Shelton, Harold (Flying Officer, b.1910 - d.2003)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 287028 Flying Officer Harold Shelton, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia, 2004.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of one memoir of Flying Officer Harold Shelton, compiled from the memories of his life, including his early career as civilian airline pilot and service as a test pilot of military aircraft during the Second World War. It was edited in 2004 by Flying Officer Shelton’s daughter, Margaret Young. In his memoir, titled “Harold’s Story”, Flying Officer Shelton records his experiences of childhood, his first flights, working as an electrical mechanic, travelling to England, his attempts to sell an invention to car companies, getting a job as a test pilot, and returning to Australia. He then goes on to write about his career as an aerial advertising and stunt pilot, getting married, becoming a regional airline pilot, changing airlines and becoming a second pilot on interstate flights, being promoted to a first pilot, transporting personnel and supplies to Darwin, seeing the damage done after the Japanese air raid on Darwin in 1942, accepting a job as a test pilot for the Royal Air Force at Bristol Beaufort factory, reporting on problems with aircraft found during test flights, lecturing air force cadets, doing special test flights for the experimental department, becoming an airline test pilot after the war, being involved in an aircraft accident due to faulty equipment, the cessation of his professional aviation career, and recreational flying in gliders.