Michael John Lithgow,OBE(30 August 1920 – 22 October 1963) was a British aviator and chief test pilot forVickers Supermarinewho became the holder of the World Absolute Air Speed Record in 1953 flying aSupermarine Swift.He died when the prototypeBAC One-Elevenairlinercrashed in 1963.
Michael John "Mike" Lithgow | |
|---|---|
 Lithgow beside the new Vickers Supermarine 508 twin jet experimental naval fighter. 24 May 1952 | |
| Born | 30 August 1920 |
| Died | 22 October 1963(aged 43) Chicklade,Wiltshire,England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1939–1945 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | OBE |
Early life
editMike Lithgow was born on 30 August 1920 and educated atCheltenham College.
Second World War
editLithgow was a member of theFleet Air Armfrom March 1939 – December 1945. As aLieutenant CommanderonHMSArk Royal,he flewSwordfish torpedo bombersand was one of the pilots attacking theBismarck.[1][better source needed]
Test pilot
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He retired from the Navy and moved toVickers Supermarineas a test pilot in January 1946 and became the company's chief test pilot two years later.
In September 1946, he took part in theLympnehigh speed air race, flying aSupermarine Seafang,competing againstBill Humblein aHawker Fury,Geoffrey de Havillandin aD.H. Vampireand G.H Pike in aD.H. Hornet[2]
On 26 September 1953, flying theSupermarine SwiftF.4 prototype, WK198, Lithgow broke the World Air Speed Record near Tripoli in Libya, reaching a speed of 735.7 mph (1184 km/h). He was awarded the Gold Medal of theRoyal Aero Cluband the Geoffrey de Havilland Trophy in 1953[3]
He did extensive test flying on the Supermarine Attacker, Swift, Scimitar and later the Vickers Vanguard and BAC 1–11.[3]
Lithgow died test flying the prototypeBAC One-ElevenG-ASHGfromWisley airfieldon 22 October 1963 when duringstalltests the aircraft entered adeep stallandcrashednearChicklade,Wiltshire.Six other BAC flight test team members were also killed.[3]
References
editCitations
edit- ^family history
- ^Flight (1946).
- ^abcFlight International (1963).
Sources
edit- Autobiography:Mach One.(Oct 1954). Allan Wingate Ltd.ASIN:B0000CIZSW
- Editor:Vapour Trails.(1956). Allan Wingate Ltd.ASIN:B0000CJFFQ
- "World's Fastest Air Race".Flight:236. 5 September 1946.
- "The One-Eleven Accident".Flight International:708–709. 31 October 1963.
External links
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