View source for Peter Hillwood

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name        = Peter Hillwood
| nickname    = Buster
| image       = Peter Hillwood in flight helmet.jpg
| image_size  = 180px
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1920|01|07}}
| birth_place = London
| death_date  = {{death date and age|1966|11|09|1920|01|07}}
| death_place = the Netherlands
| occupation  = [[Aviator]]
| spouse      = Gwendoline St Johnston
| parents     = Dagmar Sorenson and Felix Bergolz
| children    = Susan Hillwood
}}

'''Peter Hillwood''', DFC (born Adolf Bergolz; 7 January 1920 &ndash; 9 November 1966) was an [[RAF]] and [[test pilot]].

==World War II and RAF==
Hillwood was born in [[London]], the son of Dagmar Sorenson and Felix Bergolz. He married Gwendoline Hillwood (née St Johnston) and they had one child, Susan Hillwood.

In the [[Battle of Britain]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Battle of Britain London Monument - Sgt. P Hillwood|url=http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Hillwood.htm|access-date=2021-01-15|website=www.bbm.org.uk}}</ref> he flew [[Hawker Hurricanes]] in RAF 56 Squadron<ref>Christopher Shores & Clive Williams, Aces High: The Fighter Aces of the British and Commonwealth Air Forces in World War II. pg31 Pub. Neville Spearman Ltd, London 1966</ref> at North Weald where he shot down a [[Junkers Ju 87]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thetartanterror.blogspot.co.uk/2007/12/peter-hillwood-dfc-19xx-1966.html |title=Test & Research Pilots, Flight Test Engineers: Peter Hillwood DFC 1920-1966 |publisher=Thetartanterror.blogspot.co.uk |date=2007-12-15 |accessdate=2013-02-20}}</ref> He was shot down in a Hurricane over the Thames Estuary off Sheerness on 13 August 1940.

In 1943 he returned to fighter command in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. In 1944 he joined RAF 127 squadron<ref>E.A.W. Smith, Spitfire Diary. Pub. William Kimber, London 1988 {{ISBN|0718306929}}</ref> at North Weald where he flew IX Spitfires. He was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] on 22 June 1948.

==Post World War II==
In July 1949 he became an experimental test pilot with [[English Electric]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1953/1953%20-%201214.html |title=english electric &#124; boulton paul &#124; 1953 &#124; 1214 &#124; Flight Archive |publisher=Flightglobal.com |date= |accessdate=2013-02-20}}</ref> mainly test-flying de Havilland Vampires. In January 1950 he made his first test flight in the [[English Electric Canberra]]  and on 26 August 1952 he was co-pilot on the record-breaking Atlantic crossing between Aldergrove (Ireland) and Gander (Canada) in Canberra VX185.<ref>[[English Electric Canberra]]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1956/1956%20-%200206.html |title=english electric &#124; fireflash &#124; canberra &#124; 1956 &#124; 0206 &#124; Flight Archive |publisher=Flightglobal.com |date=1952-08-26 |accessdate=2013-02-20}}</ref> 
[[File:Inscribed watch presented by English Electric Company Limited.jpg|thumb]]

On 16 February 1956 he piloted the Canberra on the record-breaking flight between London and Cairo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bywat.co.uk/records.html |title=The English Electric Canberra Records |publisher=Bywat.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2013-02-20}}</ref> In the late 1950s he became Deputy Chief Test Pilot for English Electric flying [[English Electric Lightning|Lightnings]] amongst other aircraft. He left English Electric in 1965.

==Film work==
In 1964 he re-constructed, from original designs, and flew<ref>{{cite web|url=http://glostransporthistory.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk/JetAgeRMC_EP_Pioneers.html |title=JetAgeRMC_EP-Pioneers |publisher=Glostransporthistory.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2013-02-20}}</ref> an Avro Triplane Mk IV for the 1965 film ''[[Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines]], Or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes''. In 1965 he was a stunt pilot in the 1966 war film ''[[The Blue Max]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060177/trivia|title = The Blue Max (1966) - IMDb| website=[[IMDb]] }}</ref> in which he also played a dead German pilot.

He continued as a test pilot until his death, which occurred while flying a prototype [[Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander|Britten Norman BN-2 "Islander"]] over the Netherlands on 9 November 1966.

==Awards==
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 22 June 1948. He was also awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning/history.php
*http://beagroves.tumblr.com/post/12809234811/xplanes-test-pilots-peter-hillwood-and-roland
*http://www.shuttleworth.org/shuttleworth-collection/aircraft-details.asp?ID=13 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128142712/http://www.shuttleworth.org/shuttleworth-collection/aircraft-details.asp?ID=13 |date=28 January 2013 }}
*https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVADIIKIYMSLLFAGLEYNI2MY7178-BRITAINS-RECORD-BREAKING-CANBERRA-FLIGHT/query/RECORD+BREAKING+CANBERRA

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hillwood, Peter}}
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:1966 deaths]]
[[Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:British aviation record holders]]
[[Category:British test pilots]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1966]]
[[Category:Victims of flight test accidents]]