Obituaries
of long-range flying soon led to his appointment as Chief Instructor and Deputy Commandant of the Empire Air Navigation School, where he once flew a modified Lincoln bomber on a flight to Australia, allowing student navigators to conduct a series of experiments with navigational aids and techniques. His wide knowledge and vision of aircraft development led to his being appointed to the operational requirements branch of the Air Ministry. Here he soon discovered that he would be helping to develop a guided bomb and he surprised his superiors when he mentioned that he had carried out similar work during his time in America during the war. He prepared a top secret RAF paper on the ‘Vielle Bombing System’ that initiated a concept that led in due course to the development of the cruise missile. He went on to command RAF Upwood near Huntingdon, which was the home of three Lincoln bomber squadrons. RAF Upwood also had a Canberra bomber specially adapted for radar reconnaissance and Tubby flew this on numerous radar trial flights. After two years at RAF Upwood he took up a staff appointment at RAF HQ Middle East in Cyprus, followed by a final stint at the Air Ministry before retiring from the RAF in 1957 with the rank of Group Captain. During his final years with the RAF he had proposed the development of an aircraft anti-collision system and, after retiring from the RAF aged 43, he set up his own company, Avel Corporation, to develop such a system for commercial airliners. Once again he failed to take out a patent for this invention and he encountered fierce competition from the US aircraft industry. In due course he sold the idea to Sperry UK, who continued development of his idea and subsequently introduced it into commercial service with airlines.
Tubby moved on to writing novels based on some of his experiences in the RAF. During his final appointment at the Air Ministry he had been involved in preparations for British nuclear tests using a Valiant bomber, which led to an idea for a story. Village of Stars became the first of seven novels, four of which were written under the pseudonym Donald Gordon. This first book, written in collaboration with a colleague, became a bestseller, was translated into 20 languages, and Alfred Hitchcock bought the film rights. Tubby had started writing his memoirs when he left the RAF, but chose not to publish them in 1962, because of the sensitivity of some of the contents and his personal views. Fifty years later, aged 100, he completed Almost a Boffin and it was published in 2013. He was a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation, a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society and an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeroplane Science. He met Marjorie ‘Bunny’ Bernard while he was still at Dulwich and they married in March 1935 and subsequently had three daughters. Bunny died in 1990 but Tubby remained remarkably active until his death, only giving up skiing aged 85 and driving at 95. He is survived by his three daughters, several grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Obituaries appeared in several national newspapers, and this obituary is based on those.
Jim Bush (76 - 84) Honorary Obituarist
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