Phillip Edward Gerry Sayer 1905-1942

Knee pad notes from Flt Lt Sayers first flight of the Gloster Whittle E28/39 from Cranwell on the 15th May

1941, kindly supplied by Hartley Moyes.

Gerry Sayer was born on February 2nd,1905 and was educated at Colchester Grammar School, obtaining a short-service commision in the RAF in June 1924. After learning to fly in an Avro 504K, he flew Snipes and Gladiators, hist outstanding qualities asa pilot resulting in an appointment as test pilot at Martlesham Heath.
He left the RAF on the completion of his 5 year commission to join the Hawker Compamy,and was appointed as assistant to Group Captain P.W.S Bulman. Here he was engaged in testing Harts,Furies and other aircraft, and on the acquisition of the Gloster Aircraft Company by the Hawker Group, was appointed in 1935 as Chief Test Pilot of the Gloster Company.

Gerry Sayer flew Britain's maiden jet flight in Sir Frank Whittles's Gloster E.28/39 on the 15th May 1941.


On 21st October 1942 Sayer departed from RAF Acklington in a Typhoon to carry out tests of a gunsight involving gun firing into Druridge Bay Ranges, he never returned.