Supermarine Test Pilots 1954

Title page of  Mike Lithgow’s ‘Mach One’ signed by
Supermarine Test Pilots in 1954

Lt Cdr MJ ‘Mike’ Lithgow OBE
Flt Lt Les Colquhoun GM DFC DFM
Lt David Morgan MBE
Flt Lt John ‘Pee-Wee’ Judge
Lt Gordon ‘Chunky’ Horne

A rare collection of Supermarine test pilot signatures on the title page of ‘Mach One’.  The page is in good condition with some scattered foxing and comes with some photos of the test pilots from ‘Mach One.’ Sadly the donor book is damaged beyond salvage.

Mike Lithgow joined the Fleet Air Arm in 1939, initially flying Swordfish from HMS Ark Royal and was involved in the sinking of the Bismarck.  He survived a ditching 800 miles from the nearest land and became a naval test pilot, joining Supermarine after the war.  He became Chief Test Pilot in 1948 and oversaw the development of the Attacker, Swift, Scimitar and later the Vickers Vanguard and BAC One-Eleven.

Lithgow died test flying the prototype BAC One-Eleven G-ASHG from Wisley airfield on 22 October 1963 when during stall tests, the aircraft entered a deep stall and crashed in Wiltshire.

Les Colquhoun joined Supermarine in 1946 after a busy war flying PRU Spitfires, including from Malta for 8 months in 1942.

David Morgan flew Seafires with the FAA and was an early ETPS graduate joining Supermarine in 1950.

‘Pee-Wee’ Judge flew Spitfires and Hurricanes in the Western Desert and then Typhoons in Normandy. He joined Supermarine as a production test pilot in 1950 and in 1961 joined Beagle Aircraft where he carried out the first flights of the Pup and Bulldog. He was killed in 1970 at the Farnborough Airshow displaying an autogyro.

‘Chunky’ Horne joined Supermarine in 1952 after a distinguished career in the FAA which involved much display and experimental flying. His flying career was ended in 1957 after a serious car accident which left him partially blinded.