Obituary from the Empire Test Pilot’s School.
Peter Twiss was born on 23 July 1921 at Lindfield Sussex and educated at Sherborne School. After a brief period as a tea taster with Brooke Bond, he turned his hand to farming before joining the Fleet Air Arm in 1939.
After a few months as a naval airman second class learning seamanship, he trained as a pilot. Initially he flew Hurricanes with the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit, an early attempt to provide convoy support. Catapulted from a merchant ship, the pilot either baled out or ditched alongside a ship at the end of his mission.
By early 1942 he was flying Fairey Fulmar fighters with 807 NAS from HMS Argus. In June he flew patrols in support of the Malta convoys during Operation Harpoon and escorted RAF fighters which were launched from the carrier to fly to Malta to reinforce the depleted fighter defences of the beleaguered island. During this period he shot down an Italian fighter and damaged an enemy bomber. He was awarded the DSC.
Later in the year, after his squadron had converted to the Seafire he was in action in support of the Operation Torch landings in Morocco and Algeria, now flying from the carrier Furious. These operations brought the award of a Bar to his DSC. In March 1943 he returned to the UK and transferred to night fighters before joining the RAF’s Fighter Interception Unit at Ford on the south coast. From here he flew Mosquitoes on intruder sorties over France and in the period after D-Day he shot down two Junker 88 bombers.
Late in 1944 he left for the United States to join the British Air Commission where he had the opportunity to test naval fighters. He returned in 1945 to join No. 3 Course at the Empire Test Pilots’ School before a loan period with Fairey Aviation as a test pilot.
Leaving the Royal Navy he remained with Fairey and advanced with the company to become the chief test pilot in 1954. In the meantime, he tested the company’s aircraft, which included the Firefly, Gannet and the Rotodyne compound-helicopter.
On 6 October 1954, he made the maiden flight of the elegant FD 2 with its ‘droop snoot’ nose and razor-thin delta wings. During the aircraft’s fourteenth flight it suffered an engine failure due to fuel starvation at 30,000 feet. Twiss could have ejected to safety but decided to ‘glide’ the aircraft back to Boscombe Down. He broke cloud at 2,500 feet but, with a failed engine, there was insufficient hydraulic pressure to lower the undercarriage fully. Still with the option to eject, he continued and made a successful forced landing on the nose-wheel only at 170 mph. He was awarded a Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air. On 15 February 1956 he flew the second, and final, FD 2 on its maiden flight when he exceeded the speed of sound.
During the two years following the maiden flight of the aircraft, Twiss made over 110 flights, with fifty at supersonic speeds. The company were certain that the aircraft could reach a four-figure speed and the idea of making an attempt on the world speed record. The aircraft was based at Boscombe Down so the course was laid out along the coast south of Chichester. The height for the runs was fixed at 38,000 feet not only because this was the level for the optimum performance, but it was likely to ensure a good condensation trail which was essential for ground tracking by telescopic cameras.
All was ready by 8 March 1956 and Peter flew eight runs over the next few days. On the final sortie on 10 March, he achieved speeds of 1,117 and 1,147 mph on the two runs, giving a mean of 1,132 mph. The record, held for a year by a United States F-100 Super Sabre, had been comprehensively beaten by over 300 mph, making Twiss the first pilot to exceed 1,000 mph in level flight.
After the successful record flight, he continued to fly the FD 2 exploring the high supersonic regime and in 1956, for his services to test flying and for breaking the world speed record, he was appointed OBE.
In 1959 Fairey Aviation was sold to Westland Aircraft and Twiss decided to retire from test flying. He had flown over 4,500 hours in 148 aircraft types. In retirement he spent many hours at a more leisurely speed with the Lasham Gliding Club.
A year after leaving Fairey Aviation he joined Fairey Marine Ltd and was responsible for development and sales of the company’s day-cruisers. He was a director from 1968 to 1978, following which he was Director and General Manager of Hamble Point Marine Ltd until 1988.
He appeared in the Bond film From Russia with Love driving a Fairey Marine Speedboat and also in the film Sink the Bismark when he flew a Fairey Swordfish torpedo aircraft. His autobiography, Faster than the Sun, was published in 1963 and reissued in recent years.
