George Bulman (pilot)

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George Bulman
Birth namePaul Ward Spencer Bulman
Born(1896-04-08)8 April 1896
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Military Cross
Air Force Cross & Two Bars
Other workTest pilot and company director

pilot
whose flying life spanned thirty years (1915–1945).

Early years

Bulman was born in

Reverend Canon Thomas Bulman, a Church of England clergyman,[2] and his wife Eveline.[3] He was educated at Bedford School[4] and then joined the Bank of England.[4]

First World War

Bulman transferred from the

No. 3 Squadron RFC.[4] He was awarded the Military Cross on 4 February 1918 for his services flying Sopwith Camels at the Battle of Courtrai,[5][4] with the following citation:[6]

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On five occasions; in most difficult weather conditions, he dropped bombs and fired on enemy infantry from a low altitude, inflicting heavy casualties. During these flights he frequently obtained valuable information, and twice drove off enemy machines which attempted to interfere. He showed the greatest initiative and resource.

Bulman was appointed a flight commander on 24 February 1918 with the temporary rank of captain, although his substantive rank was still second lieutenant.[7] Later that year, he was awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC).

Between the wars

Appointed to a permanent RAF commission, Bulman served as a

Farnborough, from 1919 to 1925. On 12 July 1920, he was awarded a Bar to his Air Force Cross for his services as a test pilot.[8] He then held the rank of flying officer. He also undertook testing work for Blackburn and was one of the few pilots to fly the prototype Brennan helicopter in 1922.[4] As a flight lieutenant, he was awarded a second Bar to his Air Force Cross in the 1922 Birthday Honours.[9]
In 1924, he won the Grove Prize for aeronautical research.

On 19 August 1925, Bulman resigned his permanent commission

H. G. Hawker Engineering (later Hawker Aircraft) from 1925 to 1945 and became a director of the company in 1935. He became a close colleague of the company's chief designer, Sir Sydney Camm. He won several air races in the mid-1920s flying the Hawker Cygnet
.

Bulman made the first flight for the

Hawker Demon (1933), Hawker Hurricane (1935), and Hawker Hector
(1936), and also tested many other types.

Second World War

During the

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1943 New Year Honours.[14]

Post-war

Bulman retired from Hawker in 1945 and never flew again, running his own business which had no relevance to aircraft.[4] He finally resigned his RAF reserve commission on 10 February 1954.[15]

Family

Bulman married Constance Dorothy Wiseman in 1920.[2] Their only child, Flying Officer Raymond Paul Bulman, was killed in action over Germany in 1945, aged 21, flying with No. 605 Squadron RAF.[16]

Footnotes

  1. ^ This arose because Bulman had a poor memory for names, and so tended to call everybody George. When friends and colleagues called Bulman "George" in response, the nickname stuck.[1]
  1. ^ Prins Aeroplane March 2013, p. 18.
  2. ^
    Who Was Who
  3. ^ 1901 Census of Luton, RG 13/1515 Archived 7 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Folio 14, Page 19, Peter W.S. Bulman, 8 Union Street, Luton, Bedfordshire.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Obituary, The Times, 7 May 1963
  5. ^ "No. 30507". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 February 1918. p. 1602.
  6. ^ "No. 30780". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 July 1918. p. 7899.
  7. ^ "No. 30589". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 March 1918. p. 3572.
  8. ^ "No. 31974". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 July 1920. p. 7422.
  9. ^ "No. 32716". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1922. p. 4325.
  10. ^ "No. 33076". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 August 1925. p. 5499.
  11. ^ "No. 33076". The London Gazette. 18 August 1925. p. 5500.
  12. ^ "No. 35176". The London Gazette. 30 May 1941. p. 3105.
  13. ^ "No. 35712". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 September 1942. p. 4118.
  14. ^ "No. 35841". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1942. p. 15.
  15. ^ "No. 40375". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1954. p. 90.
  16. ^ Casualty details—Bulman, Raymond Paul Archived 7 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved on 29 December 2009.

References

  • ""George" Bulman". Flight International. Vol. 83, no. 2827. 16 May 1963. pp. 701–702.
  • Prins, François (March 2013). ""George" and the Hurricane".
    Aeroplane
    . Vol. 41, no. 3. pp. 18–24.
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