Obituaries

Air Commodore Roger Topp- pilot who flew gliders after D-Day and formed the Black Arrows display team.

After a forced glider landing near the Rhine in March 1945 he destroyed an enemy gun emplacement with an anti-tank rocket launcher.
Air Commodore Roger Topp, who has died aged 96, created a sensation at the 1958 Farnborough Air Show when he led 22 Hawker Hunter fighters over the airfield and pulled up to complete a formation loop – a feat that has never been repeated. When he assumed command of No 111 Squadron (Treble One) in January 1955, the Hunter had started to replace the Meteor. Shortly after, Topp broke the Edinburgh-to-London speed record previously set by a Hurricane in 1938. Reaching speeds in excess of 700mph, the 332-mile supersonic transit was covered in 27 min 52 sec. The record stood for 32 years. An enthusiast for aerobatics, Topp led a five-aircraft display team which was soon performing to crowds in the UK and overseas. After winning Fighter Command's aerobatics competition Topp and his team represented the RAF at every major air show in 1957. The aircraft were finished in an all-black gloss finish, which would play a key role in deciding the team name later that year. May 1957 was spent preparing for the major display of the year, the 22nd Paris Salon. Following a captivating display, a French journalist reported on the squadron's exceptional flying abilities and referred to the team as "les Flèches Noires". The squadron display team had been given its name, and from then on would be known worldwide as "the Black Arrows". Although the Paris display was impressive, the highlight of 1957 came at the Farnborough Air Show. In place of the expected five-aircraft team, the Black Arrows displayed in a diamond nine formation. Topp was due to hand over command of Treble One at the end of 1958, and for his final display he devised a new and unique formation. At the annual Farnborough show, the 12 all-black Hunters thundered into the airfield as a further 10, drawn from other RAF squadrons, raced to join them. As the two groups of fighters started to join it became clear to those watching that something very special was about to occur. All 22 Hunters, in close formation, pulled up into the sky and completed a full loop. Just to prove this was not luck, and to the crowd's delight, they then completed a second loop. Notwithstanding this stunning piece of precision flying, Topp had one further surprise. Six aircraft detached and he then led the remaining 16 into a barrel roll, a far more difficult manoeuvre for such a large formation. These two spectacular feats have never been repeated by such a large formation. Other fighter squadrons continued to adopt Topp's innovative ideas for formation aerobatic teams. The RAF realised the publicity value of these displays, and a few years later it led to the creation of the world-famous Red Arrows team. For his leadership of Treble One Topp was awarded a Second Bar to the AFCs he had been awarded earlier. The son of a farmer, Roger Leslie Topp was born near Chichester on May 14 1923 and educated at North Mundham School. He left aged 15 and joined the RAF as a boy entrant in the apprenticeship scheme. In January 1939 he entered the wireless and radio school at RAF Cranwell for a three-year course. The war curtailed his training, and after two years he served at Gosport as a wireless mechanic. He was selected to be a pilot and trained in Canada. On his return to Britain in late 1944 the demand for pilots had reduced, but the losses of glider pilots on D-Day and at Arnhem had been heavy and replacements were needed. Topp volunteered, "in order to see some action". On March 24 1945 he climbed into a Horsa glider loaded with a jeep, a gun and its crew. Taking off behind a Dakota towing aircraft he joined the huge armada heading for the River Rhine. He released from the tug aircraft near Wesel and was approaching his landing spot when his glider was hit by anti-aircraft fire, damaging the controls. He managed to make a heavy landing but the glider broke with all the occupants escaping injury. Once on the ground, the glider pilot became an infantryman. Topp was in charge of a Piat anti-tank rocket launcher and he engaged an anti-aircraft gun. A direct hit was achieved before Topp fired a second time, completely destroying the emplacement. The crew immediately surrendered to him. Two days later he was back in Britain. Topp elected to remain in the RAF and was soon flying Mosquito fighters with No 98 Squadron from an airfield in Germany. After two years he became an instrument flying instructor and was soon training and testing pilots from the many squadrons based with the British Air Forces of Occupation. At the end of his tour he was awarded the first of his three AFCs. After completing the course at the Empire Test Pilot's School Topp flew as a test pilot from Farnborough where he evaluated new armaments including guided weapons and the 30mm cannon. In 1954, together with another pilot, he shared the 100 hours of intensive flight-testing of the Comet following three catastrophic crashes of the jet airliner. For this work he was awarded his second AFC. He then took command of Treble One. In July 1959 he went to Germany as a wing commander in charge of air defence operations at the sector control centre at Brockzetel, near Wilhelmshaven. Three years later he returned to the test pilot arena as a squadron commander at Boscombe Down, where he was responsible for fighter development and testing the early version of the Lightning supersonic interceptor and the Hawker P 1127, the forerunner to the Harrier jump jet. Topp was promoted to group captain in December 1963 to command RAF Coltishall, the base chosen for the introduction of the Lightning into RAF service.
His later years of service saw him intimately involved in the specification and development for a new multi-role combat aircraft. After serving in the operational requirements branch of MoD, he became the UK project officer in the Nato Management Agency in Munich for the joint British/German/Italian programme that led to the development of the Tornado. In 1972 he returned for a second time and served as the deputy director of the project. After retiring from the RAF in early 1978, Topp worked as a consultant for Ferranti, spending 10 years based in Bonn. He played golf all over the UK and abroad until late his life and his sailing progressed from dinghies to ocean-going yachts. But his greatest love was his garden where his creative talent transformed every garden he designed. On his 90th birthday he was reunited with his black Hunter, which had been restored at his old airfield at Wattisham in Suffolk. Despite worldwide fame for his leadership of the Black Arrows, and the adulation of a generation of young men and schoolboys who were inspired to become fighter pilots, Topp was a modest, stoical man who told his son: "Manners are paramount, as is respect for others."
Roger Topp married Audrey Jeffery in May 1945. She died in 1999; a son and a daughter survive him.
Roger Topp, born May 14 1923, died March 6 2020

