Hubert Broad
Encyclopedia
Captain Hubert Standford Broad MBE
AFC
(1897-1975) was an English First World War aviator
and notable sports and test pilot
.
on 18 May 1897 the son of Thomas and Amelia Broad. In 1901 when Broad was three the family were living at Aston Lodge, St Johns Road in Watford his father is described as a Solicitor. By the time of the 1911 Census, Broad is a 13-year-old student at St. Lawrence College
in Ramsgate, Kent.
at Eastchurch. After training he was posted to operations with No. 3 Squadron RNAS
based at Dunkirk, France flying the Sopwith Pup
. While escorting bombers Broad was shot in the neck and returned to England as an Instructor while he recovered.
For his second operational tour he was loaned to No. 46 Squadron
of the Royal Flying Corps
flying the Sopwith Camel
. At the end of the war he became an instructor at the Fighter Pilots Flying School at Fairlop.
and in 1920 he flew joy-riding flights in the United States with two Avro seaplanes. In 1921 he came first in the Aerial Derby air race around London, flying a Sopwith Camel. This gained the attention of de Havilland
which took him on in October 1921 as Chief test pilot at Stag Lane
. With a general lack of test pilots he not only flew a wide variety of de Havilland types but also those of Handley Page and Gloster.
At the 1925 Schneider Trophy
Broad became the sole British entry following a number of pre-race accidents. Flying a Gloster III
seaplane he came second to an American Army test pilot called James Doolittle
.
At de Havilland, Broad flew many demonstration flights and entered air races and competitions to show of the de Havilland aircraft. In 1926 he won the King's Cup Air Race
in a de Havilland Moth
. In 1928 he took part in the International Light Aircraft Contest in France, completing it on the 3rd place. Next year, he was second in the F.A.I International Tourist Plane Contest - Challenge International de Tourisme 1929. In the next Challenge International de Tourisme 1930, he was 8th overall (he completed the rally part on the 1st place).
In 1935 he left de Havilland and worked with the Royal Aircraft Establishment
as a test pilot. He published a book in 1939 about flying - Flying wisdom; a book of practical experiences and their lessons. In 1940 he returned to industry as chief production test pilot for Hawker Aircraft
. He was responsible for test flying the Hawker single-seat fighters as they left the production line. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire
in 1946 for his work as a Hawker test pilot.
Broad died in 1975 at his home in Basingstoke
with 7,500 flying hours on 200 different types.
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...
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"...
(1897-1975) was an English First World War aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
and notable sports and test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
.
Early life
Broad was born in WatfordWatford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
on 18 May 1897 the son of Thomas and Amelia Broad. In 1901 when Broad was three the family were living at Aston Lodge, St Johns Road in Watford his father is described as a Solicitor. By the time of the 1911 Census, Broad is a 13-year-old student at St. Lawrence College
St. Lawrence College, Ramsgate
St. Lawrence College is a co-educational independent school situated in the town of Ramsgate in Kent.- History :It was founded in 1879, known as South Eastern College. The school rapidly outgrew the single house, leading to the main building of the present day college by 1884. The chapel was...
in Ramsgate, Kent.
Naval aviator
In 1915 he learnt to fly at the Hall School of Flying at Hendon. Flying a single-engined Caudron he received Pilot Certificate No. 2,044. With his certificate to hand he joined the Royal Naval Air ServiceRoyal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
at Eastchurch. After training he was posted to operations with No. 3 Squadron RNAS
No. 203 Squadron RAF
No. 203 Squadron RAF was originally formed as No. 3 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service. It was renumbered No. 203 when the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 April 1918.-First World War:...
based at Dunkirk, France flying the Sopwith Pup
Sopwith Pup
The Sopwith Pup was a British single seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristics and good maneuverability, the aircraft proved very...
. While escorting bombers Broad was shot in the neck and returned to England as an Instructor while he recovered.
For his second operational tour he was loaned to No. 46 Squadron
No. 46 Squadron RAF
No. 46 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force, formed in 1916, was disbanded and re-formed three times before its last disbandment in 1975. It served in both World War I and World War II.- World War I :...
of the Royal Flying Corps
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...
flying the 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...
. At the end of the war he became an instructor at the Fighter Pilots Flying School at Fairlop.
Test and sports pilot
After leaving the RNAS he flew joy-riding aircraft for AvroAvro
Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's...
and in 1920 he flew joy-riding flights in the United States with two Avro seaplanes. In 1921 he came first in the Aerial Derby air race around London, flying a Sopwith Camel. This gained the attention of de Havilland
De Havilland
The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
which took him on in October 1921 as Chief test pilot at Stag Lane
Stag Lane Aerodrome
Stag Lane Aerodrome was a private aerodrome between 1915 and 1933 located in Edgware, London, UK.-History:The land for an aerodrome was purchased by the London & Provincial Aviation Company during October 1915. The company used the aerodrome for flying training during the First World War...
. With a general lack of test pilots he not only flew a wide variety of de Havilland types but also those of Handley Page and Gloster.
At the 1925 Schneider Trophy
Schneider Trophy
The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider was a prize competition for seaplanes. Announced by Jacques Schneider, a financier, balloonist and aircraft enthusiast, in 1911, it offered a prize of roughly £1,000. The race was held eleven times between 1913 and 1931...
Broad became the sole British entry following a number of pre-race accidents. Flying a Gloster III
Gloster III
|-See also:-Notes:In addition, the Air Ministry also placed an order with Supermarine for the S.4 monoplane.-Bibliography:*"". Flight. 24 September 1925. pp.609-614.* "". Flight. 29 October 1925. p.703.* "". Flight. 5 November 1925. pp.726-732....
seaplane he came second to an American Army test pilot called James Doolittle
Jimmy Doolittle
General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle, USAF was an American aviation pioneer. Doolittle served as a brigadier general, major general and lieutenant general in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War...
.
At de Havilland, Broad flew many demonstration flights and entered air races and competitions to show of the de Havilland aircraft. In 1926 he won the King's Cup Air Race
King's Cup Race
The King's Cup Race is an annual British handicapped cross-country air race, first contested on 8 September 1922. The event was open to British pilots only, but that did include members of the Commonwealth....
in a de Havilland Moth
De Havilland Moth
The de Havilland Moths were a series of light aircraft, sports planes and military trainers designed by Geoffrey de Havilland. In the late 1920s and 1930s they were the most common civil aircraft flying in Britain and during that time every light aircraft flying in the UK was commonly referred to...
. In 1928 he took part in the International Light Aircraft Contest in France, completing it on the 3rd place. Next year, he was second in the F.A.I International Tourist Plane Contest - Challenge International de Tourisme 1929. In the next Challenge International de Tourisme 1930, he was 8th overall (he completed the rally part on the 1st place).
In 1935 he left de Havilland and worked with the Royal Aircraft Establishment
Royal Aircraft Establishment
The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough...
as a test pilot. He published a book in 1939 about flying - Flying wisdom; a book of practical experiences and their lessons. In 1940 he returned to industry as chief production test pilot for Hawker Aircraft
Hawker Aircraft
Hawker Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer responsible for some of the most famous products in British aviation history.-History:...
. He was responsible for test flying the Hawker single-seat fighters as they left the production line. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire
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...
in 1946 for his work as a Hawker test pilot.
Broad died in 1975 at his home in Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
with 7,500 flying hours on 200 different types.