Background
Henry Richard Danvers Waghorn was born on 6 September 1904 at Brompton in London the son of a civil engineer
Henry Richard Danvers Waghorn was born on 6 September 1904 at Brompton in London the son of a civil engineer
Royal Air Force College Cranwell.
In 1924 Waghorn became a cadet at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell. When he passed out in August that year he was awarded the Sword of Honour as the best all-round cadet. He was posted to Number. 17 Squadron flying the Sopwith Snipe fighter.
After a few years he was sent on a flying instructor"s course at the Central Flying School, after the course he stayed with the CFS as a qualified flying instructor.
In February 1929 he was posted to the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment at Felixstowe to train as part of the British team to contest the 1929
After training the British team moved to Calshot in April 1929 to prepare for the race against France, Italy, and the United States. Waghorn was also to claim world record speeds for seaplanes, although team mate Richard Atcherley later registered higher speeds when he completed his laps of the circuit.
On 5 May 1931 Waghorn was test flying a Hawker Horsley biplane bomber from Farnborough when he lost control in high winds. He and his passenger, a civilian assistant named East. R. Alexander, parachuted from the aircraft.
Alexander landed on the roof of a factory and had minor injuries but Waghorn was seriously injured and died on 7 May.
The Horsley was being used to carry out experiments with radiators and had a prototype Rolls-Royce Buzzard engine fitted rather than the normal Condor. An inquest returned a verdict of accidental death. 20 September 1929 Air Force Cross:.
He had an interest in skiing and was second in a 3¾ miles race in the 1930 British Ski Championship and was a member of the Great Britain team