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Auction: 23003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 323

A 1939 Test Pilot's A.F.C. and posthumous Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air group of three awarded to Group Captain J. F. X. 'Sam' McKenna, Royal Air Force

Recognised as a one of the pre-eminent Test Pilots in the world, he was awarded the A.F.C. for his fine work in flying the K5054 Spitfire prototype, McKenna went on to serve as the Chief Test Pilot for the British Air Commission in Washington and as Commandant of the Empire Test Pilots' School, Boscombe Down, 1944-45

He was tragically killed whilst testing a Mustang, when a gun panel flew off during a high speed dive and the aircraft went straight into the ground on 19 January 1945

Air Force Cross, reverse officially dated '1939'; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf, sold together with Condolence slip and named box of issue, good very fine (3)

A.F.C. London Gazette 2 January 1939:

'This officer has proved exceptionally valuable as a Test Pilot, by his enthusiastic skill and brilliant technical knowledge, showing outstanding aptitude in spinning trials on all new types of fighter aircraft, including all spinning tests on Spitfire and Hurricane types in their performance stages.'

Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air London Gazette 14 June 1945:

'This officer was the commandant of the Empire Test Pilot's School and during ten months he held that post he proved of inestimable value in imparting his great knowledge to others. His ready acceptance of the risks attendant on experimental flying and his attention to all details no matter how trivial all helped to make him an exceptional officer. He had been engaged on performance testing, for many years and was recognised as an authority whose opinion was accepted by all both in this country and in the United States.'

John Francis Xavier McKenna was born at Putney on 20 December 1906 and educated at Berkhampstead School, later studying engineering at the City and Guilds. Commissioned Pilot Officer with the Royal Air Force Reserve on 20 July 1926 he was advanced Flying Officer on 10 Janaury 1928 but resigned on 10 September of that year in receipt of a perminent commission. Posted to the Aerodynamic Test Flight of the Royal Aircraft Establishment in 1932.

While here he was advanced Flight Lieutenant on 1 April 1933 before leaving the Establishment in 1934 for active service in Aden. Returning to Britain in 1936, he joined the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment, Martlesham Heath the next year and was promoted Squadron Leader on 1 October.

Appointed Flight Commander McKenna was later to become Chief Test Pilot of the Establishment. It was for his work in this capacity that he was awarded the A.F.C., working with the K5054 Spitfire. Joining the Flight Test Branch of the British Air Commission in Washington he was to become the Chief Test Pilot of that formation as well. Holding this position for some years and becoming an expert in piloting American aircraft he left in early 1944.

Elected a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in early 1944 he was appointed commandant of the Empire Test Pilots School of the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment in March of that year. McKenna was undertaking a familiarization flight in a Mustang IV, number KH648, on 19 January 1945 when the ammunition box cover detached at high speed. The aircraft crashed into the perimeter of Old Sarum airfield and lost a wing, McKenna died immediately. He is buried in Durrington Cemetery, Durrington, Wiltshire.

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Sold for
£1,700

Starting price
£800