Jim Mollison

James Allan Mollison
James Allan Mollison
Born	James Allan Mollison; Template:Birth date; Glasgow, Scotland
Died	October 30, 1959 (aged 54); Roehampton, London, England
Occupation(s)	Aviator, pilot, publican
Years active	1920s–1950s
Known for	Aviation record-setting flights in the 1930s, first solo east-west South Atlantic crossing

James Allan Mollison MBE (19 April 1905 – 30 October 1959) was a Scottish aviation trailblazer who, either flying alone or alongside his wife, Amy Johnson, established multiple records during the dynamic growth of flight in the 1930s.

Early years

Mollison was born in Glasgow to engineer Hector Alexander Mollison and Thomasina Macnee Addie. His education took place at The Glasgow Academy followed by Edinburgh Academy. At the age of 18, he obtained a Short Service Commission with the Royal Air Force (RAF), becoming the youngest officer in the force. After completing his training, he was assigned to India where he piloted Bristol F.2B aircraft during active operations known as Pink's War.

Aviation career

By 22, Mollison had become the youngest instructor at the Central Flying School before moving to the RAF Reserve to dedicate himself to civilian flying. Between 1928 and 1929, he served as an instructor at the South Australian Aero Club and subsequently operated commercial flights for Eyre Peninsular Airways and Australian National Airways.

He gained recognition as an accomplished aviator and record setter. In 1931, he broke the record for flying from Australia to England in 8 days and 19 hours. The following year, he completed an England-to-Cape Town journey in 4 days and 17 hours. During his tenure with Australian National Airways, he met fellow pilot Amy Johnson; they wed in July 1932 and were popularly known as "The Flying Sweethearts."

Mollison continued pursuing records, completing a solo east-to-west trans-Atlantic crossing in August 1932, flying from Ireland to Canada in 31 hours aboard a de Havilland Puss Moth named The Heart's Content. In 1933, he achieved the first solo east-west crossing of the South Atlantic from England to Brazil in 3 days and 13 hours. That same year, the couple attempted a nonstop flight from South Wales to New York but were forced to crash-land near Bridgeport due to fuel depletion; both sustained injuries and their plane was destroyed by souvenir collectors.

In October 1934, they entered the MacRobertson Air Race piloting their de Havilland DH.88 Comet Black Magic. They led during early stages but withdrew after engine failure caused by using unsuitable fuel. Mollison’s last significant record effort occurred in November 1936 when he co-piloted with Édouard Corniglion-Molinier on a Croydon-to-Cape Town trip that ended with an emergency landing just short of their destination.

The marriage between Mollison and Johnson deteriorated amid competition over aviation achievements and Mollison’s excessive alcohol consumption; they divorced in 1938, with Amy reverting to her maiden name.

World War II

During World War II, both Mollison and Johnson served in the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). Johnson died while ferrying an aircraft in 1941. Mollison notably acted as co-pilot alongside Diana Barnato Walker when their Anson was intercepted and attacked by Luftwaffe fighters; despite sustaining damage, all twelve passengers survived unharmed. Upon landing, Mollison’s primary concern was securing "a cup of tea!"

In June 1941, Mollison and an ATA team delivered the Cunliffe-Owen OA-1 G-AFMB to Fort Lamy, Chad, where it was outfitted as personal transportation for General De Gaulle. For his contributions during his ATA service, Mollison was awarded the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

Postwar

Following his aviation career, Mollison established himself in London as the proprietor of a public house. On 26 September 1949, he wed Maria Clasina E. Kamphuis at the Maidenhead Register Office.

In 1953, the Civil Aviation Authority Medical Board withdrew his pilot's licence due to issues related to alcohol misuse. Although the couple eventually separated, Maria acquired the Carisbrooke Hotel in Surbiton on his behalf—a hotel that promoted temperance.

Plagued by severe alcoholism, Mollison was admitted to The Priory, Roehampton, where he passed away on 30 October 1959.

Legacy

Location	Street Name	Historical Link
Enfield	Mollison Avenue	Site of Weston Aerospace facilities
Edgware	Mollison Way	Area formerly part of Stag Lane Aerodrome's runway
Wallington	Mollison Drive & Mollison Square	Location of the former Beddington Aerodrome (refer to Croydon Airport)
Gravesend	Mollison Rise	Close to the former RAF Gravesend airfield
Woodley	Mollison Close	Situated on the previous Woodley Airfield grounds
Meir	Mollison Road	Adjacent to the historic Meir Aerodrome site

Furthermore, in Mildenhall, Suffolk, there is Jim Mollison Court—a social housing development near Mildenhall airfield, which served as the departure point for the 1934 England-Australia Air Race that featured the Mollisons.

External links