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Edward Tennant (pilot)

January 01, 1970

Squadron Leader Edward Alan Tennant DFC (25 February 1922 – September 1981) was a Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot who later became chief test pilot of Folland Aircraft.

Edward Alan Tennant
Nickname(s)Teddy
Born(1922-02-25)25 February 1922[citation needed]
DiedSeptember 1981 (aged 58–59)
Norfolk,
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1940-1953
RankSquadron Leader
Service number139577
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross
Other workTest pilot

Career edit

Royal Air Force edit

Tennant joined the RAFVR in 1940, qualifying as a Sergeant pilot in 1941.[1] He served with 256 Squadron and 153 Squadron, first flying Defiants, then Hurricanes.[2] He was promoted to Flight Sergeant in December 1942[3] and to Flying Officer in June 1943.[4] Later in the war he was posted to 257 Squadron and 263 Squadron flying Typhoons.[5] While he was with 263 Squadron he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant (war substantive) in December 1944[6] and awarded the DFC (in September 1945).[7] By the end of the war he had flown 250 operational sorties, with 450 hours on ground-attack operations.[2]

After the war he remained in the RAF. He was posted to No. 84 Group Communications Squadron in Germany, and was at the Air Ministry from 1946 to 1948.[1] He was promoted to Flying Officer (extended service) in December 1946[8] and Flight Lieutenant (permanent) in August 1948 [9] In 1949 he graduated from the No 8 course at the Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS)[10] and was posted to A&AEE Boscombe Down, B squadron[2] He retired from the RAF in June 1953 (retaining the rank of Squadron Leader)[11] and joined Folland Aircraft as Chief Test Pilot.[2]

Folland Aircraft edit

 
Folland Gnat (single seat) prototype being flown by Tennant in August 1955, as pictured on the Folland Aircraft 1955 Christmas card, showing the company's G-39 Class B markings

When Edward Tennant and his wife Sylvia relocated to Hampshire they rented a farm close to Folland's Chilbolton airfield so he could stable his horse and ride it to work. After flying, he would unwind by scything the airfield grass to provide hay for his animals, and spend some of his evenings helping to run a pub in Stockbridge with Vickers-Supermarine's test pilots.[12]

Tennant made the maiden flight of Folland's prototype light fighter, the Fo 139 Midge, on 11 August 1954 and displayed it at the Farnborough air show in September.[13][14] Despite the low power from its Viper engine, Tennant demonstrated it was capable of supersonic flight in a shallow dive from 34,000 ft, in late 1954.[15]

On 18 July 1955 Tennant made the first flight of the Folland Gnat G-39-2 from at Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A & AEE) at RAF Boscombe Down (eastward) to RAF Chilbolton, in a flight lasting fifteen minutes.[16][17] Four days later on 22 July 1955, Tennant was flying G-39-2 at 20,000 ft, when the Gnat's canopy detached. His helmet, oxygen mask and microphone were torn away, leaving him cut on the head and without any means of communicating with the airfield. On approach, the runway was obstructed so he elected to make a wheels-up landing on the grass. Neither himself nor the Gnat were badly damaged.[18] The Gnat was repaired just in time for Tennant to fly a display at the 1955 the Farnborough air show, [19] during which he performed high-speed loops, fast passes and high-G tight turns.[20]

 
Folland lightweight ejection seat of the type Tennant would have used. Note the face-blind ejection handle in addition to the seat pan handle

On 31 July 1956, Tennant was assessing the Gnat's aero-elastic flutter speeds at an altitude of 1000 ft, above the Chilbolton airfield.[12] During the test, he made sudden pitch demands and determined if the resulting oscillations decayed. At Mach 0.91 a torsional flutter in G-39-2's tailplane caused it to detach from the airframe. Tennant tried remedial measures with throttle and tail-trim,[21] but once he realised there was no response to control inputs he had no other option but to eject. By this time he was down to 600 ft and his airspeed was above that of the earlier Folland ejection seat tests; he pulled the face blind and made a successful ejection, only suffering a sprained arm. He parachuted to within walking distance of his farm, walked home and poured himself a drink. Shortly after this, his wife returned home and asked, "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be working today".[12][21]

At that year's Farnborough air show, Tennnant and his assistant, Dick Wittington flew XK724, the first of the six Ministry of Supply procured Gnats[22]

He demonstrated the second Gnat prototype at the twenty-second Paris Air Show in early June 1957, flying from Chilbolton to Le Bourget.[23]

In 1959 he flew the first two-seat (twin-stick) version XM691 of the Folland Gnat from RAF Chilbolton (directly westward) to RAF Boscombe Down. The trainer version F.O.144 of the aircraft had a 30% larger wing than the fighter version.[24] By this time, the 12 Gnat aircraft were in service with the Finnish Air Force. The Gnat (XP501) entered service with the Central Flying School at RAF Little Rissington on 5 November 1962, then another Gnat entered service with 4 FTS on 7 November 1962. The Gnat left RAF training service in late 1978. It was chosen for the RAF's new Yellow Jackets aerobatic display team. In autumn 1959 Folland Aircraft became part of Hawker Siddeley Aviation (HSA); flight testing moved to HSA in spring 1961.

