George Stainforth, AFC, picture gallery / George about to make the first flight of the Airspeed Courier, 1933
George Stainforth in April 1933 talking to the engine designer shortly before making the nearly disastrous maiden flight of the Airspeed Courier, on which the engine failed shortly after take-off. With lightning speed George managed to turn the plane and do an emergency landing back on the runway. (Click this link for full details.) On the far right is the designer of the aircraft, Nevil Shute (Norway), a famous aeronautical engineer, the chief designer of the R100 airship, and later the well-known author of 'A Town Like Alice' etc. On the left, in the hat, is Lord Grimthorpe, the financial backer of Shute's company, Airspeed.
