2006-08-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

Alex Henshaw is not only the best solo non comat aviator that Britain has ever produced, he is argued by many who know far better than I, to be the world's greatest ever solo flier. He is also one of the last of a sadly dying breed, the quintessential English Gentleman and by that I mean both Gentle and Man. I regard it as an honour to be a trusted new friend of his. I have never been a celebrity addict in my life, but I am in awe of my friend's abilities and achievements, and it is a personal mission to see that A.H. gets the true recognition that an irritating little house painter from Vienna,(with a smudge on his upper lip) interrupted in 1939.

Certainly on grounds of longevity he holds three records that are the longest held in aviation history.
Namely, The youngest ever winner of The Siddley trophy

The fastest ever Kings Cup

The outright and all stages record for London-Capetown-London

All of these records have been held by Alex since the 1930s, but perhaps the most remarkable of them all, is his renowned Cape Dash. In February 1938 Alex brought back all records for the Cape return flight to Britain. His sheer tenacity, courage, calmness, audacity....the adjectives could run into pages are to be held up as a beacon for the current shallow grab it NOW generation. That effort of navigation and superior airmanship in a tiny Percival Mew Gull racer, converted slightly, for long range hops is without doubt the most fascinating yet largely unknown story outside aviation circles.

If you have stumbled into this blog, please say Hi, as I've just started it.

If you've not heard of Alex before, then pop his name into your search engine

Read his books in chronological order

THE FLIGHT OF THE MEW GULL, SIGH FOR A MERLIN (testing the Spitfire) and WINGS ACCROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE.

As an actor and writer, Alex' story plays a huge part in my life these days. His war years as Chief test pilot for Vickers Armstrong at The Castle Bromwich Aeroplane Factory, are a key plot line in my to be produced television drama series A MIDLANDS TOWN. The also largely untold story of home front Birmingham in WW2. See www.carvery.zoomshare.com. The first in the sequence THE FLIGHT OF THE MEW GULL, is being written by me, as a film screenplay; having been graciously given permission by Alex to do so, thus fulfilling one of his late and very lovely wife Barbara's most cherished wishes.

That's it for now, but please feel free to add to this blog if you are a fan of Alex, classic aviation or just wonderful inspirational gentlemen.

Expect to see a regular update on MEW GULL THE MOVIE

Biographical details

Mew GULL information

Regularly updated links to everything
Henshaw and Gull

Email me JOHN@johnbarton6.wanadoo.co.uk

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SEE MY LINKS AND SEE THE LEGEND FLY AT BREIGHTON AERODROME NEAR YORK