Interview with John Allam

British officer served as pilot with 78 Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF in Egypt and Palestine, 1946-1948; served with Air Headquarters Pakistan Communications Flight, RAF in Pakistan, 1948-1949; student on No 9 Test Pilots Course with Empire Test Pilots' School, Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, GB, 1950 and United States Navy Test Pilot School, Naval Air Station Patuxent River in United States of America, 1950-1951; test pilot with B Sqdn, Aeroplance and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down in GB, 1951-1954; civilian test pilot with Handley Page Aircraft Ltd in GB, 8/1954-2/1970

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1924-1942: family; early interest in aviation; selection for Cambridge University Air Squadron at University of Cambridge. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Air Force in GB and United States of America, 1943-1945: enlistment in Royal Air Force; pattern of early training in GB; voyage aboard HMT Louis Pasteur from GB to Canada; flying training in United States of America; return voyage aboard HMT Andes from United States of America to GB, 2/1944; reasons for being placed on indefinite leave; attending Royal Air Force officers training school; posting to RAF Church Lawford to convert to twin-engined aircraft; role as flying instructor at RAF Windrush; role as instructor on blind approach system. Aspects of period as pilot with 78 Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF in Egypt and Palestine, 1946-1948: requesting posting to Transport Command; route system flown from Kabrit, Egypt; month tour in Palestine; learning to parachute; category system in Transport Command, RAF. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as pilot with Air Headquarters Pakistan Communications Flight, RAF in Pakistan, 1948-1949: posting to Karachi; duties flying Very Important Persons (VIPs) on North West Frontier; incident of being fired on by Fakir of Ipi's forces; role and duties as personal pilot to Air Marshal Richard Atcherley; receiving permanent commission; discussions with Neville Duke about joining Test Pilots School; flying Hawker Tempest and De Havilland DH.104 Dove to increase number of aircraft in log book. Aspects of period as student with No 9 Test Pilot Course, Empire Test Pilots' School, Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, GB, 1950: need to take instrumentation rating course; attending selection board; question of fatalities amongst test pilots; aircraft flown on course. Aspects of period as test pilot with United States Navy Test Pilot School, Naval Air Station Patuxent River in United States of America, 1950-1951: selection for United States Navy Test Pilot School; aircraft flown; story of ditching Douglas A-1 Skyraider in Chesapeake Bay. REEL 3 Continues: aftermath of incident with Douglas A-1 Skyraider. Aspects of period as test pilot with B Sqdn, Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down, GB, 1951-1954: reasons for loss of Avro 696 Shackleton Mk.1s; stall test of Avro 696 Shackleton Mk.1; flights in experimental Avro 707; flying characteristics of Avro 707; types of aircraft flown; growing interest in test flying and applying to aircraft companies for employment. Recollections of period as civilian test pilot with Handley Page Aircraft Ltd at Radlett, GB, 8/1954-2/1970: joining company, 8/1954; character of company site at Radlett; memories of Sir Frederick Handley Page; crash of prototype Handley Page HP 80 Victor (WB 771), 14/7/1954; characteristics of Handley Page Victor; method of curing 'Dutch Roll'; nature of buffeting on Handley Page HP.80 Victor prototype. REEL 4 Continues: loss of flap from Handley Page Victor B.1 prototype during trials; landing Handley Page Victor B.1; reasons for initiating flutter programme on prototype Handley Page Victor B.1; incident of test pilot James 'Jock' Still being injured during heavy landing; outcome of flutter programme; exceeding Mach 1 in Handley Page Victor B.1 (XA917), 1/6/1956; trial drops with dummy Blue Danube nuclear weapon; dropping Mk 36 Bomb; use of Handley Page Victor as tanker; reasons for bankruptcy of Handley Page Aircraft Ltd, 1970; move onto Handley Page HP.137 Jetstream project. REEL 5 Continues: contrast between Handley Page Victor B.1 and B.2; role of ram air turbines in event of electrical failure on Handley Page Victor B.2; opinion of Rolls-Royce Conway RB 80 Engine; introduction of military flight system on Handley Page Victor B.2; improvements to Handley Page Victor B.2; fatigue stressing of aircraft from low-level operations; background to loss of prototype Handley Page Victor B.2 (XH668) over Irish Sea, 20/2/1959; recovery of wreckage of crashed Handley Page Victor B.2 (XH668); opinion of findings of investigation into loss of aircraft; question of potential causes of crash; setting up of further series of trials. REEL 6 Continues: details of special trials; flight deck modification for two crew operation; inadequacy of Gloster Javelin as chase aircraft during trials; results of trial; liaison with Royal Air Force operational squadrons; how conversion of Handley Page Victor B.2 to tanker role changed flying characteristics; modifications to Handley Page Victor B.1 after feedback from operational Royal Air Force squadrons; memories of Reginald Stafford, Charles Joy, Godfrey Lee and Peter Combac; impressions of Sir Frederick Handley Page; memories of Hedley Hazleden; flying prototype Handley Page HP.137 Jetstream including stalling problems. REEL 7 Continues: solving of Handley Page HP.137 Jetstream's stalling problem; example of performance of Handley Page Victor B.2 during take off and climb; retirement from Handley Page Aircraft Ltd, 2/1970; reasons why Handley Page Aircraft Ltd went bankrupt; subsequent development work with Jetstream Aviation Ltd and as company pilot; final flight in Handley Page Victor B.2 Tanker with 55 Sqdn, RAF.