Personal life edit

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 14 September 1945[25] when a Flight Lieutenant with 263 Squadron. He died in Norfolk in September 1981 aged 59.[citation needed]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "The Display Pilots". FLIGHT: 442. 7 September 1956.
  2. ^ a b c d "To Fly For Follands". Flight International: 801. 26 June 1953.
  3. ^ "No. 35949". The London Gazette. 19 March 1943. p. 1363.
  4. ^ "No. 36122". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 3 August 1943. p. 3538.
  5. ^ "The Flying display Pilots" (PDF). Flight International: 419. 6 September 1962.
  6. ^ "No. 36852". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 December 1944. p. 5874.
  7. ^ "No. 37265". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 11 September 1945. p. 4580.
  8. ^ "No. 37804". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 29 November 1946. p. 5901.
  9. ^ "No. 38391". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 August 1948. p. 4759.
  10. ^ "E.T.P.S. CELEBRATES". Flight International: 764. 15 December 1949.
  11. ^ "No. 39925". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 24 July 1953. p. 4123.
  12. ^ a b c Davies, Glyn (2014). From Lysander to Lightning Teddy Petter, aircraft designer. The History Press. p. 132. ISBN 9780752492117.
  13. ^ "Folland Midge: The Viper~powered Precursor of the Gnat begins Flying Trials". FLIGHT: 228. 20 August 1954.
  14. ^ "Farnborough Reviewed". FLIGHT: 440. 17 September 1954.
  15. ^ "From All Quarters". FLIGHT: 792. 3 December 1954.
  16. ^ Times, 19 July 1955, page 8
  17. ^ "The Gnat Airborne". FLIGHT: 108. 22 July 1955.
  18. ^ "Tennant Saves the Gnat". FLIGHT: 147. 27 July 1955.
  19. ^ "Airborne again". FLIGHT: 340. 2 September 1955.
  20. ^ "THE WEEK AT FARNBOROUGH". FLIGHT: 486. 16 September 1955.
  21. ^ a b "Folland Gnat Lost". FLIGHT: 211. 10 August 1956.
  22. ^ "The Seventeenth S.B.A.C Display". FLIGHT: 434. 7 September 1956.
  23. ^ Times, 29 May 1957, page 5
  24. ^ Times, 2 September 1959, page 7
  25. ^ "DFC" (PDF). Retrieved 8 August 2018.

