RAF fighter command ww2

[dinomartino1]

WAAFs operating the service telephone exchange in the signals centre at Headquarters No. 60 (Signals) Group, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.

Squadron Leader Stanford Tuck DSO DFC CO of 257 Squadron, Royal Air Force seated in his Hawker Hurricane at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk.

Whirlwind Mark I, P6969 HE-V, of No. 263 Squadron RAF based at Exeter, in flight over the West Country.

Wing Commander M N Crossley standing in front of a Hawker Typhoon at Gravesend, Kent. In 1940 Crossley shot down 22 enemy aircraft over France and during the Battle of Britain while flying with No. 32 Squadron RAF, latterly as its Commanding Officer. He led a wing of Supermarine Spitfires in 1941, and was then posted to the united States as a test pilot for the British Air Commission. He returned to England in 1943 to lead the proposed Detling Wing, but his operational flying career was cut short when he contracted tuberculosis.

Wing Commander J A Mackie, the Commanding Officer of No. 157 Squadron RAF, with a Czech RAF doctor and a member of the crash crew, make a frantic attempt to rescue the pilot and observer of a burning De Havilland Mosquito at Predannack, Cornwall, after it caught fire over the airfield and crashed from 200 feet following a practice flight. The Station Padre, Squadron Leader Brown, can also be seen rendering assistance on the right. While firemen covered the aircraft with foam the officers tried to release the trapped fliers, but they found that, in the crash, the observer had been thrown across the pilot and it was difficult to get at their harnesses in the excessive heat. They were eventually cut free by another medical officer. The observer, Flying Officer Scobie, survived though badly injured, but the pilot, Flying Officer J L Clifton, was killed.

 

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A Jamaican Fighter Pilot serving with the RAF – Flt. Sgt. Tucker

Pilots of 129 Sqn – Vic Tucker is in the back row, 7th from right
As a sergeant and pilot in 129 Squadron, Tucker claimed three BF109s destroyed (one west of St Valery on 20 September 1941, two in the vicinity of Boulogne on 21 October) and one BF109 probable, destroyed 10 miles east of Le Trouqet on 21 September. Tucker obtained a commission on 28 April 1942
Victor Tucker, from Jamaica, crashed in the Channel off Octeville-sur-Mer, 04-05-1942, North of Le Havre, shot down by Fw.190′s. The Spitfires were escorting Bostons to Le Havre, and aborted the escort shortly before the bombing run. By order they flew a left turn, to which the pilots had protested, as this enabled the Germans to attack from the sun. Vic Tucker was one of several who went MIA this way, that area, that time, and in the months after that as well.
He has no known grave and is commemorated by the Runnymede Memorial.

 

[Micawber]

Brilliant thread dinomartino. Love the random images. We owe all those lads and lassies so much.

 

[dinomartino1]

Brilliant thread dinomartino. Love the random images. We owe all those lads and lassies so much.

Thats why I have started posting the gravestones if I can find pictures of the aircrew who where lost.

 

[dinomartino1]

Flight-Lieutenant E P "Hawkeye"Wells of No 485 (New Zealand) Squadron RAF, sitting in the cockpit of his Supermarine Spitfire Mark VB, "Waikato", at Kenley, Surrey. He assumed command of the Squadron in February 1942, and later led the Kenley, Tangmere, Detling and West Malling Wings before being appointed the commanding officer of the Fighter Leaders School at the Central Flying Establishment in 1944. He finished the war having shot down 13 enemy aircraft

Wing Commander T F "Butch" Dalton-Morgan, while leader of the Ibsley Wing, at Harrowbeer, Devon. From the time of his posting to No. 43 Squadron RAF as a flight commander in June 1940, until he was rested from operations in February 1942, by which time he was the Squadron's longest-serving Commanding Officer, Dalton-Morgan shot down at least 14 enemy aircraft. After his return to operations with the Ibsley Wing, he flew with the 4th Fighter Group, 8th USAAF, and then became operations officer with the 2nd Tactical Air Force. By the end of the war he had scored 22 confirmed victories

A Supermarine Spitfire Mk 1 of No. 19 Squadron RAF being re-armed between sorties at Fowlmere, near Duxford, September 1940.

Sergeant Bohumil Furst of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF is greeted by the squadron mascot on returning to RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire, after a sortie in his Hawker Hurricane Mark I, 7 September 1940.

