Prestwick's Pioneer

David F. McIntyre is perhaps one of Scotland’s overlooked luminaries, a figure whose name might ring a bell in the context of his Everest escapade, yet remains shrouded in obscurity when it comes to his monumental contributions to the burgeoning aircraft and airline industry in Scotland. A man of quiet ambition and resolute vision, he was driven by the dream of ushering in a Scottish aviation industry that would soar to global prominence.

Born in Govan, Glasgow, in 1905, McIntyre's formative years coincided with a thrilling epoch of aviation's infancy. At the time of his arrival into this world, Scotland's aviation narrative was still in its nascent stages. However, the triumphant flights of the Wright brothers in Kittyhawk, North Carolina, in 1903 ignited a spark that would captivate the imaginations of Scottish engineers. By 1910, the likes of the Barnwell brothers from Stirling, the Gibsons in Edinburgh, and Preston Watson in Dundee were making their own marks in the sky.

This book offers an illuminating glimpse into David McIntyre's life, chronicling not only those exhilarating early days of aviation but also his distinguished tenure with No. 602 ‘City of Glasgow’ Squadron during the tumult of World War Two. Just six years after he took to the skies solo for the first time, McIntyre confronted the most daunting challenge of his flying career: piloting an open-cockpit Westland Wallace biplane on a record-setting expedition over Mount Everest in 1933.

Drawing from a treasure trove of previously unpublished images and accounts from that fateful flight, this narrative unfolds the high-stakes drama and near-catastrophes that marked this early aviation milestone. That same indomitable spirit propelled him forward as he set his sights on new horizons—founding a Scottish aircraft company that birthed the successful Prestwick Pioneer and Twin Pioneer aircraft; establishing Scottish Airlines amid the post-war boom of commercial air travel; grappling with the turbulent waters of airline nationalisation; and finally, orchestrating the development of a major international airport hub at Prestwick.

Previously unseen material—private letters, photographs, and pilot logbooks—has been meticulously curated to paint a rich portrait of one of Scotland's aviation heroes, rendered compellingly by Dougal McIntyre, David's son. This exploration is not merely a recounting of historical facts but a tribute to a man whose vision and tenacity helped shape the skies above Scotland.

Publisher - Woodfield Publishing Ltd

Language - English

Perfect Bound

Contributors

By author

Dougal McIntyre

Published Date - 2004-12-01

ISBN - 9781903953594

Dimensions - 29.7 x 21 x 0.9 cm

Page Count - 154