January 01, 1970
edward, tennant, pilot, squadron, leader, edward, alan, tennant, february, 1922, september, 1981, royal, force, fighter, pilot, later, became, chief, test, pilot, folland, aircraft, edward, alan, tennantnickname, teddyborn, 1922, february, 1922, citation, need. Squadron Leader Edward Alan Tennant DFC 25 February 1922 September 1981 was a Royal Air Force RAF fighter pilot who later became chief test pilot of Folland Aircraft Edward Alan TennantNickname s TeddyBorn 1922 02 25 25 February 1922 citation needed DiedSeptember 1981 aged 58 59 Norfolk AllegianceUnited KingdomService wbr branchRoyal Air ForceYears of service1940 1953RankSquadron LeaderService number139577Battles warsSecond World WarAwardsDistinguished Flying CrossOther workTest pilot Contents 1 Career 1 1 Royal Air Force 1 2 Folland Aircraft 2 Personal life 3 See also 4 ReferencesCareer editRoyal Air Force edit Tennant joined the RAFVR in 1940 qualifying as a Sergeant pilot in 1941 1 He served with 256 Squadron and 153 Squadron first flying Defiants then Hurricanes 2 He was promoted to Flight Sergeant in December 1942 3 and to Flying Officer in June 1943 4 Later in the war he was posted to 257 Squadron and 263 Squadron flying Typhoons 5 While he was with 263 Squadron he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant war substantive in December 1944 6 and awarded the DFC in September 1945 7 By the end of the war he had flown 250 operational sorties with 450 hours on ground attack operations 2 After the war he remained in the RAF He was posted to No 84 Group Communications Squadron in Germany and was at the Air Ministry from 1946 to 1948 1 He was promoted to Flying Officer extended service in December 1946 8 and Flight Lieutenant permanent in August 1948 9 In 1949 he graduated from the No 8 course at the Empire Test Pilots School ETPS 10 and was posted to A amp AEE Boscombe Down B squadron 2 He retired from the RAF in June 1953 retaining the rank of Squadron Leader 11 and joined Folland Aircraft as Chief Test Pilot 2 Folland Aircraft edit nbsp Folland Gnat single seat prototype being flown by Tennant in August 1955 as pictured on the Folland Aircraft 1955 Christmas card showing the company s G 39 Class B markings When Edward Tennant and his wife Sylvia relocated to Hampshire they rented a farm close to Folland s Chilbolton airfield so he could stable his horse and ride it to work After flying he would unwind by scything the airfield grass to provide hay for his animals and spend some of his evenings helping to run a pub in Stockbridge with Vickers Supermarine s test pilots 12 Tennant made the maiden flight of Folland s prototype light fighter the Fo 139 Midge on 11 August 1954 and displayed it at the Farnborough air show in September 13 14 Despite the low power from its Viper engine Tennant demonstrated it was capable of supersonic flight in a shallow dive from 34 000 ft in late 1954 15 On 18 July 1955 Tennant made the first flight of the Folland Gnat G 39 2 from at Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment A amp AEE at RAF Boscombe Down eastward to RAF Chilbolton in a flight lasting fifteen minutes 16 17 Four days later on 22 July 1955 Tennant was flying G 39 2 at 20 000 ft when the Gnat s canopy detached His helmet oxygen mask and microphone were torn away leaving him cut on the head and without any means of communicating with the airfield On approach the runway was obstructed so he elected to make a wheels up landing on the grass Neither himself nor the Gnat were badly damaged 18 The Gnat was repaired just in time for Tennant to fly a display at the 1955 the Farnborough air show 19 during which he performed high speed loops fast passes and high G tight turns 20 nbsp Folland lightweight ejection seat of the type Tennant would have used Note the face blind ejection handle in addition to the seat pan handle On 31 July 1956 Tennant was assessing the Gnat s aero elastic flutter speeds at an altitude of 1000 ft above the Chilbolton airfield 12 During the test he made sudden pitch demands and determined if the resulting oscillations decayed At Mach 0 91 a torsional flutter in G 39 2 s tailplane caused it to detach from the airframe Tennant tried remedial measures with throttle and tail trim 21 but once he realised there was no response to control inputs he had no other option but to eject By this time he was down to 600 ft and his airspeed was above that of the earlier Folland ejection seat tests he pulled the face blind and made a successful ejection only suffering a sprained arm He parachuted to within walking distance of his farm walked home and poured himself a drink Shortly after this his wife returned home and asked What are you doing here I thought you were supposed to be working today 12 21 At that year s Farnborough air show Tennnant and his assistant Dick Wittington flew XK724 the first of the six Ministry of Supply procured Gnats 22 He demonstrated the second Gnat prototype at the twenty second Paris Air Show in early June 1957 flying from Chilbolton to Le Bourget 23 In 1959 he flew the first two seat twin stick version XM691 of the Folland Gnat from RAF Chilbolton directly westward to RAF Boscombe Down The trainer version F O 144 of the aircraft had a 30 larger wing than the fighter version 24 By this time the 12 Gnat aircraft were in service with the Finnish Air Force The Gnat XP501 entered service with the Central Flying School at RAF Little Rissington on 5 November 1962 then another Gnat entered service with 4 FTS on 7 November 1962 The Gnat left RAF training service in late 1978 It was chosen for the RAF s new Yellow Jackets aerobatic display team In autumn 1959 Folland Aircraft became part of Hawker Siddeley Aviation HSA flight testing moved to HSA in spring 1961 Personal life editHe was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 14 September 1945 25 when a Flight Lieutenant with 263 Squadron He died in Norfolk in September 1981 aged 59 citation needed See also editDuncan Simpson 1927 2017 former Chief Test Pilot of Hawker Siddeley Aviation who first flew the Hawk on 21 August 1974 from Dunsfold AerodromeReferences edit a b The Display Pilots FLIGHT 442 7 September 1956 a b c d To Fly For Follands Flight International 801 26 June 1953 No 35949 The London Gazette 19 March 1943 p 1363 No 36122 The London Gazette 1st supplement 3 August 1943 p 3538 The Flying display Pilots PDF Flight International 419 6 September 1962 No 36852 The London Gazette Supplement 19 December 1944 p 5874 No 37265 The London Gazette 1st supplement 11 September 1945 p 4580 No 37804 The London Gazette 3rd supplement 29 November 1946 p 5901 No 38391 The London Gazette Supplement 27 August 1948 p 4759 E T P S CELEBRATES Flight International 764 15 December 1949 No 39925 The London Gazette 1st supplement 24 July 1953 p 4123 a b c Davies Glyn 2014 From Lysander to Lightning Teddy Petter aircraft designer The History Press p 132 ISBN 9780752492117 Folland Midge The Viper powered Precursor of the Gnat begins Flying Trials FLIGHT 228 20 August 1954 Farnborough Reviewed FLIGHT 440 17 September 1954 From All Quarters FLIGHT 792 3 December 1954 Times 19 July 1955 page 8 The Gnat Airborne FLIGHT 108 22 July 1955 Tennant Saves the Gnat FLIGHT 147 27 July 1955 Airborne again FLIGHT 340 2 September 1955 THE WEEK AT FARNBOROUGH FLIGHT 486 16 September 1955 a b Folland Gnat Lost FLIGHT 211 10 August 1956 The Seventeenth S B A C Display FLIGHT 434 7 September 1956 Times 29 May 1957 page 5 Times 2 September 1959 page 7 DFC PDF Retrieved 8 August 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edward Tennant pilot amp oldid 1112174198, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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