William HumbleMBE(14 April 1911 – 1 March 1992) was a well-known pre-Second World Waraviator, known as anair racerand for his aerobatic displays. He was also an officer in theRoyal Air ForceSpecial Reserve, and theAuxiliary Air Force.
William Humble | |
|---|---|
 Humble flying aHawker TempestMk V | |
| Born | 14 April 1911 Doncaster,Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 1 March 1992(aged 80) Hampshire,England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1929–c. 1937 |
| Rank | Flying Officer |
| Unit | No. 504 (City of Nottingham) Squadron No. 609 (West Riding) (Bomber) Squadron |
| Awards | Member of the Order of the British Empire |
| Relations | Kate Humble(granddaughter) |
| Other work | Test pilotand sales executive forHawker Siddeley |
Although he qualified as amining engineerthe lure of flying proved too strong, and he did not enter the family mining company. During the war he became an importanttest pilotfor aircraft manufacturerHawker Siddeley.Having tested some of the early jet aircraft, he retired from test flying in 1948, becoming a sales executive for Hawker. He is the grandfather of Britishtelevision presenterKate Humble.
Early life
editHumble was born on 14 April 1911, the son of William Humble senior, a mining engineer and mine owner in theSouth Yorkshire coalfield,and also associated with theStaveley Coal and Iron Company.[1][2]Humble was educated atRepton Schooland theUniversity of Cambridge,following his father in qualifying as a mining engineer in 1930.[2]He learnt to fly in the Auxiliary Air Force in 1929 (while still at university),[2][3]and on 27 July 1930 he was commissioned as apilot officeron probation in the Special Reserve of theRoyal Air Force,[4]his rank was confirmed on 25 October 1931,[5]and he was promotedflying officeron 27 January 1932.[6]
He was a founder member ofNo. 504 (City of Nottingham) Squadron,[3]and during this period received flying instruction fromArthur Marshall.[7]He transferred to the Reserve of Air Force Officers, Class A on 16 May 1932.[8]In 1935 he entered theKing's Cup Air Race,flying aMiles Hawk,[9]he would enter again on several subsequent occasions.[3]On 24 April 1936 he transferred to the Auxiliary Air Force, becoming a founder pilot ofNo. 609 (West Riding) (Bomber) Squadron,[3][10]he returned to the Reserve of Officers on 31 August 1937.[11]He married for the first time in 1936, but divorced just a few years later.[citation needed]
Test pilot
edit
Following the outbreak of the Second World War Humble was invited to join Hawker Siddeley's team of test pilots, taking up the role on 10 October 1940.[2][3]The testing team was led byGeorge BulmanandPhilip Lucas.[2]Humble was initially involved in testingHurricanesas they came off the production line at the rate of seven a day.[2]Having proved his ability, he was soon assigned to help test and develop new aircraft types, initially theHawker Typhoon,and then later types derived from it, theHawker Tempest,Hawker Fury and Sea Fury.[2][3]The Typhoon became particularly important as a "tank-buster" during theNormandy Campaign,and the Tempest in the fight against theV-1 flying bomb.[2]
Development of the Fury was a particularly difficult experience. The aircraft could approach thesound barrierin a dive, causing unexpected handling problems; theBristol Centaurusengine was also still relatively new and experienced many problems, on more than one occasion it was only Humble's skill as a pilot which prevented a crash.[2]Bulman had retired towards the end of the war, Lucas then became Hawker's chief test pilot. In mid-1945, Lucas was promoted to the board of the company, and in early January 1946, Humble was appointed the new chief test pilot. Hawker now moved into the jet age, with Humble making the first test flight of theHawker P.1040fromBoscombe Downon 2 September 1947. This ultimately entered service as theHawker Sea Hawk.[2]
Later life and legacy
editHumble retired from testing in 1948, remaining with Hawker as a sales executive. He continued to give demonstration flights, and his skill as a display pilot is credited with helping to win Hawker sales. His main sales territory was the Middle East, and he spent much time inEgypt,LebanonandCyprus.According to hisobituaryinThe Timeshe was appointedMember of the Order of the British Empirein 1949.[2]
He returned to the United Kingdom permanently in the late 1980s when his health began to deteriorate. He died on 1 March 1992, survived by his second wife, Georgina, his son (by his first wife) and his daughter.[2]In an episode of the BBC television programme,Who Do You Think You Are?,first broadcast on 29 July 2009, TV presenterKate Humbleinvestigated her family history, starting by finding out more about her grandfather, Bill Humble. During a visit to theRAF MuseumatHendon,she was shown film footage of her grandfather flying, and spoke to one of his former colleagues,Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown.[12]
References
edit- ^"Mr. William Humble". Obituaries.The Times.No. 55946. London. 27 February 1964. col B, p. 15.
- ^abcdefghijkl"Bill Humble; Obituary". Features.The Times.London. 11 March 1992. p. 25.
- ^abcdef"Here and There—Promotion".Flight International.XLIX(1932). London: 7. 3 January 1946.
- ^"No. 33635".The London Gazette.19 August 1930. p. 5165.
- ^"No. 33776".The London Gazette.19 August 1930. p. 7742.
- ^"No. 33799".The London Gazette.16 February 1932. p. 1054.
- ^"Sir Arthur Marshall".The Daily Telegraph.17 March 2007.Retrieved6 August2009.
- ^"No. 33858".The London Gazette.26 August 1932. p. 5500.
- ^Aeronautical Correspondent (17 July 1935). "The King's Cup Air Race—Entry by the Duke of Kent, Three New Aeroplanes". News.The Times.No. 47118. London. col E, p. 11.
{{cite news}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^"No. 34300".The London Gazette.30 June 1936. p. 4165.
- ^"No. 34432".The London Gazette.3 September 1937. p. 5562.
- ^"Who Do You Think You Are? – Series 7 – 3. Kate Humble".BBC. 29 July 2009.Retrieved16 August2009.