| Signatures for : Boeing 747 | | A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name. | | Name | Info |
Flight Lieutenant Ray Coates
Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Ray Coates | Flight Lieutenant Ray Coates
Ray Coates was awarded an RAF Flying Scholarship and subsequently joined the RAF in 1974. Following flying training he was selected to become a first tour Flying Instructor and during that time he won the coveted Wright Jubilee Competition - the youngest pilot to do so. In 1980 he joined No 3(F) SQN flying the Harrier in RAF Germany, becoming the Squadrons Qualified Flying Instructor and Instrument Rating Examiner and flying operationally in Germany, Sardinia, Belize and the Falklands. He was then posted to the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit (233 OCU) as an Instructor and was the Harrier display pilot during 1986/7. After completing his RAF career he joined British Airways, and retired as a Captain on the Boeing 747-400.
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Flight Lieutenant John Cox DFC
Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant John Cox DFC | Flight Lieutenant John Cox DFC
Born in 1923, after reaching eighteen, John Cox joined the RAF in March 1942. He soon found himself on the Queen Mary en-route to Canada for pilot training, returning to become operational on Lancaster’s with 622 Squadron based at Mildenhall, whom he joined in July 1944. His tour of 30 operations included the successful raid on Walcheren Island in Holland, whose objective was to breach the sea wall in order to flood the island, forcing a full scale German retreat. After hostilities he flew for BOAC, followed by 27 years service with BA, becoming senior captain on 747s.
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Capt Larry Girard TWA
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 | Died : 25 / 7 / 2003 |
| Capt Larry Girard TWA
Larry Girard was born in 1922. He had a interest in aviation from an early age. He built aircraft models, and spent as much time as possible around airplanes and airports. By doing oddjobs around a local airport, Larry earned his first flight in a Curtis Junior (a three-cylinder lightweight pusher aircraft) at the Somerset Hills Airport in New Jersey. While attending Newark College of Engineering, he enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. He completed all phases of this training, earning both Commercial and Flight Instructor Ratings. He also obtained a Ground School Instructor Certificate, which resulted in Larry landing his first job with Roscoe Turner Aviation in Indianapolis. Earning $200 per month, Larry instructed neophyte pilot students from Central and South America. During this time Girard met Alton Parker of TWA. This helped him land a job at TWA as a Second Officer in the newly formed Intercontinental Division. This unit flew government and military 'W1Ps during WW II. Modified, 4-engine, Boeing 307-B aircraft were utilized, which were given the military designation C-75. These tail draggers kept their peacetime names of Commanche, Cherokee, etc. Larry made many Atlantic crossings in these aircraft, including one flight which lasted nearly twenty hours. He flew Generals Arnold, Clark, Simpson, and Bradley, as well as F.D.R. on these trips, which were often kept highly secretive. In 1945, at the young age of twenty-three, Girard was promoted to Captain. He then flew C-54s until the end of the War. Following the War Larry flew DC-3s and Martin 404s on domestic routes for TWA. He was later made the Regional Test Pilot for TWA's operations at the three major New York airports. Girard flew all the variants of the Lockheed Constellation. The 1049-G model, which is depicted in Stan Stokes painting, remains one of Larry's sentimental favorites. On one flight where Girard was checking out a fellow pilot, the pilot collapsed at the controls during a thunderstorm over Nebraska. Girard made an emergency landing at Grand Island, but unfortunately the pilot being checked out did not survive. As jets began to displace the older piston-powered aircraft, Girard became an instructor on the Boeing 727, and also served as a Cheek Airman for the Boeing 707 and the 747. Captain Girard served a four year stint as Director of Flight Crew Administration and Labor Relations, before returning to line flying with TWA's operations in California. He flew Pacific Routes with TWA until they were phased out. He then flew the great polar route from Los Angeles to London until he retired in 1982. Larry resides with his wife Phyllis in Pebble Beach, California where he enjoys golf, tennis, and some occasional recreational flying. Sadly, he died on 25th July 2003.
