Phillip Edward Gerald Sayer OBE | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1905-02-05)5 February 1905 Colchester,Essex, England |
| Disappeared | 21 October 1942(1942-10-21) (aged 37) North Sea |
| Occupation | Test pilot |
| Employer | Gloster Aircraft Company |
| Known for | Piloting the first flight of the first British jet aircraft |
| Spouse | |
| Parent | Wing Commander E. J. Sayer MC (father) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1924–1929 |
| Rank | Flying Officer |
Flying OfficerPhillip Edward Gerald SayerOBE (5 February 1905 – 21 October 1942), was the chief test pilot forGloster Aircraft as well as a servingRAF officer. "Gerry" Sayer flew Britain's maiden jet flight in SirFrank Whittle'sGloster E.28/39 (Pioneer), an aircraft designed byGeorge Carter, on 15 May 1941.
He was born inColchester, the only son ofWing Commander E. J. SayerMC. He attendedSt Joseph's College, Nainital in India andColchester Royal Grammar School in England.
Sayer joined the Royal Air Force on 30 June 1924, being granted a short service commission with the rank of probationarypilot officer,[1] and was posted toNo. 29 Squadron RAF, based atRAF Duxford.[2] He was confirmed in his rank on 23 May 1925,[3] and was promoted toflying officer on 30 March 1926.[4] He learnt to fly in anAvro 504K, and later flewSopwith Snipes, before becoming a test pilot atRAF Martlesham Heath, the home of theAeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment.
Sayer was transferred to the Reserve of Air Force Officers (Class A) on 2 March 1929,[5] to become second test pilot withHawker Aircraft, assistant toGroup CaptainP. W. S. (George) Bulman (who first flew theHurricane on 6 November 1935). He also competed in the 1930King's Cup Air Race, flying theCirrus Hermes-poweredDesoutter Mk.I(G-AAPY) entered by Charles Bernard Wilson. He averaged 108.4 miles per hour (174.5 km/h) over the course and came in 23rd place.[6]
In 1934 Hawker took over theGloster Aircraft Company and Sayer was appointed chief test pilot in November 1934.[7] On 2 March 1937 Sayer relinquished his reserve commission on completion of service, and was permitted to retain his rank.[8]
On 15 May 1941 at 7.45pm, he took off fromRAF Cranwell, nearSleaford inLincolnshire in the Gloster E.28/39 (W4041/G) powered by theW.1 engine and flew for 17 minutes, flying at over 500 miles per hour (800 km/h),[9] impossible for other aircraft at the time in level flight. That Gloster aircraft has been in theScience Museum since 1946. A second aircraft of the same type (W4046/G) would be later demonstrated toWinston Churchill on 17 April 1943, having first flown on 1 March 1943 and later crashed in June 1943.
On 21 October 1942 Sayer departed fromRAF Acklington in aHawker Typhoon to carry out tests of a gunsight involving gun firing intoDruridge Bay Ranges, accompanied by another Typhoon. Neither aircraft returned, and it was assumed that they collided over the bay.[10] He was replaced as Gloster's test pilot byMichael Daunt, who would be the first to fly theGloster Meteor (powered by twode Havilland Goblin engines designed byFrank Halford) on 5 March 1943 atRAF Cranwell.
Sayer was made an officer of theOrder of the British Empire in the 1942 New Years Honours List.[11]
In January 1929, he became engaged to May Violet Ellen Wallace-Smyth daughter of the vicar ofBures, northEssex.[12] They were married on 7 June 1930 at Holy Innocents Church,Lamarsh in north Essex.[13]