Mike Lithgow
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Michael John Lithgow, OBE (30 August 1920 – 22 October 1963) was a British aviator and chief test pilot for Vickers Supermarine who became the holder of the World Absolute Air Speed Record in 1953 flying a Supermarine Swift. He died when the prototype BAC One-Eleven airliner crashed in 1963.
Early life
Mike Lithgow was born on 30 August 1920 and educated at Cheltenham College.Template:Sfnp
Second World War
Lithgow was a member of the Fleet Air Arm from March 1939 – December 1945. As a Lieutenant Commander on HMS Ark Royal, he flew Swordfish torpedo bombers and was one of the pilots attacking the Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"..[1]Template:Better source needed
Test pilot
He retired from the Royal Navy and moved to Vickers Supermarine as a test pilot in January 1946 and became the company's chief test pilot two years later.
In September 1946, he took part in the Lympne high speed air race, flying a Supermarine Seafang, competing against Bill Humble in a Hawker Fury, Geoffrey de Havilland in a D.H. Vampire and G.H Pike in a D.H. HornetTemplate:Sfnp
On 26 September 1953, flying the Supermarine Swift F.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 the Royal Aero Club and the Geoffrey de Havilland Trophy in 1953Template:Sfnp
He did extensive test flying on the Supermarine Attacker, Swift, Scimitar and later the Vickers Vanguard and BAC One-Eleven.Template:Sfnp
Lithgow died test flying the prototype BAC One-Eleven G-ASHG from Wisley airfield on 22 October 1963 when during stall tests the aircraft entered a deep stall and crashed near Chicklade, Wiltshire. Six other BAC flight test team members were also killed.Template:Sfnp
References
Citations
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- ↑ family history
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Sources
- Autobiography: Mach One. (Oct 1954). Allan Wingate Ltd. ASIN: B0000CIZSW
- Editor: Vapour Trails. (1956). Allan Wingate Ltd. ASIN: B0000CJFFQ
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External links
- Pages with script errors
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- 1920 births
- 1963 deaths
- People educated at Cheltenham College
- Royal Navy officers
- Royal Navy officers of World War II
- Fleet Air Arm aviators
- British test pilots
- Officers of the Order of the British Empire
- Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in England
- Fleet Air Arm personnel of World War II
- Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1963
- Victims of flight test accidents