Need info on a 1950's test pilot

[Fouga23]

A friend of mine owns a flight helmet that once belonged to a Northrop test pilot by the name of "E.W. PEARSON". Unfortunately, that's all he knows. He would like to find out more about this pilot. Anyone here who can provide him with more info? The helmet is dated 1954.

[JohnB]

It looks an LA Rams fan...considering the location of Northrop, not a bad guess. The bag looks unused.

[Fouga23]

Bump. Anyone who knows something about this pilot?

[Dave Smith]

I've just had a quick look at the Flightglobal archive which has all the issues of Flight magazine online. There is an EW Pearson, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, noted in the Sept 21 1944 mag as having recently received the Air Force Cross. This was usually awarded for non-combat feats of airmanship such as getting badly damaged aircraft back in one piece after a test flying or other mishap. He may have got himself a flying job in the States after the war. The name is not that common so he could just be your man! Try the archive search box for other entries in his name.

[Fouga23]

Thanks! Found some more mentions of him in a document about 200SQN during the war. The plot thickens!

[Saville]

FWIW that helmet looks like a TOPTEX model. More advanced than the P-series used by most AF pilots in the 50's. I have read (cannot authenticate) that the Toptex model was used mainly by test pilots. The original Mercury 7 astros can be seen in a group picture holding Toptex's under their arms.

[Fouga23]

It is indeed a Toptex. Specifically made for that pilot. They were indeed custom made, mostly for test pilots.

[Fouga23]

bump