Warbird Information Exchange

It is my sad duty to report the passing of Alex Henshaw,at the ripe old age of 94.
This from wikpedia.
Alex Henshaw MBE was a British test pilot. During World War II he was chief test pilot at the Castle Bromwich aeroplane factory run by Vickers Armstrongs in Birmingham and flew many of the aircraft manufactured in the Castle Bromwich aircraft factory, just across the Chester Road. The factory made more than half of the Spitfires ever built, plus 350 Lancaster heavy bombers.

Prior to the war he had made a name for himself in air racing, winning the blue riband of air racing The Kings Cup in the fastest ever time in 1938. He then turned his attention to long distance flying, piloting a Percival Mew Gull. In February 1939 he flew from Gravesend to Cape Town and back in four days, setting a solo record for the trip which still stands. His account of this epic feat is given in his book "Flight of the Mew Gull" in which he describes hazardous landings at remote bush airstrips, battling through a tropical storm and overcoming extreme exhaustion on the return leg. The aircraft he used, G-AEXF, remains in flying condition and can be found at Breighton Yorkshire titlehaving been restored to its Cape flight configuration.

Post war he wrote a book recounting his experiences at Castle Bromwich, Sigh For A Merlin, the title referring to the aero engine of the same name.

During World War II, he was one of the chief test pilots for the Vickers Armstrongs company RAF Spitfires. He famously, albeit briefly, took the controls once again in a rare two seater Spitfire flown on the seventieth anniversary of the flight of the first prototype on 5th March, 2006 at Southampton Airport in England. He was the only pilot known to perform a barrel roll in a Lancaster Bomber, a feat that was considered reckless and impossible due to the aircraft’s size and relatively low speed. He would however tell you that it was easy provided you could keep a flying glove floating above the instrument cowling. A movie of his pre war record breaking days is now in the planning stages [1].

If you enjoy books about flying, I can heartily recommend Alex's three.

Alan

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Volunteer with Classic Flight and a member of Beech Restorations team.
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A huge loss, but what a great life...I put him on a pedestal with the likes of Jimmy Doolittle...a great career and a very long, full life. He will be missed, but he will much more be remembered.

Mark

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Mark Morris

Very sad, a aviation pioneer.

Dave C

Yet another aviation legend passes on. He did live a very full life.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I just found out the sad news.
He was a great man and a devoted pilot.
I am proud to have known him as a friend.
He is gone on to be with his beloved Barbara.
Godspeed Alex.

Bob S.

A complete gentleman and as fine a pilot as there ever was. I'm not awed by many people, famous or not; I was by him.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

A truly great and most remarkable man, his passing represents the end of an era and leaves an unfillable gap. This country owes Alex Henshaw a massive debt for his unstinting hard work and bravery in his leadership of the Castle Bromwich test flying department and for the unmatched record breaking flights prior to WWII.

To his family, he must have been the most extaordinary and beloved figure head and my thoughts are with them.

I had the great privelage of meeting Mr Henshaw a couple of times, the first was at lunch at his home on the occasion of a visit to England of the owner of a Spitfire he had flight tested in 1944. I shall never forget that day and treasure the signed copy of 'Flight of the Mew Gull' he presented to me as we left. A great Englishman, a true gentleman and a probably the finest pilot Great Britain has ever produced.

RIP Alex Henshaw

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Steve refers to Alex as Mr. Henshaw and there are many of us who believe he should and could have had the title of Sir Alex as well. Anyone one who has not read it should get a copy of his book, SIGH FOR A MERLIN. I won't let mine out as it carries his signature. His reputation, legendary in England, is not as well known here. We sometimes look at pilots and patriots who's fame is enhanced by a pr agent or ad campaign. Alex was not like that, but to those who knew him during the his flying career, there is no doubt he was the master. I will call him Alex as I had the luck and fortune to be one of the many people he met who became a friend

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

This is very sad news. No finer gentleman, nor pilot. The world is a little smaller with his passing.

Richard

Alex Henshaw and Jeffery Quill are two of the most famous British test pilots. Jeffery's book TEST PILOT is mainly about experimental and development Spitfire work as new mods and improvements were tried. Alex's job was as production tester and no less important. It was his part to make sure that each of the thousands of planes that came off the production line met their designed standards and frequently minor tuning was needed. I once asked Alex about landing Spits in a crosswind. He was not one to make idle boasts, but he was matter of fact. He told me they had only one runway at the factory,(the great plant at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham) and they could not wait for ideal weather. He personallly tested over 3000 Spits and never groundlooped one.He also told me the plane was designed for 3 point landings and that was the preferred method.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

I talked with Alex's daughter in law this morning on the phone. She wondered how I got the news so soon in Canada. I told her that it was on the internet and in fact I had heard it from a friend in Amman Jordan.
I have emailed links to her so that she and her husband, Alex Jr., can read these tributes to Alex for herself when they have time.

Bob S.

This is from my local paper this evening (the Newmarket Weekly News).

Randy, thanks very much for that article on Alex.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK