On Wednesday 14th September, news was received of the passing of HAA Vice-President Peter Thorn.
Peter had passed away peacefully in the early hours of that morning after a valiant battle with an illness that, typically, he hadn’t actually told many people he had been fighting for the past nine months.
Peter was a founder member of the Historic Aircraft Association and member of the BBMF, Spitfire display pilot and a superb instructor in all types of aircraft. A former QFI at RAF College Cranwell and CFI at CSE Oxford, he was still instructing aerobatics into his eighth decade!
Peter was steeped in aviation history. He began his aviation career as an apprentice at Avro’s, where his father Bill Thorn had been test pilot. His RAF career included nightfighter dutes with the Gloster Javelin as well as instructing and examining roles.
More on Peter’s flying career can be found here: http://www.haa-uk.aero/member-peter-thorn.php
Further information on funeral or memorial arrangements will be posted here as soon as they become available.
Peter’s family would like anyone who has any appropriate stories or anecdotes about his flying, to contact them via the e-mail address below.
It seems somehow appropriate that Peter passed away on the eve of Battle of Britain Day.
Blue Skies Pete!
http://www.haa-uk.aero/member-peter-thorn.php