Cyril Uwins
| Cyril Uwins | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Cyril Frank Uwins 2 August 1896 South Norwood, England |
| Died | 11 September 1972 (aged 76) Bath, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Test pilot |
| Awards |
Air Force Cross Order of the British Empire |
Cyril Frank Uwins OBE, AFC, FRAeS (1896–1972) was a British test pilot who worked for Bristol Aeroplane Company, where he made the first flight of 58 different types of aircraft. On 16 September 1932 he broke the world aeroplane height record by climbing to 43,976 ft (13,404 m) (nearly 8½ miles). He eventually became the Chairman of Bristol Aircraft. He was also Chairman of the Society of British Aircraft Manufacturer between 1956 and 1958, and he was awarded the Royal Aeronautical Society silver medal for aeronautics.
Cyril Uwins was born at 2 Carmichael Road, South Norwood, Croydon, on 2 August 1896, the eldest son of Frank Uwins, a wood broker, and his wife, Annie Henton. He was educated at the Whitgift School, Croydon.
On the outbreak of the First World War Uwins joined the Army and served with the London Irish Rifles, before transferring to the RFC in 1916. He flew with 13 and 64 Squadrons before being transferred to Farnborough as a ferry pilot. While undertaking ferry duties he crashed after an engine failure in a Nieuport Parasol, breaking his neck. As a result of this injury his head movement was permanently impaired, and as a result he was declared unfit for active service and in 1917 he was posted to RAF Farnborough as a ferry pilot. His association with Bristol began when he was posted to No. 5 Aircraft Acceptance Park, based at Filton, where he was initially engaged in acceptance flights for newly built Bristol Fighters. On 25 October 1918 he was officially seconded to Bristol Aircraft: he had already made his first trial of a new aircraft type on 4 September in the prototype Bristol Scout F1.
...
Wikipedia