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On 6 September 1948, John Derry became the first pilot in Britain to fly faster than the speed of sound. Exactly four years later he died tragically as his experimental prototype DH110 jet broke up in the air at the Farnborough Air Show, in full view of 120,000 spectators. He was 30 only years old. In his short life Derry became known for his brilliance as a test pilot, and was loved and respected for his personal qualities. In this authoritative biography of John Derry the authors trace his life story, and the part he played in a thrilling era of aviation.
During the Second World War Derry proved himself a brave and skilled pilot and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. At the end of the war he was the commanding officer of 182 Squadron, flying Hawker Tempest fighters, and then joined the Central Fighter Establishment as the RAF entered the jet age. Within six years John Derry had become one of Britain's foremost test and demonstration pilots, with his ability to remain cool and analytical, often in the face of extreme danger. Originally with the Supermarine company and then with de Havilland, Derry became intensely interested in the challenge of reaching the speed of sound.
John Derry - The Story Of Britain’s First Supersonic Pilot gives the full account of Derry's supersonic test flights and the results of the investigation into the fatal crash at Farnborough. The book narrates in detail the history of a golden but deadly period in British test flying, aided by over 60 rare photographs.
Brian Rivas developed a lifelong interest in aviation as a boy in the 1940s, especially John Derry and the aircrafthe flew. He worked as a journalist in Hampshire for 25 years and became editor of an Andover newspaper. In the late 1980s he set up a hi-fi consultancy. He lives in Somerset. Annie Bullen is a freelance editor and author. She trained as a journalist and was features editor of a large regional daily newspaper for 12 years until in 1998 she left to concentrate on travel and garden writing. She lives in Andover.
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