Chris Staniland

Flight Lieutenant Christopher Stainbank Staniland (7 October 1905 – 26 June 1942) was a British pilot, and the former chief test pilot for the Fairey Aviation Company.

Early life

He was born in Fallow Corner, North Finchley; the second son of Geoffrey Staniland, a solicitor, and his wife Millicent Ellen Marianne Leather. The family later moved to Lincolnshire. He attended King Edward VI Grammar School, Louth, then Tonbridge School in Kent.[1]

Geoffrey Staniland was killed in Belgium on 14 April 1915, serving with the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment. Millicent died in 1949.[1]

RAF

Staniland joined the Royal Air Force in March 1924 on a Short Service Commission.[1] He undertook his flying training at Shotwick. He was posted to 41 Squadron in February 1925 and remained with the unit until September 1928, when he was posted to the High Speed Flight RAF at Calshot. In November 1925, he was promoted to Flying Officer, and four years later to Flight Lieutenant, by then in the Reserve (RAFO), Class A. He relinquished his commission in the RAFO in March 1937, on completion of service, and was permitted to retain his rank.

Fairey

Early in 1930 Staniland joined Fairey as their chief test pilot, flying from Great West Aerodrome[2] (Harmondsworth Aerodrome). On 21 March 1933 he flew the first prototype F1875 of the Fairey Swordfish from Harmondsworth Aerodrome. He first flew the Fairey Firefly prototype on 22 December 1941.

Staniland was killed in an accident aged 36, when his aircraft, the second Fairey Firefly prototype, broke up over Sindlesham (now in the Borough of Wokingham). He had taken off from Harmondsworth, and crashed in a field near Hatch Farm at Sindlesham Mill. He died before receiving medical attention. The investigation of the crash by the Accidents Investigation Branch concluded that a structural failure had occurred as the aircraft pulled out of a dive. Staniland is buried in St Margaret's Church, Keddington in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire.[1][3][4][5]

Motor sport and trials

Staniland was also a racing driver. In 1931 he drove an MG Midget to victory with the Earl of March at the Junior Car Club (JCC) race. With Malcolm Campbell in 1932 he took part in a JCC 100 mile and a British Racing Drivers' Club 500 mile race, driving a Mercedes Benz; and in 1933 he again partnered Campbell in a Sunbeam.[1]

In George Eyston's 1935 land speed record trial for 24 hours in his car Speed of the Wind, at Bonneville Speedway in Utah, Staniland and Bert Denly were the relief drivers. The record attempt was successful, setting a new world record with an average lap speed of 140.522 miles per hour (226.148 km/h). Staniland had driven the final laps at around 154 miles per hour (248 km/h).[1]

Family

Staniland married Evelyn Mary Gregorie at Southampton register office on 29 June 1929, followed by a church ceremony at St. Peter's-in-Eastgate, Lincolnshire, on 19 February 1930. His wife, from Skellingthorpe, was the daughter of Frank St Barbe Gregorie; she died in 1980.[1][6]

References
  1. Bird, Roger. "Staniland, Christopher Stainbank". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/103420. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. "Flight International 1952" (PDF).
  3. "Lincolnshire".
  4. "Casualty". www.cwgc.org.
  5. "Geograph:: Test pilot's grave in Keddington... (C) Chris". www.geograph.org.uk.
  6. "Flight International March 1930" (PDF).
Business positions
Preceded by
 Chief Test Pilot of the Fairey Aviation Company
1930 - June 1942		 Succeeded by


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