Earl H. M. Phillips RAF Glider Pilot Collection

Collection

Identifier: 2016-01-28

The Earl H. M. Phillips RAF Glider Pilot Collection contains textual materials, 18 photographic prints, and 1 DVD related to the 1944-1946 World War II military service of Royal Air Force (RAF) glider pilot Earl H.M. Phillips. The collection has been arranged as three series: World War II-era materials, Post-war and commemorative materials, and personal materials.

The bulk of the collection is Series I: World War II-era materials, 1944-1947 and is comprised of military records, including a 1944 RAF welcome letter from Archibald Sinclair, Secretary of State for Air, Phillips' 1945 RAF Volunteer Reserve discharge certificate, and pay book; 5 RAF notebooks of handwritten notes on such topics as air speed, flaps, climbing, pilot navigation, and visibility; and Phillips' flight training log book, 1946.

There are also 18 black-and-white photographic prints, most dated 1946. Sizes range from 2x3" to 5x7" and the images are a mix of vintage and modern reprints. Some images include brief contextual information on the reverse, providing names, dates, or locations. Identified locations are all in Britain and include Elsham Wolds, Croughton, and RAF Woodbridge. One image is a collage of two photographs and includes a portrait of Phillips and a group portrait of the Glider Pilot Regiment. Images depict aircraft, in flight, on the ground, and in accident scenes. Some images include military personnel, most of whom are unidentified. Identified people include Earl Phillips, Tom Highley, and Robert Peacock. There is also an undated DVD labeled "Earl Phillips RAF." The contents have not been yet been reviewed, pending preservation of the digital media.

Series II: Post-war and commemorative materials, 1947-1992 includes a booklet for the Glider Pilot Regimental Association; printed ephemera for the Airborne Museum "Hartenstein" in Oosterbeek, Holland, including 2 brochures, 2 photographic postcards, and a commemorative "Battle of Arnheim - Osterbeek Crossroads" envelope and stamp; a 1991 Daily Mail newspaper clipping about the de Haviland Tiger Moth aircraft; and an original watercolor of a Tiger Moth.

Finally, Series III: Personal materials, 1937-1942, undated, contains Phillips' 1937-1942 grammar school transcripts, a photocopy of a photograph of Earl's mother, Alice Phillips, and an undated birthday card to Phillips featuring a Tiger Moth.

Dates

1937-1992
Majority of material found within 1944-1946

Creator

Phillips, Earl H. M., 1926-2004 (Person)

Language of Materials

One tourist brochure is in multiple languages, including Dutch, French, German, and English. All other materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

The DVD is currently unavailable pending preservation of the digitial material. The rest of the collection is open for research and is accessible in the Dahlberg Research Center by appointment. For more information contact us.

Conditions Governing Use The Museum of Flight (TMOF) Archives is the owner of the physical materials in the archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from TMOF archives before any publication use. TMOF does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners. Consult repository for more details.

Extent

.20 Cubic Feet (1 half-width letter size document box and 1 DVD)

Additional Description

Biographical Note: Earl H. M. Phillips

Earl H.M. Phillips was born December 1, 1926 in Liverpool, England. He was a Royal Air Force (RAF) glider pilot during World War II. Phillips enlisted in April 1944 and was discharged in January 1945.

Post-war, he was a history professor. Phillips died in 2004.

Source:

Biography derived from collection materials and donor information.

Note on Arrangement

Collection has been arranged into three series:

Series I: World War II-era materials, 1944-1947
Series II: Post-war and commemorative materials, 1947-1992
Series III: Personal materials, 1937-1942, undated

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Collection was donated by Victoria Phillips, the daughter of Earl H.M. Phillips, in 2016.

Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Existence and Location of Copies

Materials from this collection have been digitized and are available at The Museum of Flight Digital Collections.

Separated Materials

The following items have been separated from the archival component and are kept in Objects storage:

Glider Pilot Regiment emblems, patches, and wings

Processing Information

Processing by J.Parent in 2020. The collection arrived in no discernible order. Materials were organizaed by topic and are loosely chronological within series. Where possible, original titles were used and are denoted by quotation marks. All other titles were derived by the processing archivist. Photographs were sleeved and a photocopy was made of the clipping onto acid-free paper. The DVD has not been reviewed, pending preservation of the digital media.