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Squadron Leader Phil Grice
Click the name above to see prints signed by Squadron Leader Phil Grice | Squadron Leader Phil Grice
Phil Grice joined the RAF after graduating from Cambridge University and after completing flying training was posted to RAF Binbrook where he flew the Lightning with 5 and 11 Squadrons and became a Lightning Weapons Instructors. He was subsequently posted to the Harrier force joining 1(F) Fighter Sqn at RAF Wittering and becoming a Harrier Qualified Weapons Instructor and flying operationally in Norway, Canada, Belize, and on detachment at Port Stanley. He was then posted to Harrier conversion Unit (233 OCU) as a Weapons Instructor before completing his RAF career as Officer Commanding Standards (Harrier). Upon leaving the RAF he joined British Airways where he flew the Boeing 747 and 777
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Capt Spencer L Marsh NWA
Click the name above to see prints signed by Capt Spencer L Marsh NWA | Capt Spencer L Marsh NWA
Spencer Marsh was born in Glencoe, Minnesota in 1918. He was interested in aviation as a child, and Spence remembers in 1923 that C.A. Lindbergh, Sr. (who was running for Congress) visited Glencoe in a Curtis Jenny. Lindbergh's landing in Glencoe was a bit rough, and Lindbergh borrowed $300 from the local townspeople to rebuild his damaged aircraft. Spence joined a cow pasture aviation operation in 1938. He barnstormed and gave flight instructions. In 1941 Spence attained an instructors rating in acrobatics at Grand Forks, North Dakota. With the outbreak of WW II Spence was hired as an instructor/ supervisor at a military flight training school in Grand Forks. His organization trained over 1,000 pilots with no fatalities. Upon completion of this program, Spence was transferred to Vinata, Oklahoma as a glider tow pilot. In March of 1943 Spence joined Northwest Orient Airlines as a co-pilot. Among his early assignments with the airline were the testing of modified B-24 bombers, and studies regarding the deicing of wings and props. Spence made many trips to Canada, Alaska, and the Aleutians during this time, delivering cargo and war materials to these areas. Following the War, Spence returned to Northwest's domestic route structure. He was promoted to Captain in 1949. His first assignment included the Minnesota to Tokyo run via, Canada, Alaska, and the Aleutians. With the outbreak of War in Korea, Spence flew many airlift flights to South Korea. He was made an Instructor/ Check Airman in 1951, and by 1959 he was promoted to Engineering Test Pilot. He served as Northwest's Director of Flight Training between 1960 and 1968. He also served as Vice Chairman of the Air Transport Association Training Committee during this same time frame. From 1968 until his retirement in 1978 Spence returned his true passion - flying. He flew the 747 for the last seven years of his commercial career. Spence had many hours in many different types of aircraft flown by Northwest. One of his sentimental favorites is the double-decked Boeing Stratocruiser. In 1995 the U.S. Air Force determined that pilots, like Spencer Marsh, who served the Army Air Forces during WW 11, were eligible for Honorable Discharge, and all applicable medals were awarded dated July of 1945.
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Flight Lieuteant Martin Sharman
Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieuteant Martin Sharman | Flight Lieuteant Martin Sharman
Martin Sharman was awarded an RAF Flying Scholarship and subsequently joined the RAF in 1970. Following flying training he flew operational tours on the Vulcan and Victor. In 1980 he became a qualified instructor and instrument rating examiner on the Jet Provost. After 18 months he was selected to fly the Hawk as an instructor and instrument rating examiner. He then moved to No 3(F) SQN flying the Harrier in RAF Germany, becoming the Squadrons Qualified Flying Instructor and Instrument Rating Examiner and flying operationally in Germany, Sardinia and Belize. He was then posted to the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit (233 OCU) as an Instructor. After completing his RAF career he joined British Airways and also displayed the Duxford based Catalina, he is currently a Captain on the Boeing 747-400.
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Peter Sinclair
Click the name above to see prints signed by Peter Sinclair | Peter Sinclair
Peter T Sinclair joined British Caledonian in 1980 and after the airlines merged became a British Airways Concorde pilot in 1991. This was the highlight to a varied aviation career, which had included Game Park flying in East Africa, worldwide freighting and operating wide-bodied passenger aircraft. During his 6 1/2 years flying Concorde he accumulated 2600 hours and over 600 Supersonic Transatlantic flights to New York, Washington and Barbados. He was also involved in The Concorde Fleet's Supersonic flights over the North Sea, Bay of Biscay and Mediterranean Sea, from many destinations, and a Tour of East and South Africa. On the day the Chatham Flag colour scheme was launched for Concorde operated on the air-to-air photographic publicity flight. Other responsibilities carried out on the Fleet included presentations on the aircraft and PR duties with the passengers. Left the Fleet to take a command on the B747, then finally the B777 before retirement. Since leaving British Airways has taken up a position flying the B747 once again, as well as continuing to operate his Auster light aircraft purely for pleasure.
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