Flight-Lieutenant J C Dundas, fighter pilot and brother of Group Captain H S L "Cocky" Dundas, who flew with No. 609 Squadron RAF 1939-1940. On 28 November 1940, he shot down the leading Luftwaffe 'ace' of the period, Helmut Wick, over the Isle of Wight, but was himself shot down and killed by Wick's wingman. At the time of his death he had destroyed at least 14 enemy aircraft

An RAF 'ground gunner' mans a 20mm Hispano cannon in a revetment at Tangmere, 8 June 1941

Film still of Group Captain P C Pickard, Commander of No. 140 Wing, No. 2 Group, smoking his pipe by De Havilland Mosquito FB Mark VI, HX922 'EG-F', of No. 487 Squadron RNZAF, during a refuelling stop at Exeter, Devon, shortly before taking off to lead the Squadron on a daylight bombing raid on the power station at Pont du Chateau, France.
Group Captain Percy Charles "Pick" Pickard, DSO & Two Bars, DFC was an officer in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He served as a pilot and commander and was one of the only officers of the RAF to be awarded the DSO three times in the Second World War. He flew over a hundred sorties and distinguished himself in a variety of operations requiring coolness under fire. In 1941 he participated in the making of the 1941 wartime film Target for To-night, which made him a public figure in England. He led the squadron of Whitley bombers that carried paratroopers to their drop for the Bruneval raid. Throughout 1943 he flew the Lysander on nighttime missions into occupied France for the SOE, performing insertions of agents and picking up personnel from very small landing strips. Pickard lead a group of Mosquitos on the Amiens raid, in which he was killed in action 18 February 1944.

Ground crew take over Hawker Typhoon Mark IB, DN374 'US-A', of No. 56 Squadron RAF, in order to prepare it for another sortie, as the pilot, Flying Officer R Poulter, unbuckles himself from the cockpit on his return to Matlaske, Cornwall.

 

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Armourers of No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron reloading the Spitfire's 20 mm cannon with ammunition at RAF Churchstanton, 26-28 January 1942

 

[dinomartino1]

Excellent pics, will you be doing SAAF?

Steve if you don't know this site there are some great pics from the personal collections of SAAF pilots from ww2

SAAF WW2 Heritage

biltongbru.wixsite.com

 

[dinomartino1]

Pilot Officer William Lidstone "Willie" McKnight, a fighter pilot from Calgary, Canada, photographed during the Battle of Britain, when serving with No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron RAF. Between May and November 1940, McKnight achieved 16.5 victories in combats over France and England. He was shot down and killed during a low level intruder sortie ('Rhubarb') over France, on 12 January 1941.
McKnight has no known grave. His name is on the Runnymede War Memorial, Englefield Green, Egham, Surrey, England

242 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, Duxford, September 1940 - P/O Denis "Crow" Crowley-Milling, F/O Hugh Tamblyn (KIA 3 April 1941), F/L Stan Turner, Sgt Joseph Ernest Savill, P/O Norman Neil Campbell (KIA 17 October 1940), P/O Willie McKnight (KIA 12 January 1941), S/L Douglas Bader, F/L George Eric Ball (KIFA 1 February 1946), P/O Michael Giles Homer (KIA 27 September 1940), F/O Marvin Kitchener "Ben" Brown (KIA 21 February 1941)

Squadron Leader B J E "Sandy" Lane, Officer Commanding No. 19 Squadron RAF, standing in front of his Supermarine Spitfire Mark I at Duxford, Cambridgeshire. Lane joined the RAF in 1936 and flew with Nos. 66 and 213 Squadrons RAF before the outbreak of the Second World War. He joined 19 Squadron as a flight commander in 1939 and became temporary commanding officer when the existing CO was killed over Dunkirk on 25 May 1940. He fought through the Battle of Britain and was formally appointed as the Squadron Commander after the demise of the next CO on 5 September 1940. Between November 1941 and February 1942 Lane served on staff appointments in the Middle East, before returning to the United Kingdom to command No. 61 Operational Training Unit. In December 1942 he was given the command of No. 167 Squadron RAF but was killed four days after his arrival during combat over the Dutch coast with Focke Wulf Fw 190s of 6/JG
Lane has no known grave having most likely been shot down over the North Sea.
During Lane's operational career he claimed 6 (and 1 shared) enemy aircraft shot down, 2 unconfirmed destroyed, 1 probable destroyed and 1 damaged

