I am the Chair of Operation Spitfire and Great Nephew of Spitfire designer Reginald Mitchell. Operation Spitfire was originally established to restore the Mk 15 Spitfire which is housed in the Potteries Museum. Now this has been completed and a new Gallery built our focus is now on Education. I am passionate about making history relevant and using it to inspire current students to follow careers from STEAM based subjects.
Understanding the history of flight and the world events that culminated in the Spitfire are important from both an historic and engineering point of view. RJ Mitchell managed to achieve so much in his short life, and he demonstrates what is possible.
Julian lives locally and is a director of local pharmacy chain Cornwell’s Chemists Ltd.
I’m the daughter of Rita Baines, a female pilot who flew 19 types of plane during the Second World War, was the only steward on the first commercial flight after the War, flying all the way to South America, and went on to do lots of charitable work back in Staffordshire. That got her an MBE from the Queen.
She married another pilot, so you would think that I might have followed in my Mum and Dad’s footsteps. But I don’t like flying – I get nervous! I followed them in a different way, learning Spanish, the language spoken in all South American countries except one. I became fluent and went to live in Mexico for 9 years, always meaning to visit the countries they flew to, but never quite getting far enough south.
I only discovered her diaries and letters from boyfriends the year before Covid. They were in a case in the loft of her home. Since then, I’ve become fascinated by the story of the Air Transport Auxiliary, particularly the women’s stories, and I love reading their accounts of flying the Spitfire, the favourite plane of almost every one of them.
So now that I’m retired I have time to tell as many people as will listen about the women of the ATA, and especially my Mum.
I have been an RAF engineer for over 23 years.I grew up in Stoke-on-Trent knowing the importance of the Spitfire its story, the people behind it and the historic contribution it made. This inspired me to join the RAF. At 17 I joined the local Territorial Army unit, spending many days out in the field on exercises and training maneuvers in the UK and overseas, the highlight of which was cave and tunnel fighting in Gibraltar.
My first posting was to RAF Lyneham, 47/LXX(ENG) Sqn working on C-130K Hercules, a large transport aircraft before moving onto the C-130J model with 24/30(Eng) Sqn. have been on many operations, including in Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Bosnia. I have been on exercise in many other countries including Cyprus, Canada, the USA, Oman, UAE, Italy, and Iceland.
In July 2008 I was excited to be selected to join the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby with responsibility for maintaining, servicing and sometimes building the RAF’s World War Two aircraft collection. This includes Spitfire MK IIa, Spitfire MK V, Spitfire MK IX, Spitfire MK XVI, Two Spitfire MK XIX, Two Hurricanes MK IIb, Chipmunk, Lancaster B.1 and Dakota.
I now teach new trainees how to fix and maintain aircraft mechanical systems. This includes hydraulic systems, aircraft engines, oxygen and air conditioning, fuel systems, flying controls, aircraft skin repairs and the toilets!
I am a very experienced high-risk Test Pilot and Fighter Pilot. I have flown various aircraft including the Harrier, F-15, F-16, F-18, and F-35. My flying has taken me from the Californian coast of the United States to war zones across the Middle East. A seasoned fast jet operator, I am no stranger to cutting-edge design and next-generation technology. I was part of the ground-breaking F-35 development program and conducted the first-ever F-35 launch and recovery on the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. I famously survived one ejection from a Harrier Jump Jet in the early years of my flying career and I am uniquely qualified as a commando green beret, paratrooper, and forward air controller.
I am proud to be a UK STEM Ambassador and a Chartered Manager. I’m a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Chartered Management Institute, and the Institute of Leadership and Management, and an Upper Freeman of The Honourable Company of Air Pilots. I hold an honours degree in Aerospace Engineering and am a highly-decorated retired senior naval officer with gallantry awards from Her Majesty the Queen and meritorious service awards from the President of the United States. Now though I spend most of my time training the next generation of pilots and designing and testing eVTOL aircraft and drones. I have written a book about all my adventures -Hazard Spectrum – Life in the Danger Zone by Britain’s Top Test Pilot.