Source: The Telegraph

Edward L. Feightner - Wikipedia

Rear Admiral Edward Lewis Feightner (October 14, 1919 – April 1, 2020) was a United States Navy officer who fought in a number of significant battles in the World War II Pacific Theater of Operations. During two combat tours, he shot down nine enemy aircraft to become a flying ace.
He was an early member of the Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron and flew the lead "solo" position. His work as a test pilot included aircraft, electronic systems, and operational tactics such as developing techniques for delivering nuclear weapons from small fighter aircraft. He commanded increasingly larger air units including VF-11 and Carrier Air Group Ten as well as training organizations that helped the Navy transition from propeller to jet aircraft. He commanded two Navy ships, served as the head of Navy Fighter Design, and was a key contributor to fighter studies that resulted in the development of jet aircraft that as of 2015 are still in active service.
Feightner was the only pilot to land the dash-1 variant of the Vought F7U Cutlass aboard a carrier. He led VF-11 to become the first Atlantic fleet unit in which every pilot received the coveted "E" award in a single exercise. After retiring from the Navy, Feightner promoted aviation and shared his experiences with others.

Air Chief Marshal Sir David George Evans, GCB, CBE (died 21 February 2020) was a senior commander of the Royal Air Force.

Educated in Canada, Evans was commissioned into the Royal Air Force as a pilot officer under an emergency commission on 7 April 1944 during the Second World War. He underwent pilot training in Canada and he then completed in operational training in Ismaïlia in Egypt. On 7 October 1944, he was promoted to flying officer (war substantive). He was promoted to flight lieutenant (war substantive) on 7 April 1946. His promotion to flying officer was confirmed on 30 September 1947 with seniority from 7 April 1946. Evans was promoted to the substantive rank of flight lieutenant on 29 October 1948, with promotions to squadron leader on 1 October 1954, to wing commander on 1 July 1959 and to group captain on 1 July 1964.
In 1973 Evans was made Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group, in 1976 he was appointed Vice Chief of the Air Staff and he went on to be Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command the following year. He was Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff from 1981 to 1983.
On 9 June 1955, Squadron Leader Evans was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air. In 1985 he was made King of Arms of the Order of the Bath.
In retirement, Evans became a Non-Executive Director of British Aerospace. He died on 21 February 2020.

v2 said:

Air Chief Marshal Sir David George Evans, GCB, CBE (died 21 February 2020) was a senior commander of the Royal Air Force.

