Charles Gordon Bell

Gordon Bell was awarded Aviator's Certificate #100 by the Royal Aero Club in 1911, making him one of the earliest qualified pilots in the country.[1] As with many early aviators, he had learned at the Brooklands flying school.[2] He then moved to France, where he worked for Robert Esnault-Pelterie's aircraft firm R.E.P.; while demonstrating one of their aircraft to potential buyers in Turkey, he became the first person to fly across the Sea of Marmara.[2]

Over the following years, he became famous in flying circles, and was considered one of the most skilled pilots in the country.[3] By 1914, he had flown over sixty different models of aircraft.[2] However, his reputation had been damaged by a fatal accident at Brooklands in 1913, where Gordon Bell's aircraft crashed whilst flying low over the airfield. The accident was ruled entirely due to pilot error,[4] and he was formally cautioned by the Royal Aero Club.[5] The passenger, a naval lieutenant, was killed, and Gordon Bell was badly injured.[3]

At the time of the outbreak of the First World War, he was called up as a Special Reserve officer by the Royal Flying Corps, and flew on active service over the Western Front.[2] He became an "ace", credited with shooting down five enemy aircraft.[6] He served with No. 10 Squadron RFC, flying Bristol Scouts.[7]

Ill-health caused Gordon Bell to be invalided back to England at the end of 1915, where he was appointed to command a squadron at the Central Flying School, Upavon, rising to the temporary rank of Major. In late 1917 he was invalided out of the Army, and joined Vickers as a test pilot. He was killed on 29 July 1918 while flying an experimental Vickers F.B.16E at Villacoublay Airfield, and buried at Cimetière des Gonards in Versailles.[8]

He was the most successful pilot flying the Bristol Scout, having downed all of his 5 victories in the type.