One of the greats flies west

[Pilawt]

Neville Duke, WW2 British fighter ace, test pilot, celebrated author and world-renowned ambassador for aviation, left us on April 7. He became ill while flying his beloved Grumman Tiger (registered G-ZERO), landed safely and was taken to a hospital where he died.

At the 1952 Farnborough Air Show a tailless DH.110 broke up in flight during a supersonic fly-by, killing the pilot and 28 spectators. Duke immediately climbed into another supersonic aircraft and as soon as the runway was cleared of debris, took off and continued the show. The next day he received this letter: "My dear Duke, it was characteristic of you to go up yesterday after the shocking accident. Accept my salute. Yours, in grief, Winston Churchill."

-- Pilawt

 

[JohnR]

I, too, salute him; but a "show must go on" stunt after a massive airshow disaster just doesn't seem right.

 

[Pilawt]

I, too, salute him; but a "show must go on" stunt after a massive airshow disaster just doesn't seem right.

There is a historical context to be considered. This was in Britain, just a few years after the war ended. It had become part of the national fabric during the war for life to go on as normally as possible even in the face of nightly air raids and seemingly random death and destruction. Geoffrey deHavilland, a popular figure in Britain, had been killed a few years earlier during supersonic trials, but it was seen as important to the nation that the work go on. The 1952 Farnborough show was one of the first public supersonic demonstrations.

What Duke did at Farnborough might seem frivolous or insensitive when measured against our 21st Century, politically-correct standards, for better or worse. But in Britain in 1952 it was universally regarded as heroic and inspiring.

-- Pilawt

 

[Patch]

What's the significance of "flying west"?

 

[Pilawt]

What's the significance of "flying west"?

Air-speak for "shuffled off this mortal coil." I don't know the history of it, but it's been around a long time.

Example: http://www.187thahc.net/poems/flying_west.htm

-- Pilawt

 

[GMascelli]

flying west as in flying off into the sunset.....bringing a close to the day, a closure to ones very life....and so on

ok, at least that's my take.