Norman MacMillan (pilot)
Encyclopedia
Wing Commander
Norman MacMillan, OBE
, MC
, AFC
, DL
(9 August 1892 - 5 August 1976) born Glasgow
, Scotland
was a pilot and author.
He served during World War I
on the Western Front in 1917–18 with the RFC
and RAF
, flying Sopwith 1½ Strutter
and Sopwith Camel
aircraft, becoming an ace
by claiming eleven victories and being credited with nine. He would write about these experiences in his book Into the Blue.
He was decorated with the Military Cross
for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in 1918.
He was also awarded the Air Force Cross
.
After World War I, he, Major W.T. Blake and Geoffrey Mallins made an unsuccessful attempt to fly one leg of a Daily News sponsored round the world flight in Fairey IIIC G-EBDI.
He took part in the 1923 Lympne light aircraft trials
, demonstrating the Parnall Pixie
aircraft. During the early 1920s, MacMillan, like several others acted as free-lance test pilots, unattached to particular companies. He took five Parnall
aircraft on their first flights.
He flew Fairey
aircraft from 1921 as a free-lance, joining them full-time early in 1925 as chief test pilot and staying with them until the end of 1930. He then became chief consultant test pilot to Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft
.
In 1925 he was the first to land (an emergency landing) at Heathrow, which then was a row of cottages in land used for market gardening
.
He wrote numerous books on aviation, including a series detailing history of the Royal Air Force
during the Second World War. Despite being partly written during the war they are remarkably detailed and accurate.
He remained attached to the army, before transferring to the air force in 1946.
He became a Deputy Lieutenant
for Cornwall
in September 1951.
According to his obituary
which was published in The Times
newspaper on Wednesday, August 11, 1976, he made the first flight London
to Sweden
in one day.
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Norman MacMillan, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(9 August 1892 - 5 August 1976) born Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
was a pilot and author.
He served during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
on the Western Front in 1917–18 with the RFC
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
and RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, flying Sopwith 1½ Strutter
Sopwith 1½ Strutter
The Sopwith 1½ Strutter was a British one or two-seat biplane multi-role aircraft of the First World War. It is significant as the first British-designed two seater tractor fighter, and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised machine gun...
and Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
aircraft, becoming an ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
by claiming eleven victories and being credited with nine. He would write about these experiences in his book Into the Blue.
He was decorated with the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in 1918.
He was also awarded the Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
.
After World War I, he, Major W.T. Blake and Geoffrey Mallins made an unsuccessful attempt to fly one leg of a Daily News sponsored round the world flight in Fairey IIIC G-EBDI.
He took part in the 1923 Lympne light aircraft trials
Lympne light aircraft trials
The Lympne Light Aircraft Trials were held to encourage the development of practical light aircraft for private ownership, with a strong but not exclusive emphasis on fuel economy. They were held in 1923, 1924 and 1926. Each year saw different restrictions on engine size, framed initially in terms...
, demonstrating the Parnall Pixie
Parnall Pixie
The Parnall Pixie was a low powered British single-seat monoplane light aircraft originally designed to compete in the Lympne, UK trials for motor-gliders in 1923, where it was successful...
aircraft. During the early 1920s, MacMillan, like several others acted as free-lance test pilots, unattached to particular companies. He took five Parnall
Parnall
Parnall was a British aircraft manufacturer, that evolved from a wood-working company before the First World War to a significant designer of military and civil aircraft into the 1940s. It was based in the west of England.-History:...
aircraft on their first flights.
He flew Fairey
Fairey Aviation
The Fairey Aviation Company Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer of the first half of the 20th century based in Hayes in Greater London and Heaton Chapel and RAF Ringway in Greater Manchester...
aircraft from 1921 as a free-lance, joining them full-time early in 1925 as chief test pilot and staying with them until the end of 1930. He then became chief consultant test pilot to Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft
Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft
Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Company, or Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft, was a British aircraft manufacturer.-History:Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft was established as the Aerial Department of the Sir W. G Armstrong Whitworth & Company engineering group in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1912, and...
.
In 1925 he was the first to land (an emergency landing) at Heathrow, which then was a row of cottages in land used for market gardening
Market gardening
A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. It is distinguishable from other types of farming by the diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically, from under one acre ...
.
He wrote numerous books on aviation, including a series detailing history of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the Second World War. Despite being partly written during the war they are remarkably detailed and accurate.
He remained attached to the army, before transferring to the air force in 1946.
He became a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
in September 1951.
According to his obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
which was published in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
newspaper on Wednesday, August 11, 1976, he made the first flight London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in one day.