He was married five times. He is survived by two daughters, a son and a daughter having pre-deceased him.
Account of the Memorial Service on 14 June 2012 written by Commander Mark Macleod
On Thursday 14th June 2012 a Memorial Service was held at MoD Boscombe Down to celebrate the life of Lt Cdr Lionel Peter Twiss, OBE, DSC and Bar, who passed away last August. Hosted by the Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS), the afternoon consisted of the Service followed by a fly past and refreshments for approximately 130 guests plus station personnel.
Upon arrival at MoD Boscombe Down and direction to the hangar, guests were greeted by station and family representatives and were invited to enjoy the music of the Fairey Aviation Brass Band. The Fairey Aviation Brass Band is highly respected and one of the highest ranking brass bands in the world, and a particular favourite of Peter’s before he passed. Musical numbers included Nimrod, Faure’s Pavane and Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana and were made (thankfully for the organisers) all the more impressive by the acoustics of the hangar. The hangar itself was arranged with a stage and lectern as the focal point, with two Tornados (an operational F3 and retired F2A) facing the stage at an angle from the sides and to the rear with the Fairey Band behind the stage between the Tornados.
On taking their seats for the beginning of the Service, guests were welcomed by Gp Capt Mark Hobbs, Chief Engineer of MoD Boscombe Down before being led in prayer by Reverend Bill Smith. The Hymn I vow to thee my country was sung with the backing of the Fairey Band, the completion of which marked the start of the addresses.
The honoured guest and first to speak at the Service was AM Lord Beaverbrook, Honorary Inspector General, RAuxAF and a man who knew Peter personally. Lord Beaverbrook discussed an overview of all aspects of Peter’s life and made clear in no uncertain terms how fortunate he was to have known Peter and what an incredible man he was, much to the agreement of the guests.
Following Lord Beaverbrook, Mr Clive Rustin of the ETPS Association spoke about the record breaking flight in the Fairey Delta 2 along with the bravery and courage required to enter the FD2 (and what later became the 221) for each sortie. Having also flown the FD2 at Boscombe Down alongside Peter, Clive offered some first hand experience of the aircraft and life at Boscombe Down; he echoed Lord Beaverbrook’s thoughts on how glad he was to have known and worked with Peter Twiss.
A short interlude in the addresses consisted of some more musical pieces from the Fairey Band before Mr Colin Mudie took the stage to speak about his memories of Peter. Guests joined Colin in remembering Peter’s life outside of test flying, in particular Peter’s love of powerboats but also several other aspects.
Two poems, ‘High Flight’ and ‘Walk the Beach’ were read by Miranda Twiss (Peter’s Daughter) and by Chrissie Kourkoura (his Granddaughter) respectively, the latter having been specifically requested by Peter’s Widow, Jane Twiss. The poems led the guests seamlessly into the closing prayer by Reverend Bill Smith and the Last Post, again enhanced at this point by the aura of the hangar and by the clear effect that Peter had on so many lives.
Marking the end of the Service, CO ETPS, Cdr Mark Macleod invited the guests to enjoy some final pieces from the Fairey Aviation Band before moving outside for a commemorative flypast. Flown by Sqn Ldr Rob Elworthy and Mr Dave Southwood of 41 Sqn (Experimental Flight) and ETPS respectively, one of the last remaining Tornado F3s in the world conducted a single flypast of the hangar signalling a final ‘farewell’ to Peter Twiss by the guests.
Following the Service, refreshments were provided in the Officers’ Mess, offering a chance for guests to catch up with old fiends and colleagues as well as speak to Peter’s Family. With thanks to Mr Norman Parker, a stand was also set up displaying much of the memorabilia from the years of Peter and the FD2, including original plans for the record breaking flight.
Thankful for the opportunity to celebrate Peter’s life one last time and for being able to reminisce with old friends and colleagues, guests departed MoD Boscombe Down later in the afternoon, a successful Memorial Service having taken place and a truly great man, Lt Cdr Lionel Peter Twiss, well remembered.
A scan of the obituary which appeared in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday 3 Septemeber 2011 is attached.