Educated in Canada, Evans was commissioned into the Royal Air Force as a pilot officer under an emergency commission on 7 April 1944 during the Second World War. He underwent pilot training in Canada and he then completed in operational training in Ismaïlia in Egypt. On 7 October 1944, he was promoted to flying officer (war substantive). He was promoted to flight lieutenant (war substantive) on 7 April 1946. His promotion to flying officer was confirmed on 30 September 1947 with seniority from 7 April 1946. Evans was promoted to the substantive rank of flight lieutenant on 29 October 1948, with promotions to squadron leader on 1 October 1954, to wing commander on 1 July 1959 and to group captain on 1 July 1964.
In 1973 Evans was made Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group, in 1976 he was appointed Vice Chief of the Air Staff and he went on to be Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command the following year. He was Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff from 1981 to 1983.
On 9 June 1955, Squadron Leader Evans was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air. In 1985 he was made King of Arms of the Order of the Bath.
In retirement, Evans became a Non-Executive Director of British Aerospace. He died on 21 February 2020. View attachment 576464

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Mjr. Jerzy Główczewski (Polish Air Force)
Having fought in WWII and survived the battles over Europe, Jerzy Główczewski, a member of the heroic Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade and the No. 308 "City of Kraków" Polish Fighter Squadron of the RAF, passed away in Warsaw on Monday.
Jerzy Główczewski, who passed away at the age of 97, will be remembered as an example of a young man, who put their lives on the line fighting for their homeland's freedom from totalitarian regimes. When WWII broke out, with Nazi German forces invading Poland in September 1939, the then 17-year-old Jerzy Główczeski eluded the Soviet forces assaulting Poland on September 17, fled to Romania and then to Palestine. In the Holy Land, which served as a rallying point for Polish forces and Polish civilian refugees, Główczewski continued his interrupted education at a local Polish school. That is when, having joined the Polish military, he was assigned to the Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade under General Stanisław Kopański. The soldier's duty took him all the way through Egypt and to the besieged city of Tobruk in present-day Libya. With the aim to stop Erwin Rommel's offensive, the Carpathian Brigade fought alongside the British 70th Infantry Division, taking part in the Siege of Tobruk. In December 1941, the Polish brigade seized the strategically important Madauar Hill, the town of Acroma, and broke through to the Eighth Army. In recognition of their impact on the battle, the Polish soldiers were awarded the prestigious title of Tobruk Rats by their Australian brothers-in-arms. After the African episode, Główczewski enlisted in the No. 308 "City of Kraków" Polish Fighter Squadron of the RAF. The squadron operated over France before its transfer to the 2nd Tactical Air Force as a fighter-bomber squadron. The squadron then followed the allied advance across Europe after the Normandy Landings in 1944.
When the war finally ended, Główczewski entered the Warsaw University of Sciences, graduated from the department of architecture and contributed to the rebuilding of Poland's capital Warsaw. In 1962, he moved to the US where he worked at the Ford Foundation and for the UN, also teaching architecture at Pratt Institute, New York City. Later on, he became the head of the redevelopment project of the ancient Egyptian city of Aswan. The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the mission of advancing human welfare.
Pratt Institute is a private university with its main campus in Brooklyn, New York, a satellite campus in Manhattan and an extension campus in Utica, New York (Pratt MWP). The school originated in 1887 with programs primarily in engineering, architecture, and fine arts. The Institute is primarily known for its highly ranked programmes in architecture, interior design, and industrial design, and offers both undergraduate and master's degree programs in a variety of fields, with a strong focus on research.

To all of the fallen heroes. Rest in Peace.