Footage of  former World War Two fighter pilot 'Nip' Whaley Heppell in the Tyne filmed by amateur filmmaker Jack Lawson, owner of a confectionary business in Newcastle upon Tyne. Whaley (Philip W.E. Heppell) was born into a family of aviators from Newcastle, dubbed by local press 'The Flying Heppells'.  Whaley Heppell is assisted in putting on the layers of under clothing and a rubberised diving suit and helmet on board a ship. He sticks two fingers up to camera. Final...

Footage of  former World War Two fighter pilot 'Nip' Whaley Heppell in the Tyne filmed by amateur filmmaker Jack Lawson, owner of a confectionary business in Newcastle upon Tyne. Whaley (Philip W.E. Heppell) was born into a family of aviators from Newcastle, dubbed by local press 'The Flying Heppells'.  Whaley Heppell is assisted in putting on the layers of under clothing and a rubberised diving suit and helmet on board a ship. He sticks two fingers up to camera. Final adjustments are made to his diving gear by an officer . He jumps into the river attached to a rope. He steadies himself holding onto two ropes. He then submerges. Next, he is climbing up the side of the ship using a rope ladder.