Trevor Sidney Wade
Encyclopedia
Trevor Sidney Wade DFC
AFC
(1920–1951) was an English
fighter ace, one of The Few
and later a test pilot. He was killed test flying the Hawker P.1081
prototype fighter.
and joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
His nickname Wimpy was borrowed from the American cartoon character of Popeye fame.
had started Wade was with 92 Squadron
flying the Supermarine Spitfire
. In the Battle of Britain and subsequent operations he destroyed seven enemy aircraft.
In 1941 he was a Distinguished Flying Cross
for his efforts during the first part of the war and achieving seven confirmed victories.
After a course at the Central Flying School
in October 1941 he became a pilot-gunnery instructor at the Central School of Gunnery. He was then appointed as OC Flying at the Air Fighting Development Unit
at Duxford. For his work at the AFDU he was awarded the Air Force Cross
.
as an assistance to the Chief Test Pilot Bill Humble
. When Humble became a sales manager Wade became the Chief Test Pilot.
In May 1949 he set a speed record between London and Paris in the Hawker P.1052
jet. On 3 April 1951 he was killed while test flying the Hawker P.1081
, an experimental swept wing fighter, when it crashed near Lewes in Sussex.
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
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"...
(1920–1951) was an English
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...
fighter ace, one of The Few
The Few
The Few is a term used to describe the Allied airmen of the Royal Air Force who fought the Battle of Britain in the Second World War. It comes from Winston Churchill's phrase "Never, in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few"....
and later a test pilot. He was killed test flying the Hawker P.1081
Hawker P.1081
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Hannah, Donald. Hawker FlyPast Reference Library. Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK: Key Publishing Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-946219-01-X....
prototype fighter.
Early life
Wade was born on 27 January 1920 and was educated at Tonbridge. He left school at 18, learned to fly at GatwickLondon Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
and joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
His nickname Wimpy was borrowed from the American cartoon character of Popeye fame.
Fighter pilot
By the time of the Battle of BritainBattle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
had started Wade was with 92 Squadron
No. 92 Squadron RAF
No. 92 Squadron, also known as No 92 Squadron, of the Royal Air Force was formed as part of the Royal Flying Corps at London Colney as a fighter squadron on 1 September 1917. It deployed to France in July 1918 and saw action for just four months, until the end of the war. During the conflict it...
flying the Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
. In the Battle of Britain and subsequent operations he destroyed seven enemy aircraft.
In 1941 he was a Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
for his efforts during the first part of the war and achieving seven confirmed victories.
After a course at the Central Flying School
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
in October 1941 he became a pilot-gunnery instructor at the Central School of Gunnery. He was then appointed as OC Flying at the Air Fighting Development Unit
Air Fighting Development Unit
The Air Fighting Development Unit was an air technical intelligence part of the Royal Air Force which developed operational tactics and tested captured enemy aircraft. It was based at Royal Air Force Stations at Northolt, Duxford and Wittering....
at Duxford. For his work at the AFDU he was 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"...
.
Test pilot
At the end of the war Wade joined the staff of the Aeroplane Magazine but within a year he had joined Hawker AircraftHawker Aircraft
Hawker Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer responsible for some of the most famous products in British aviation history.-History:...
as an assistance to the Chief Test Pilot Bill Humble
Bill Humble
William Humble MBE was a well-known pre-Second World War aviator, known as an air racer and for his aerobatic displays, he was also an officer in the Royal Air Force Special Reserve, and the Auxiliary Air Force. Although he qualified as a mining engineer the lure of flying proved too strong, and...
. When Humble became a sales manager Wade became the Chief Test Pilot.
In May 1949 he set a speed record between London and Paris in the Hawker P.1052
Hawker P.1052
-Further reading:* Green, William and Cross, Roy. The jet aircraft of the world. London: Macdonald and Company, 1955.* Hannah, Donald. Hawker FlyPast Reference Library. Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK: Key Publishing Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-946219-01-X....
jet. On 3 April 1951 he was killed while test flying the Hawker P.1081
Hawker P.1081
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Hannah, Donald. Hawker FlyPast Reference Library. Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK: Key Publishing Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-946219-01-X....
, an experimental swept wing fighter, when it crashed near Lewes in Sussex.
Honours and awards
- 15 July 1941 - Pilot Officer Trevor Sidney Wade (78984), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 92 Squadron is awarded the Distinguished Flying CrossDistinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy:
See also
- List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain
- List of World War II aces from the United Kingdom