Crew of the 1st VC-10 flight, Bill Cairns,Jock Bryce and Brian Trubshaw
Roll out of the prototype BAC 1-11
Maiden flight of the Vickers VC-10, G-ARTA
Maiden flight of the Tay powered Viscount
Maiden flight of the Vickers Viscount
Nene powered Vickers Viking, the first Commercial Jet AircraftJock Bryce joined the Raf in 1939 as Direct Entry Sergeant and trained to fly at Prestwick. In 1940 he was posted to Special Duty Flight 10 Group flying Blenheims from Leuchars, Wick and Christchurch. In 1942 he was posted to 172 Chivenor flying Wellingtons hunting U-boats over the Atlantic.
He was then commissioned and posted to 45 Group on the North Atlantic Ferry Force. In 1945 he was posted to the Douglas Conversion unit and then went with 232 Squadron for duty in South East Asia Command to initiate long-range transport capability for Tiger Force. In 1946 he returned to the UK and was posted to the King's Flight RAF Benson flying the Viking. Later that year he was demobilised from the RAF.
In 1947 he joined Vickers Armstrong as a test pilot under Mutt Summers and in 1951 he was Co-pilot on the first flight of a Valiant. Later in 1951 he was appointed chief test pilot on the retirement of Mutt Summers and during his test pilot career with Vickers he was test pilot Captain or Co-pilot on the first flights of Varsity, Nene Viking, Viscount 630, 700 and 800, Tay Viscount, Valiant, Pathfinder (Valiant B2) Vanguard VC10 and BAC 1-11. Between 1960-1964 he was Chief test pilot of British Aircraft Corporation and in 1965 he was appointed Sales Manager (operations) BAC until his retirement in 1975.
