JOHN DERRY

Sea Hornet flight test reports signed by de Havilland test pilots

John Derry
&
Geoffrey Pike

This collection comprises three items. 

• A buff coloured folder containing 16 Experimental Aircraft Pilot’s Test Record sheets detailing a series of flights on Sea Hornet TT202 during 1947-48 to investigate aerodynamic buffet problems. The flights were undertaken by company test pilots John Derry, John Cunningham and Geoffrey Pike.  One of the flight reports is signed by John Derry and two are signed by Geoffrey Pike. 

• ‘John Derry’ by Annie Bullen and Brian Rivas.  William Kimber first edition 1982.  A hardback book and dustjacket in Fine/Fine condition. An excellent biography of John Derry with a foreword by Neville Duke who witnessed his fatal crash.

• ‘Prelude to the Sea Vixen: DH110’ by Henry Matthews. Published in 2001, this is a detailed flight test chronology of the DH110, the aircraft in which Derry was killed demonstrating at the Farnborough Air Show in 1952

John Derry: Britain’s Supersonic Pioneer

Squadron Leader John Douglas Derry DFC (1921–1952) was a trailblazing British test pilot whose brief but brilliant career helped shape the jet age. After serving with distinction in the RAF during World War II, commanding No. 182 Squadron and flying Hawker Tempests, Derry transitioned to test flying at the dawn of supersonic aviation.

Joining de Havilland in the late 1940s, Derry quickly earned a reputation for precision and courage. On 12 April 1948, he set a 100km closed-circuit speed record of 605 mph in the DH.108. Later that year, he became the first Briton to exceed the speed of sound in level flight, piloting the same aircraft to Mach 1 over the UK.

Derry’s skill and calm demeanour made him a favourite at air shows, where he showcased cutting-edge aircraft with flair. Tragically, his life was cut short during a demonstration flight at the 1952 Farnborough Air Show, when the prototype DH.110 he was flying broke apart in mid-air. Despite his untimely death, Derry’s legacy endures as a symbol of British aviation’s daring leap into the supersonic era. 

Geoffrey Pike

Geoffrey H Pike (1916-1981) joined DH as an apprentice in 1934 training as a pilot two years later. Working with Geoffrey de Havilland, he tested the versatile Mosquito, notably flying a 1942 trial with dummy bombs to prove its payload capacity. Pike later contributed to the development of the Hornet and the jet-powered Vampire. Known for his calm professionalism and technical precision, Pike’s work helped shape the safety and performance standards of British aircraft.

A chance to add a super-scarce John Derry signature to your test pilot collection.

Click a picture to enter the gallery…..