In 1958, he returned to Shorts as a Senior Flight Test Engineer and conducted tests
On several models of the Canberra including the SC 4 Drone Canberra and the PR 9 high altitude spy plane. During tests on the PR9 aircraft he took part in the development of early pressure suits, as the aircraft often flew at altitudes near outer space (67,300ft). He planned and directed research tests on the SC 1 vertical take off and landing aircraft and the SB 5 swept wing research aircraft.
In 1963 Maurice emigrated to Canada where he was employed by De Havilland and soon was promoted to Chief Flight Test Engineer. Aircraft tested, were the Beaver, Turbo Beaver, Caribou, Twin Otter and it's many variants including the float and ski plane and land and float water bombers. STOL research was conducted on a "super STOL Twin Otter.  He was both Project and Test Engineer during the development of the Tracker Water Bomber. Other development and certification tests were conducted on the Buffalo, Dash 7 and Dash 8 series of aircraft. He conducted tests on the ACLS (Air Cushion Landing and take off System), he planned and participated in the development tests of the Augmentor Wing Buffalo. ( A Super STOL Research Aircraft) and conducted development of cargo drop systems. Maurice was the test director on the first flights of the Twin Otter, Dash 7 and Dash 8 Aircraft.
  After retiring in 1991, Maurice continued testing aircraft as a consultant. He planned and conducted tests to certify narrow runway operations on the Dash 7 and Dash 8.  He also planned and conducted gravel runway certification tests on a Dash-8 and certification tests on the Turbo Caribou and high (13,500ft) airfield certification tests on a Series 200 Dash 8. Participated in a NASA contaminated runway test program.
At age 86. Maurice is now on a consultant contract with the International Test Pilots School in London Ontario, to advise on flight testing.
A grand total of 63 years flight testing, with perhaps more to come.
Maurice has authored two aviation books: "Adventure In The Air" and Project Silver Bullet".