Cyril Uwins

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.

Early life

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.

Aviation career

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.^[1] 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,^[1] 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.

On 1 May 1919 he was demobilized from the Royal Air Force and formally joined the Bristol Aeroplane Company and the same day made the first post-war civil air flight in Britain when he flew the Bristol Company's general manager, Herbert Thomas, from Filton to Hounslow in a Bristol Tourer. As well as test flying, Uwins flew Bristol aircraft in a number of aircraft races and in 1926, flying a Bristol Brownie, he won the second prize at the Lympne light aircraft trials, also winning the Duke of Sutherland's prize for the best takeoff and landing.^[2] The following year he was one of the first pilots to experience control reversal caused by aeroelasticity while testing the Bristol Bagshot^[3]

On 16 September 1932, flying a modified Vickers Vespa fitted with a supercharged Bristol Pegasus engine, he set a new world altitude record, reaching a height of 43,976 ft (13,404 m).^[4] He was awarded the Britannia Trophy for this achievement. He was awarded the AFC in 1937 and the OBE in 1943.

Uwin's entire career was spent with Bristol, and eventually he had a team of ten other test pilots working under him. His nickname, "Papa" Uwins, is an indication of the affection and respect with which he was regarded. He made the first flight of every Bristol type up to the Type 170 Bristol Freighter, and in all made the first flight of 58 prototype aircraft, achieving this without any major accident, although not without several close shaves.^[5] He ended his career as Deputy Chairman of the company.

Family life

He died on 11 September 1972 in Bath, at the time he was married to Naomi with a daughter and stepson, a stepson had died before him.^[6]

Notes

References

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

• Barnes, C.H. Bristol Aircraft Since 1910 (3rd ed.). London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0 85177 823 2