Group Captain Watson Breaks the Sound Barrier

[Dave Homewood]

BROKE THE SOUND BARRIER.
Group Captain R. F. Watson, of Kumara (left), with the pilot of the Northrop T-38 supersonic jet trainer, Mr D. H. Papish, of the Northrop Corporation, at the Edwards Air Force Base, California. They had just flown faster than the speed of sound in the aircraft (behind). Group Captain Watson is a member of a party of senior Royal New Zealand Air Force officers who went to the United States for a brief visit with the Chief of Air Staff (Air Vice-Marshal I. G. Morrison). The group held discussions with the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, manufacturer of the Hercules C130 aircraft which may be bought for the R.N.Z.A.F.
PRESS, 28 MARCH 1963

[davidd]

"Chunky" Watson was the test pilot for all the PV-1 Venturas assembled for RNZAF in Hawaii during 1943/44, as well as being a "line pilot" on Hudsons with 3 Squadron at Guadalcanal previously. Postwar of course he was one of the better known captains on the Hastings on their long range routes overseas.