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Test Flying in Lancashire book 3 has been published.

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johnhowe

Test Flying in Lancashire book 3 has been published.

Post by johnhowe » Wed Jan 30, 2013 4:22 pm

Finally the long awaited book on Test Flying by James H Longworth has been published. It can be purchased at Silver Dell in Kirkham and Waterstones. This book is the first of several and covers up to the 1960s.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/ne ... aredevils/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by johnhowe on Sun Nov 23, 2014 11:50 am, edited 4 times in total.

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Mon Feb 04, 2013 10:20 am

When I first started the thread I entitled it as Test Flying at Warton, where as its correct title is Test Flying in
Lancashire.

This book the first of three covers, Test Flying at Lytham, Samlesbury and Warton from WW1 up to the 1960s.
When I bought the book I read all 229 pages from cover to cover in a couple of days, since then I keep going back
to various chapters.

The book is extremely well written and actually reads like a Tom Clancy Thriller.

The contents the 190 photographs must surely make this book the must item to have in anybody's Military Aviation
Library.

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Mark
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Location: Liverpool

Re: Test Flying at Warton by James H Longworth.

Post by Mark » Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:00 pm

Is it comparable to Harry Holmes's esteemed tome?
Cameraless

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying at Warton by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Mon Feb 04, 2013 8:00 pm

Mark, If you are referring to Harry Holmes's "The World's Greatest Air Depot" B.A.D.2 that only covers Warton from
1942 - 1945 Where as "Test Flying in Lancashire" starts in WW1 through to the 1960s.

Another interesting and more technical book is "English Electric Aircraft and their Predecessors" by Stephen Ransome and Robert Fairclough published in 1987.

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Fri Apr 19, 2013 6:37 am

I was in Jim's company yesterday he mentioned that the second of his three books is at the printers and he hopes
it will be published in June this year.

Although there will be an increase in the price this is compensated by the fact that the publication will be nearly
50 percent larger with a large number of colour photographs.

This covers the years from the 1960s through to the eighties, there will be stories and anecdotes by luminaries such as Roland Prosper Beaumont, Johnny Squier, John Cockburn, Dave Eagles, Chris Yeo, to mention just a few.

All the proceeds of these book are going to charity. Hopefully the last of the three books will be published before
Xmas 2013.

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Fri May 17, 2013 4:49 pm

The second in the trilogy is due to be published imminently, covers from the 60s through to the 80s MRCA Jaguar.

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Tue Aug 06, 2013 7:58 am

Volume 2 covers the years 1960s through to the 1980s has a photo of Jimmy Dell on the front cover was published
on the 31st, July, 2013 and is in paperback priced at £15.00. the final volume hopefully will be on sale by the end
of December 2013.

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Tue Aug 06, 2013 10:06 pm

For the benefit of local enthusiasts as well as Silverdell in Kirkham, and Blackstones nationwide, I have discovered
another fantastic book shop in Lytham St Annes, Plackitt & Booth on Clifton Street 01253 796958, there are a number aviation related books, one on Warton Warton's Windtunnels £5.99p. this shop is a must for the serious
aircraft enthusiast.

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Wed Aug 07, 2013 6:09 pm

I picked up my copy today, a quick resume of the book, although its priced at £14.99p the contents are truly amazing. 312 pages contains over 280 photographs, 200 are of Warton's aircraft, 80 are mainly photos of pilots.

60 Photos of Lightnings.

43 Photos of TSR2 most never published before.

35 Photos of Jaguar a number relating to when the aircraft landed and took off from the M55 Motorway.

40 Photos of Tornado in its MRCA guise as well its present day colour scheme.

There are a few photos of the Canberra EAP and Wren.

The list of people and pilots is endless I will just mention a few. Beaumont, Bowen,Bucklow,Carroll,Carrodus,
Dell, Eagles,Ferguson, Hillwood, Knight, Squier, and Dizzy de Villiers. This covers the pilots from the 1960s to 1980s.

The book is an amazing collection of anecdotes and photographs and is well worth the cover price.

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Sat Aug 10, 2013 6:27 am

On the 26th, April, 1975 I was one of several hundred spectators who witnessed Test Pilot Tim Ferguson land an S2
GR1 Jaguar on the west bound carriageway of the M55 Preston to Blackpool Motorway. To learn more about this you will have to buy the 2nd volume.

Contempory Newspapers of that era reported that the Police had witnessed a Jaguar travelling at 150 miles per hour on the motorway, but no action had been taken.

