Jimmy Dell
Encyclopedia
Wing Commander
James Leonard Dell OBE
(23 August 1924 – 25 March 2008) was a British
test pilot
. He is best remembered for his involvement in the BAC TSR-2
test programme, being one of only three test pilots to fly the aircraft before the project was scrapped in 1965.
James Dell (known as Jimmy Dell) was born in Liverpool
in 1924 and joined the Royal Air Force
in 1942. After pilot training in Rhodesia
he became a flight instructor. Dell remained in the RAF until 1959, retiring with the rank of Wing Commander, to join English Electric
as their deputy chief test pilot.
Dell along with chief test pilot Roland Beamont
was responsible for the TSR-2 test programme until it was controversially cancelled by the then Labour Government
in 1965. Following Beamont’s retirement in 1965, Dell became BAC's
chief test pilot, and was later involved in the Jaguar
and Panavia Tornado
projects. He retired as director of flight operations for British Aerospace
in 1989.
Jimmy Dell died on 25 March 2008
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
James Leonard Dell 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...
(23 August 1924 – 25 March 2008) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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....
. He is best remembered for his involvement in the BAC TSR-2
BAC TSR-2
The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2 was a cancelled Cold War strike and reconnaissance aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation for the Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and early 1960s...
test programme, being one of only three test pilots to fly the aircraft before the project was scrapped in 1965.
James Dell (known as Jimmy Dell) was born in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in 1924 and joined 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...
in 1942. After pilot training in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
he became a flight instructor. Dell remained in the RAF until 1959, retiring with the rank of Wing Commander, to join English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
as their deputy chief test pilot.
Dell along with chief test pilot Roland Beamont
Roland Beamont
Wing Commander Roland Prosper "Bee" Beamont CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar was a British fighter pilot and test pilot for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, and the years that followed...
was responsible for the TSR-2 test programme until it was controversially cancelled by the then Labour Government
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
in 1965. Following Beamont’s retirement in 1965, Dell became BAC's
British Aircraft Corporation
The British Aircraft Corporation was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs , the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Hunting Aircraft in 1960. Bristol, English Electric and Vickers became "parents" of BAC with...
chief test pilot, and was later involved in the Jaguar
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet ground attack aircraft, originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Armée de l'Air in the close air support and nuclear strike role, and still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force...
and Panavia Tornado
Panavia Tornado
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing combat aircraft, which was jointly developed and manufactured by the United Kingdom, West Germany and Italy...
projects. He retired as director of flight operations for British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
in 1989.
Jimmy Dell died on 25 March 2008