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Has sadly passed away
We are profoundly sad to announce that on the evening of October 15th 2024 Richard Grace lost his stoic battle with ongoing illness.
Richard leaves behind his wife Daisy, their two children Allegra and Stirling, and his sisters Olivia and Nicola.
More information will be given when appropriate.
His immediate family, and his wider family at Air Leasing and Ultimate Warbirds Flights, would like to request your respect in giving them the space and privacy they need to grieve this terrible loss.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/a83cNNBpbeU24T6Y/...
We are profoundly sad to announce that on the evening of October 15th 2024 Richard Grace lost his stoic battle with ongoing illness.
Richard leaves behind his wife Daisy, their two children Allegra and Stirling, and his sisters Olivia and Nicola.
More information will be given when appropriate.
His immediate family, and his wider family at Air Leasing and Ultimate Warbirds Flights, would like to request your respect in giving them the space and privacy they need to grieve this terrible loss.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/a83cNNBpbeU24T6Y/...
Terrible news his family will be devastated, I have the original TV documentary on VHS tape when his father rebuilt the spitfire, vowed to fly it one day. When he was killed in an RTA vowed to still fly it with Caroline, sadly not to be she too was killed in RTA in Australia or was it NZ? Found it sad she gave up flying the spit to be a farm manager, flying the spit as a full time occupation must be the ultimate job.
So thought doing it this year definitely but for health reasons never made it down south, so next year is a must sadly without any family members at the control
So thought doing it this year definitely but for health reasons never made it down south, so next year is a must sadly without any family members at the control
Awful, dreadful news. His mother kept her late husband's legacy alive for so many years, he built upon it and took on ML407 from Carolyn, as well as flying the Tempest... and now this. Another young family deprived of their father far too soon. Hopefully his widow and her sisters-in-law will find a way to keep it going...
Desperately sad news and really so very hard to take in. I have worked with Richard’s company Air Leasing on most of their projects over the past ten years including the Tempest II and consider myself privileged to have become part of the extended family. Richard’s knowledge and enthusiasm for working on, restoring and flying warbird aircraft knew no bounds. His drive and determination to get the job done to the highest standards was infectious and he quickly grew to be a highly respected leader and one of the most significant figures in the business. Always regarded with affection he was a pleasure to work with despite the pressure he was often placed under. I was privileged to have his trust in me and his generous public praise allowed me to further my own business for which I will be forever grateful.
Outside of work he was a dedicated family man, a cherished husband and a Dad to two young children. Richard’s untimely departure will have left them in unimaginable sorrow.
Rest in peace Richard - you’re legacy will live on and we will never forget you.
Outside of work he was a dedicated family man, a cherished husband and a Dad to two young children. Richard’s untimely departure will have left them in unimaginable sorrow.
Rest in peace Richard - you’re legacy will live on and we will never forget you.
Shocking news. I never met him, but was a regular visitor to Sywell purely because I wanted to catch a glimpse of whatever Air Leasing were working on at the time. Obviously his TV appearances brought him to a wider audience. Nothing special, but here are some photos from my visits over the years.
Mercdriver said:
Terrible news his family will be devastated, I have the original TV documentary on VHS tape when his father rebuilt the spitfire, vowed to fly it one day. When he was killed in an RTA vowed to still fly it with Caroline, sadly not to be she too was killed in RTA in Australia or was it NZ? Found it sad she gave up flying the spit to be a farm manager, flying the spit as a full time occupation must be the ultimate job.
So thought doing it this year definitely but for health reasons never made it down south, so next year is a must sadly without any family members at the control
Carolyn (correct spelling, not that it matters much) died in Aussie in that road accident. So thought doing it this year definitely but for health reasons never made it down south, so next year is a must sadly without any family members at the control
Late husband Nick was, not to put it lightly, a genius.
Oddly, the story rarely quoted is that husband Nick was actually a Pistonhead, both cars and on motorbikes, before he ventured to build that famous Spitfire from boxes of bits.
In the 1950s as a graduate engineer (engineer seems not enough for this remarkable man who could turn his hands to almost anything) here in the UK Nick firstly became a very successful motorcycle scrambler, riding for BSA.
Then in the early 60s, while manager at a soft drinks bottling plant in London, he had watched with interest a couple of Ginetta G4s racing, and also Ivor Walklett (the designer of the G4) who also occasionally raced one.
Nick went to Witham Ginetta premises and bought his Ginetta G4 in Sept of 1962. He had immediate success racing it. So much so that John Haynes (late, of Manuals fame) actually mentioned Grace in one of his first books, after Grace had easily beaten Haynes in his Lotus at Goodwood.
After this Nick went off to Australia where he not only designed his own car, which he also raced, and again, not well known here in the UK is it was also exhibited at the 1968 Sydney International Motor Show. It featured on the front of several Australian car mags.
Called the Brolga, pictured here with Nick.
Nick then built up his fortune from flying crop-dusting aircraft, after which he moved back in this direction to the Channel Islands: there he designed and built sailing yachts.
He came back to the mainland to Cornwall around 1980. His next move was that incredible purchase of that famous Spitfire in boxes of bits at auction which he spent 5 long years painstakingly rebuilding the plane, then flew it. He also found the time to restore that ME109, which he also flew. Then tragedy, killed in that road accident here in 1988.
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