John Cunningham

JOHN CUNNINGHAM d2002. British RAF WW2 night-fighter ace and test pilot. During the war he was nicknamed "Cat's Eyes" by the British press to explain his successes and to avoid communicating the existence of airborne radar to the enemy. After the war he rejoined de Havilland and continued his test-pilot career. He flew the world's first jet-airliner (the de Havilland Comet) in 1949. He then flew commercial jets for a time in the early 1960s and continued flying in the industry until the late 1970s. He also worked for British Aerospace as executive director, retiring in 1980. In recognition of his wartime exploits and his contribution to civil aviation he was appointed a CBE. He died in Hertfordshire aged 84 on July 21st 2002