{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}} '''Norman Channing Spratt''' (1885–1944)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130737883|title = Norman Channing Spratt (1885–1944) – Find a Grave| website=Find a Grave }}</ref> a native of Durban, Colony of Natal, was an officer of the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War who was involved in aircraft testing at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, United Kingdom. He later served as a group captain in the Royal Air Force. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1925.
On 7 December 1913, Spratt, as factory test pilot, crashed Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2a, ''235'', at the Farnborough Aerodrome, pilot surviving.<ref name="Cooper, Peter J. 1998, page 280">Cooper, Peter J., "Picking up the Pieces", ''Air International'', Stamford, Lincs., UK, November 1998, Volume 55, Number 5, page 280.</ref>
In 1914, Spratt set a new airspeed record in a Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.4, at 134.5 mph, bringing the speed title to the U.K. for the first time.<ref>http://www.mjp.co.uk/erfc/p1r1v4t3/newletters/ERFC_Newsletter_March_2008.pdf{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
On 14 May 1914, Norman Spratt set a British altitude record of 18,900 ft. while flying one of two Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.5 reconnaissance designs, the fifth and sixth machines, which were produced as single-seat 'height machines', with long strut-braced extensions on the upper wing, which gave it a span of 57 ft 2.39in.<ref name="historyofwar">{{cite web|url=https://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_RAF_RE5.html|title=Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.5|publisher=historyofwar.org|access-date=18 January 2014}}</ref>
On 12 August 1914, the sole Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.4, ''628'', crashlanded at 1145 hrs. while being flown by Lt. Spratt when one of the wheels collapsed, airframe overturning, sustaining such extensive damage that it was abandoned.<ref>Bruce, J.M., "War Planes of the First World War, Fighters, Volume Two", Doubleday & Company Inc., Garden City, New York, 1968, Library of Congress card number 65-25323, page 72.</ref>
The first dogfight is believed to have taken place on 28 August 1914, when Spratt, flying a Sopwith Tabloid,<ref name="schoolnet">{{cite web|url=https://spartacus-educational.com/FWWdogfights.htm|title=Dogfights|publisher=Spartacus Educational|access-date=18 January 2014}}</ref> forced down a German Albatros C.I two-seater. This was an amazing achievement as his Sopwith was not armed.
The prototype Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3 was first test flown by Spratt in 1915.<ref name="Tapper">{{Harvnb|Tapper|1973|pages=52–8}}</ref>
Spratt served as a Group Captain during World War II, but died from ill-health in 1944.
==References== {{reflist}}
===Bibliography=== {{refbegin}} *{{cite book |title= Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft since 1913|last= Tapper|first=Oliver |year=1973 |publisher=Putnam Publishing |location=London |isbn= 0-370-10004-2 }} {{Refend}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spratt, Norman}} Category:Royal Flying Corps officers Category:British test pilots Category:1885 births Category:1944 deaths Category:Military personnel from Durban Category:British aviation record holders Category:British Army personnel of World War I Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Category:Royal Air Force group captains Category:South African test pilots