The Test Pilot for the prototype Spitfire, registration K5054, first flown at
Eastleigh, on 5 March 1936 was Captain J "Mutt" Summers, Chief Test Pilot for
the Vickers and Supermarine companies.
Capt J "Mutt" Summers - early 1930's
Over the period 1936 to 1945 there was a total of 49 Test Pilots involved in the
development of the various Marks and Variants and details are given below in alphabetical
order together with their rank as at the time of joining.
F/Lt J.P.B. Almack., RAF
F/Lt A.J. Andrews., DFC, RAF
F/Lt P. Arend., RBAF
F/Lt F.S. Banner., DFC, RAF
F/Lt A.C. Bartley., DFC, RAF
F/Lt W.R.L. Beaumont., RAF
F/Lt T. Burke., RAF
F/Lt P.J. Clive., RAF
F/Lt L.R. Colquhoun., DFC, DFM, RAF
F/Lt H.A.G. Comerford., RAF
F/Lt ? Cooke., RAF
F/Lt T. Craxton., DFC, RAF
F/Lt A. Deytrikh., RAF
Mr G.B.S. Errington
F/Lt G. Farquharson., RAF
Lt F.C. Furlong., RNVR
F/Lt R.C. Gosling., RAF
F/Lt M Graham., DFC, RAF
Lt S Harris., RNVR
S/Ldr R.E. Havercroft., RAF
Mr A.A.D. Henshaw., MBE
Lt P. Hill., RNVR
F/Lt P. Hillwood., DFC, RAF
F/Lt C.R. Jarred., RAF
F/Lt ? Jennings., RAF
Lt/Cdr M.J. Lithgow., OBE, RN
F/O R. Louis., RAFO
Mr G Lowdell
F/Lt L. Lunsten., RNAF
F/Lt I McNicol., RAFO
S/Ldr R. Manlove., RAF
S/Ldr G. Morgan., DFC, RAF
F/Lt G. Page., DSO, DFC, RAF
F/Lt H. Parry., RAF
S/Ldr H.J. Payn., AFC, RAFO
Mr A.G. Pickering., AFC
Mr J.K. Quill., OBE, AFC
Lt D.R. Robertson., DFC, RNVR
F/Lt C. Rudland., RAF
Lt P. Shea-Simonds., MBE, RNVR
Mr G.N. Snarey., AFC
Mr J. "Mutt" Summers., CBE
F/Lt H.A. Taylor., RAF
F/Lt ? Thomas., RAF
F/Lt O. Ullstad., RNAF
Lt J. Wakefield., RNVR
F/Lt J.H. Wedgwood., DFC, RAF
F/Lt P Wigley., DFC, RAF
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