P1127 First Hover Celebration

Anniversary cake and a bust of Bill Bedford

Hawker VIPs present included the P.1127 project designer Ralph Hooper and Duncan Simpson who joined Bill and Hugh in the test pilot team. This was followed by a most interesting talk about the Royal Aero Club Trust by Dick Poole.

Chris Farara

On 13th October some 75 Members came to the Hawker Centre to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first tethered hover of the P.1127 (XP831).

They enjoyed an excellent buffet with a glass of wine and a birthday cake whilst watching a film of the early P.1127 flight tests by Bill Bedford and Hugh Merewether, and a 'slide show' of P.1127 photographs.

Ralph cutting the cake