Alan Bristow: Helicopter Pioneer

The Autobiography

Nonfiction, History, Military, Aviation
Cover of the book Alan Bristow: Helicopter Pioneer by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone, Pen and Sword
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone ISBN: 9781844688180
Publisher: Pen and Sword Publication: November 30, 2009
Imprint: Pen and Sword Language: English
Author: Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
ISBN: 9781844688180
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Publication: November 30, 2009
Imprint: Pen and Sword
Language: English

Alan Bristow, founder of Bristow Helicopters, died seven days after completing his autobiography. He was a truly remarkable man; his full-page obituary was published in The Times and The Daily Telegraph. As a merchant navy officer cadet during the war Bristow survived two sinkings, played a part in the evacuation of Rangoon and was credited with shooting down two Stukas in North Africa. He joined the Fleet Air Arm and trained as one of the first British helicopter pilots, he was the first man to land a helicopter on a battleship and became Westlands first helicopter test pilot. Sacked for knocking out the sales manager, he flew in France, Holland, Algeria, Senegal and elsewhere, narrowly escaping many helicopter crashes before winning the Croix de Guerre evacuating wounded French soldiers in Indochina. For four years he flew for Aristotle Onassiss pirate whaling fleet in Antarctica before joining Douglas Bader and providing support services to oil drillers in the Persian Gulf. Out of that grew Bristow Helicopters Ltd, the largest helicopter company in the world outside America. Bristows circle included the great helicopter pioneers such as Igor Sikorsky and Stan Hiller, test pilots like Harold Penrose and Bill Waterton, Sheiks and Shahs and political leaders, business giants like Lord Cayzer and Freddie Laker with whom he tossed a coin for £67,000 in 1969 and the author James Clavell, a lifelong friend whose book Whirlwind was a fictionalised account of Bristows overnight evacuation of his people and helicopters from revolutionary Iran. Bristow represented Great Britain at four in hand carriage driving with the Duke of Edinburgh and precipitated the Westland Affair when he made a takeover bid which eventually led to the resignation of Michael Heseltine and Leon Brittain, and almost to the downfall of Margaret Thatcher

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Alan Bristow, founder of Bristow Helicopters, died seven days after completing his autobiography. He was a truly remarkable man; his full-page obituary was published in The Times and The Daily Telegraph. As a merchant navy officer cadet during the war Bristow survived two sinkings, played a part in the evacuation of Rangoon and was credited with shooting down two Stukas in North Africa. He joined the Fleet Air Arm and trained as one of the first British helicopter pilots, he was the first man to land a helicopter on a battleship and became Westlands first helicopter test pilot. Sacked for knocking out the sales manager, he flew in France, Holland, Algeria, Senegal and elsewhere, narrowly escaping many helicopter crashes before winning the Croix de Guerre evacuating wounded French soldiers in Indochina. For four years he flew for Aristotle Onassiss pirate whaling fleet in Antarctica before joining Douglas Bader and providing support services to oil drillers in the Persian Gulf. Out of that grew Bristow Helicopters Ltd, the largest helicopter company in the world outside America. Bristows circle included the great helicopter pioneers such as Igor Sikorsky and Stan Hiller, test pilots like Harold Penrose and Bill Waterton, Sheiks and Shahs and political leaders, business giants like Lord Cayzer and Freddie Laker with whom he tossed a coin for £67,000 in 1969 and the author James Clavell, a lifelong friend whose book Whirlwind was a fictionalised account of Bristows overnight evacuation of his people and helicopters from revolutionary Iran. Bristow represented Great Britain at four in hand carriage driving with the Duke of Edinburgh and precipitated the Westland Affair when he made a takeover bid which eventually led to the resignation of Michael Heseltine and Leon Brittain, and almost to the downfall of Margaret Thatcher

More books from Pen and Sword

Cover of the book The Phantom Major by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book Tank Destroyer, Achilles and M10 by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book From the Somme to Victory by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book Foul Deeds & Suspicious Deaths in Cumbria by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book History of Dive Bombing by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book Through the Eyes of the Worlds Fighter Aces by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book The Strike Wings by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book Once a Hussar by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book A Century of Man-Made Disasters by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book Railways in the Landscape by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book Blowing Our Bridges by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book Tracing Your Ancestors from 1066-1837 by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book Crusading General by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book Writing your Family History by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
Cover of the book The Royal Navy Wasp by Bristow, Alan, Patrick, Malone
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy