Flight Of The Mew Gull

also known as the Common Gull but I reckon Mew Gull is a far better name for this bird that looks a bit like a Kittiwake that has been working out. This one was demonstrating its prowess in flight as it rode the wind blowing over the ship.
The title is also the name of a book by Alex Henshaw which details his competition flying in the 1930s in particularily his Record breaking Solo London-Capetown-London flight in a Percival Mew Gull. A record that stood for over 70years!
Henshaw wrote another book, "Sigh for a Merlin" that detailed his wartime flying exploits as a test pilot for Vickers, testing and demonstrating the famous Spitfire Aircraft.
Once while demonstrating the aircraft for visiting dignitories near the Castle Bromwich Factory, he flew a Spitfire down Broad Street (which was not that broad) in the centre of Birmingham, pulling up inverted over the Town Hall, much to the delight of Winston Churchill which probably saved him a meeting in the bosses office with no tea, or seats. He also barrel rolled a Lancaster Bomber, a feat many said was impossible but had been said to have be been done in desperation, evading German Fighters on Raids over Germany. Alex Proved that even a relatively lumbering 4 engined bomber could be rolled if flown "correctly".
Anyway, I digress...