Norman Macmillan (RAF officer)

Wing Commander Norman Macmillan, OBE, MC, AFC, DL (9 August 1892 – 5 August 1976) born Glasgow, Scotland was a pilot and author.

He served during World War I on the Western Front in 1917–18 with the RFC and RAF, flying Sopwith 1½ Strutter and Sopwith Camel aircraft, becoming an ace by claiming eleven victories and being credited with nine. He would write about these experiences in his book Into the Blue.

He was decorated with the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in 1918. He was also awarded the Air Force Cross.

After World War I, he, Major W.T. Blake and Geoffrey Mallins made an unsuccessful attempt to fly one leg of a Daily News sponsored round the world flight in Fairey IIIC G-EBDI.

He took part in the 1923 Lympne light aircraft trials, demonstrating the Parnall Pixie aircraft. During the early 1920s, Macmillan, like several others acted as free-lance test pilots, unattached to particular companies. He took five Parnall aircraft on their first flights.

He flew Fairey aircraft from 1921 as a free-lance, joining them full-time early in 1925 as chief test pilot and staying with them until the end of 1930. He then became chief consultant test pilot to Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft.

In 1925 he was the first to land (an emergency landing) at Heathrow, which then was a row of cottages in land used for market gardening.

He wrote numerous books on aviation, including a series detailing history of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Despite being partly written during the war they are remarkably detailed and accurate.

He remained attached to the army, before transferring to the air force in 1946.

He became a Deputy Lieutenant for Cornwall in September 1951.

According to his obituary which was published in The Times newspaper on Wednesday 11 August 1976, he made the first flight London to Sweden in one day.