DaveN
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 3:32 pm

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by DaveN » Sat Aug 10, 2013 8:36 am

Finding the first volume is proving rather difficult!

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Sat Aug 10, 2013 6:23 pm

DaveN wrote:Finding the first volume is proving rather difficult!
Dave, If you telephone 01772.633333 and ask for the BAE Heritage Department they may have a copy volume one
and definately volume 2, only contact them on either a Tuesday or a Thursday, sometimes the author is present

DaveN
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 3:32 pm

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by DaveN » Sat Aug 10, 2013 8:00 pm

many thanks Frank

IanL
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Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:41 am

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by IanL » Thu Aug 15, 2013 8:10 pm

Both volume 1 & volume 2 of Test flying in Lancashire are available from the heritage dept at BAE Systems Warton. Vol 1 is £9.99 + £2 P&P, Vol 2 is £15.00 + £2 P&P. If anyone wants copies then please send a cheque made payable to 'BAE Systems Heritage' to the following address; I. Lawrenson, Heritage Dept W310P, BAE Systems, Warton Aerodrome, Preston, PR4 1AX

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Mon Aug 19, 2013 10:50 am

I've just finished volume 2, what a fascinating read it has been. Without infringing any copyright, I can safely say that I have witnessed quite a lot of the flying incidents involving the Lightning JP Jaguar and Tornado I remember vividly seeing the MRCA prototype in the former red and white scheme on sunset strip doing engine runs with the long plume coming from
reheated engines and finally getting to Warton at 7.30am for for long awaited first flight what a fantastic sight that was.

Ive been present at a lot of first flights and quite a few final flights and now I know who nearly went through the sound barrier low level over Warton airfield.

I' m sure that in Jim's third volume, he may include how Craig Penrice was selected to fly the EFA Prototype DA 2 ZH 588
at Farnborough, as this was at short notice, Craig flew an inordinate amount of practise displays I recall I saw about 20 of them all from the southside near to 358 hangar. The Highlight was seeing The German Chief Test Pilot, Chris Horning and his Italian Counterpart show how the display should be flown. At the end of his practices Craig flew a very creditable display and wowed the audience at Farnborough.

I look forward to reading about the flying exploits of Tarnish 5 Tarnish 9 and Tarnish 17 in volume three, some of which I have witnessed from the other side of the fence, at Warton.

gazparky
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Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:59 am

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by gazparky » Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:54 pm

Just an update Frank, Ian has kindly now made them available from Amazon.

Just placed my order for both ;-)

Regards

Gary

gazparky
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:59 am

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by gazparky » Wed Aug 28, 2013 12:35 pm

Delivered this morning, kindly signed by Jim.

Might be a while reading these......

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Wed Aug 28, 2013 8:17 pm

IanL wrote:Both volume 1 & volume 2 of Test flying in Lancashire are available from the heritage dept at BAE Systems Warton. Vol 1 is £9.99 + £2 P&P, Vol 2 is £15.00 + £2 P&P. If anyone wants copies then please send a cheque made payable to 'BAE Systems Heritage' to the following address; I. Lawrenson, Heritage Dept W310P, BAE Systems, Warton Aerodrome, Preston, PR4 1AX
ian thanks for making Jim's book available via the Heritage department, Are Stewart A Scott's "English Electric Lightning" volume 1 "Birth of the legend" and volume 2
"The Lightning Force" still available. Has volume 3 been published. Frank.

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Tue Sep 30, 2014 7:54 am

I've spoken to The Heritage Department yesterday, The author is presently reading the proofs and if all goes well publication of book three will be sometime in
October, 2014.

johnhowe

Re: Test Flying in Lancashire by James H Longworth.

Post by johnhowe » Wed Oct 01, 2014 9:49 am

http://www.silverdellbooks.com/news.php ... he+Stig%27 Whilst waiting for Test Flying in Lancashire to be published. I found this interesting book launch a conversation with Ben Collins ( You could say this was a different sort of flying as the Stig).

The venue is AKS, which is the old KIng Edward Queen Mary School Clifton Drive, Lytham St Annes.

Edit 19.30 The Stig arrived for his talk with Gillie (John Gilmore- Radio Lancashire) it statts with a superb promo dvd with The Stig driving a variety of supercars
including stunt driving for some James Bond films, also included is the stunt with the Typhoon against The Bugati Veyron. lots of interesting anecdotes and finishes with
Ben signing nearly a hundred books.
Last edited by johnhowe on Wed Oct 15, 2014 8:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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