Page 29 - World Airnews Magazine April 2021

AFRICA

BILL SYKES, GROUP CAPTAIN,

AVIATION HISTORIAN DIES

By Wallace Mawire

ill Sykes, a former air force and aviation historian, best re-
Bmembered for his involvement in the making of the short

film ‘Spitfire’ passed away on February 14, 2021 after a long period
of illness, according to reliable sources.
The Mashonaland Flying club was informed about the news by

Bill Linfield.
He said that Sykes will best be remembered for his involvement

in the making of a short film called “SPITFIRE - The pursuit of a
Dream " on the story of the restoration by Jack Malloch of the

aircraft and that ended on Jack's death.

Sykes was also involved in producing or editing many books and

publications that recorded the history of aviation in Zimbabwe. His
latest was ‘100 Years of Aviation in Victoria Falls’.

According to Linfield, Sykes was also an accomplished artist with

a lot of his paintings depicting aircraft and aviation scenes - a talent

also inherited by his son William.
“Condolences are extended to his wife Mary Ann and family,”
Linfield said.

An online platform called PPTuNe Professional Pilots Rumour
Network reported the following:
Sad news from Zim this morning - Group Captain (Rtd) Bill Sykes

died yesterday morning after a long illness. Bill clocked up 1500
hours on Vampires with the Rhodesian Air Force, moved on to
Hunters as a weapons instructor, then another 1500 hours on

Alouette III between '74 and '79 - the hottest time in the Rhodesian

bush war, when Alouettes were right in the thick of it.

Bill was a fine artist, and made the documentary 'Pursuit of a

dream' about his friend Jack Malloch's (of Afretair fame) mission to

restore a Rhodesian Air Force Spitfire.
Bill's Pa was a pre-war Hurricane pilot and Chief Flying Instructor
at Mt Hampden during the war and a settler-farmer thereafter. Bill's

son, William, is also a very accomplished wildlife and aviation artist.

RIP, Bill. A fine life, well lived. Blue skies.

In October 2018, World Airnews magazine ran an article ‘Help
fill in the gaps of aviation history’ that focused on Bill’s proposed

compilation of a complete history of aviation in Victoria Falls and

Livingstone. Sykes was assisted by Econet corporate pilot Phil

Scott-Riddell, who also lives in Victoria Falls.

Finally, his book ‘100 years of aviation in Victoria Falls’ was
launched in November 2020 in Harare. What saddened me is that Group Captain Bill Sykes

Bill left us when l had been chatting with him trying to do a review 1943 - 2021

on his book. We had never met but I had been provided with his presentation gave a detailed and very emotional account of the

number and was in the process of trying to set up an interview fatal last flight of Jack Malloch's Spitfire. I spoke to him afterwards.

with him. However, the COVID-19 lockdown in Zimbabwe reversed I had known Bill for a long time and he had asked me to help

those plans. Following the mobile communication and chats, Bill with the editing of his Victoria Falls book. He was obviously very

was very accommodative and willing to provide us an opportunity ill and had lost a great deal of weight. He was quite frank about
to publicize his works and achievements. One would not have his condition and accepted that he had only a few months left,”

known that was the last to chat with Bill. Rowland said.
It is reliably understood that Bill passed away following a long Rowland added that Bill’s primary concern was that his wife
battle with cancer. Mary-Ann would be cared for financially and was sure that she

According to John Rowland a long-time friend of Bill, he was would be all right from that point of view.

a very good artist, an avid historian, with particular reference to “I was very touched by the fact that he had taken the trouble

aviation - especially military aviation. to bring me a tie which he had received from Aerospatiale. I felt

Rowland said that he edited a book called "Bush Horizons" by that was an amazingly thoughtful to do such a thing at such a very

N V Phillips (published 1998) and most recently, in November, Bill difficult time. This picture of him is obviously when he was in the

published his book on aviation at Victoria Falls. Air Force,” Rowland said.
“He launched his book in late November last year, and at the May his soul rest in peace. Q
World Airnews | April 2021
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