Wing Commander Tom Neil

[showmasters]

WING COMMANDER THOMAS FRANCIS NEIL

 

We have recently discovered that Autographica guest Wing Commander Tom Neil, as well as being a WWII pilot and with an incredible record, was also involved in the early stages of the American space programme.

 

In 1948 in went to Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio, to take part in the first high altitude pressure suit experiments, the pre-cursor to NASAs Mercury spacesuits.

 

 

Here is his full biography:

 

He saw his first action in July, but it was during the latter stages of the Battle of Britain that he claimed 5 and 2 shared victories during three weeks in September and he was credited with these, plus 2 more!

 

Flying from North Weald on 7th September 1940 Tom Neil encountered and claimed a BF 109 destroyed. On the 11th a HE 111, on the 15th two BF 109s and a DO 17 destroyed and another DO 17 shared, on the 18th a HE 111 damaged and on the 27th a BF 110 and a JU 88 destroyed, a BF 110 probably destroyed and a JU 88 shared. On 6th October Tom Neil shared a DO 17, on the 25th claimeda BF 109 destroyed, on the 27th a DO 17 probably destroyed, on the 28th a JU 88 shared and on 7th November a JU 87 and two BF 109s destroyed.

 

He was awarded a DFC on 8 Oct, but on 7 Nov, after claiming 3 victories over the North Sea off the Essex coast, a hurricane flown by W/Cdr Victor Beamish collided with his aircraft (V7676), cutting off the tail, which obliged him to bail out.

 

He received a Bar to his DFC on 26 Nov, and on 13 Dec was promoted flight Commander. The squadron was posted to Malta in May 1941, flying off HMS Ark Royal on the 21st. During a summer of frequent scrambles, he claimed one further victory in June, while on 7 Oct he led a fighter-bomber attack on Gela station, Sicily. He departed the island in Dec 1941, returning to the UK via the Middle East, South and West Africa, and Canada, finally arriving in March 1942, when he became tactics officer with 81 Group. A spell as an instructor at 56 OTU, before being posted as a flying liaison officer with the 100th Fighter Wing of the US 9th Air Force in Jan 1944. He managed to get some flying in over France with this unity, claiming a share in 6 aircraft destroyed on the ground before D-Day, and a dozen or so more later, plus a number of other ground targets. In January 1945 he was sent to the school of Land/Air Warfare as an instructor. In March 1945 he was posted out to Burma, where he undertook some operations with 1 Wing, Indian Air Force, to gain experience of the operations in this area. Returning to the UK in April, he resumed instructing at the school until the end of the year. In Jan 1946 he attended the Empire Test Pilots' School, undertaking No.4 short course and No.5 course, a total of 18 months. Posted briefly to Farnborough, he sought a move to Boscombe Down, where he stayed for some 3 years.

 

In 1948 in went to Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio, to take part in the first high altitude pressure suit experiments, as a precursor to the aerospace programme.

 

1950-51 he was a staff officer at HQ, Fighter Command, while in 1952 he attended the staff college at Bracknell. He was then given command of the 208 Squadron in Egypt, which he led until 1956, leaving just before the Suez operation. He returned to the UK to become W/Cdr Operations, Metropolitan sector, until 1958, when he attended the flying college at Manby. He went to the British Embassy in Washington for 3 years from 1959, returning to the Ministry of Defence but retiring from the service as a Wing Commander in 1964. Meanwhile he had added the US Bronze Star to his decorations in august 1947, and an AFC in January 1956. On leaving the RAF he returned to the US to lead a British consultancy company in Boston, Mass. He returned to the UK in 1967, settling in Norfolk where he became a director in the Shoe Industry and secretary of the local Chamber of Commerce. He retired in the early 1980s and remains living in Norfolk. He has written numerous articles and 3 books, including Spitfire- from the Cockpit, Gun Button to Fire (William Kimber, 1987) and Onwards to Malta (Airlife, 1992).

