Spitfire test pilot remembered at RAF Cosford on anniversary
He was a test pilot who had the ear of Winston Churchill. And without the work of Alex Henshaw, the iconic Spitfire would not have been there to play its part in the Battle of Britain.
Today marks 80 years to the day since the prototype Supermarine Spitfire made its maiden flight.
And to mark the milestone, the RAF Museum at Cosford is holding a day of talks celebrating on the plane's link to the area.
Industry expert Tony Edwards was today talking about the life of Mr Henshaw, a friend of his his friend who was the Supermarine chief production test pilot.
Mr Henshaw was a familiar figure in Cosford during the Second World War when he delivered Spitfires to the base. He nearly lost his life in April 1942 when, while flying back from Cosford to the Supermarine factory in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, he crashed a Spitfire in Willenhall, near Walsall.
A number of Spitfires were built at Cosford during the Second World War when an assembly plant was established at the RAF base, as a satellite to the Castle Bromwich works.
A total of 48 variants were made during the development and production of the aircraft over 10 years. They served in every combat theatre, operating as fighters, fighter-bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft as well as the Seafires which operated from aircraft carriers. It was the only allied fighter to remain in full production and front-line RAF service both prior to and after the Second World War.
