On the Wings of a Gull

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{detailed description}The Author:
Dave Gearing was a lifelong aviation enthusiast, with the Air Training Corps giving him his first taste of flying including one memorable trip in a two-seat Lightning. He trained as an air traffic controller at Hamble and Pershore, before moving to work as a controller at Luton airport where he stayed for many years. In addition to being a keen aircraft photographer and a member of the Air-Britain Council he was editor of the Air-Britain News 'Display Diary' section in the early 1980s. However, his great passion was Percival Aircraft and the history of Luton Airport and he dedicated much time to meticulous research in local and official records and to compiling an exhaustive history of Percival Aircraft and its successors. When Dave died suddenly on 23rd July 2010, at the early age of 63, his family contacted Air-Britain to ensure that this research material should be preserved. The resulting book is a tribute both to Dave and to his family.

The Research Team:
With Dave Gearing no longer able to bring his dream of publishing a book on Percival to fruition, Air-Britain mobilised its specialists to ensure that the work was completed. Their work included additional research and uncovering illustrations from Air-Britain's wide-ranging resources. Those who have helped with this book are listed in the Acknowledgments, but key contributors, led by Rod Simpson as General Editor, include Alan Allen, Phil Butler, Malcolm Fillmore, Alan Johnson, Derek King and Tom Singfield, all of whom have spent many hours in ensuring that this book will be the leading reference source on Percival Aircraft, Hunting Percival, Hunting and BAC Luton.

Percival Aircraft was the creation of Edgar Wikner Percival - an energetic and, for many, a frustrating genius. In the 1930s, Percival Aircraft made the head- lines with its Gulls flying to far-flung parts of the globe, and Edgar Percival himself became a familiar contender in air racing - always properly dressed with his trade- mark trilby hat! When World War Two arrived, Percival's Luton factory expanded with production of Proctors for the RAF and Royal Navy - and then manufacture of Oxfords and Mosquitos. Percival Aircraft was acquired by Huntings - and later became Hunting Percival and Hunting Aircraft - and created new designs such as the Prentice, Provost, Prince, Pembroke and Jet Provost. These aircraft not only served the British forces but were successfully exported to many countries. Eventually, Hunting Aircraft was absorbed into British Aircraft Corporation and the historic Luton factory ceased building aircraft in July, 1966 by which time nearly 5,000 aircraft had been built by "Percivals".
{Author / Publisher / Date}by David W. Gearing
published by Air Britain 2012 1st edn. 384pp profusely illustrated, some colour, index, appendices. 31x22
{condition}minor wear to extremeties, otherwise fine inc. d/j
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