[Aldrin]

WING COMMANDER THOMAS FRANCIS NEIL

 

We have recently discovered that Autographica guest Wing Commander Tom Neil, as well as being a WWII pilot and with an incredible record, was also involved in the early stages of the American space programme.

 

In 1948 in went to Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio, to take part in the first high altitude pressure suit experiments, the pre-cursor to NASAs Mercury spacesuits.

 

 

Here is his full biography:

 

He saw his first action in July, but it was during the latter stages of the Battle of Britain that he claimed 5 and 2 shared victories during three weeks in September and he was credited with these, plus 2 more!

 

Flying from North Weald on 7th September 1940 Tom Neil encountered and claimed a BF 109 destroyed. On the 11th a HE 111, on the 15th two BF 109s and a DO 17 destroyed and another DO 17 shared, on the 18th a HE 111 damaged and on the 27th a BF 110 and a JU 88 destroyed, a BF 110 probably destroyed and a JU 88 shared. On 6th October Tom Neil shared a DO 17, on the 25th claimeda BF 109 destroyed, on the 27th a DO 17 probably destroyed, on the 28th a JU 88 shared and on 7th November a JU 87 and two BF 109s destroyed.

 

He was awarded a DFC on 8 Oct, but on 7 Nov, after claiming 3 victories over the North Sea off the Essex coast, a hurricane flown by W/Cdr Victor Beamish collided with his aircraft (V7676), cutting off the tail, which obliged him to bail out.

 

He received a Bar to his DFC on 26 Nov, and on 13 Dec was promoted flight Commander. The squadron was posted to Malta in May 1941, flying off HMS Ark Royal on the 21st. During a summer of frequent scrambles, he claimed one further victory in June, while on 7 Oct he led a fighter-bomber attack on Gela station, Sicily. He departed the island in Dec 1941, returning to the UK via the Middle East, South and West Africa, and Canada, finally arriving in March 1942, when he became tactics officer with 81 Group. A spell as an instructor at 56 OTU, before being posted as a flying liaison officer with the 100th Fighter Wing of the US 9th Air Force in Jan 1944. He managed to get some flying in over France with this unity, claiming a share in 6 aircraft destroyed on the ground before D-Day, and a dozen or so more later, plus a number of other ground targets. In January 1945 he was sent to the school of Land/Air Warfare as an instructor. In March 1945 he was posted out to Burma, where he undertook some operations with 1 Wing, Indian Air Force, to gain experience of the operations in this area. Returning to the UK in April, he resumed instructing at the school until the end of the year. In Jan 1946 he attended the Empire Test Pilots' School, undertaking No.4 short course and No.5 course, a total of 18 months. Posted briefly to Farnborough, he sought a move to Boscombe Down, where he stayed for some 3 years.

 

In 1948 in went to Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio, to take part in the first high altitude pressure suit experiments, as a precursor to the aerospace programme.

 

1950-51 he was a staff officer at HQ, Fighter Command, while in 1952 he attended the staff college at Bracknell. He was then given command of the 208 Squadron in Egypt, which he led until 1956, leaving just before the Suez operation. He returned to the UK to become W/Cdr Operations, Metropolitan sector, until 1958, when he attended the flying college at Manby. He went to the British Embassy in Washington for 3 years from 1959, returning to the Ministry of Defence but retiring from the service as a Wing Commander in 1964. Meanwhile he had added the US Bronze Star to his decorations in august 1947, and an AFC in January 1956. On leaving the RAF he returned to the US to lead a British consultancy company in Boston, Mass. He returned to the UK in 1967, settling in Norfolk where he became a director in the Shoe Industry and secretary of the local Chamber of Commerce. He retired in the early 1980s and remains living in Norfolk. He has written numerous articles and 3 books, including Spitfire- from the Cockpit, Gun Button to Fire (William Kimber, 1987) and Onwards to Malta (Airlife, 1992).

Quite a bloke!