High Speed Problems. British Pilot Smashes Record In ***** Jet-Plane.Mr. John Derry, record-broaking pilot, wrinkles his brows over a flight problem before tho take-off at Hatfield.Britain's revolutionary and highly secret jet 'place, the Goblin-powered De Havilland DH.I08 - a tailless monoplane - built for super-sonic flight experiments, broke the International Closed Circuit record with a speed of 605.23 miles-an-hour, here.The aircraft, piloted by Mr. John Derry, aged 26, reached a top speed of 635 miles-an-hour, only a few miles short of the world's absolute speed record. April 13, 1948.