Flight Lieutenant John A. Kent "Kentowski", the Commander of the 'A' Flight of No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron, standing by Hurricane Mk.I (RF-F, V6684) at RAF Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Note the Squadron's badge on the left
Group Captain John Alexander "Johnny" Kent, DFC & Bar, AFC nicknamed "Kentski" (sometimes given as "Kentowski") by his Polish comrades, was a Canadian fighter ace flying in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Considered one of the best young squadron leaders of the war, he went on to a distinguished postwar career before entering the aviation industry
Kent's final total of wartime victories included 13 aircraft destroyed, three probables and three damaged

Junkers Ju 88A-4, EE205, of No. 1426 (Enemy Aircraft Circus) Flight is started up at Collyweston, Northamptonshire. Originally 4D-DL of 3/KG30, the aircraft landed by mistake at Broadfield Down airfield (Lulsgate Bottom), near Bristol, after a night raid on Birkenhead on 23/24 July 1941. It was taken on charge by the Royal Aircraft Establishment and, after tactical trials with the Air Fighting Development Unit, was flown to No. 1426 Flight, then at Duxford, on 28 August 1942. In 1945 EE205 was transferred to the Enemy Aircraft Flight of the Central Fighter Establishment at Tangmere, Sussex, and finally to No. 47 Maintenance Unit for storage in November 1945. German markings have been temporarily re-applied to EE205 for film work.

 

[Smithy]

I have Johnny Kent's missive to 92 Sqn upon taking command of the unit in October 1940. 92 at this time had been without a formal squadron leader for a considerable amount of time and although they were one of the highest scoring squadrons of the BoB and one of the hardest worked they also played very hard being probably the laxest unit in the entire RAF in relation to King's Regulations and discipline. They'd converted their billets into a virtual nightclub, their parties and partying were legendary and Johnny hit the bloody roof when he arrived, especially after Tony Bartley (who was sitting in the CO's chair in the CO's office which had become a sort of common space for the pilots) asked, "Well, who the hell are you?"

Johnny's address to 92 is utterly hilarious and if I get time (and remember) I'll post it here.

 

[Steve27752]

Steve if you don't know this site there are some great pics from the personal collections of SAAF pilots from ww2

SAAF WW2 Heritage

biltongbru.wixsite.com

Indeed I do, I am a regular visitor.

 

[dinomartino1]

Mosquito NF Mark XIII, HK382 RO-T, of No. 29 Squadron RAF, at Hunsdon, Hertfordshire. View looking into the cockpit through the starboard entry hatch in the nose

A pilot of No 485 (New Zealand) Squadron RAF climbs into the cockpit of his Supermarine Spitfire Mark VB at Redhill, Surrey. The second aircraft in line belongs to the Squadron's Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader M W B Knight.

A newly-qualified pilot is introduced to the Supermarine Spitfire, a Mark IIB, P8315, by his instructor at No. 61 Operational Training Unit, Rednal, Shropshire.

Flying Officer G A Daymond (left) and Flight Lieutenant C G Peterson of No 71 (Eagle) Squadron RAF, at North Weald, Essex following their award of the DFC. In August 1942 Daymond became Commanding Officer of the Squadron, with whom he had shot down 7 enemy aircraft. Upon the amalgamation of the Eagle squadrons into the USAAF, Daymond received the rank of Major and added 2 to his score with the 334th Fighter Squadron before returning to the USA. Peterson also transferred, was promoted to full Colonel at the age of 23, and commanded the 4th Fighter Group until 1943.

 

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A Czech pilot, Flight Sergeant Otto Spacek, posing on Supermarine Spitfire LF Mark IXB, MH489 "Red Rose II", at Squires Gate airport, Blackpool, Lancashire, before flying it to Biggin Hill, Kent, to join No. 485 Squadron. The photograph was taken on the occasion of the presentation of three Spitfires ("Red Rose II, III and IV") to the RAF by the Lancashire Constabulary at Squires Gate.

He was credited with shooting down 3 German aircraft during the war

 

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A section of four Supermarine Spitfire Mark VBs of No 165 Squadron, RAF takes off at Gravesend, Kent, past another aircraft of the squadron, BM257 'SK-B', at readiness on the airfield.

Squadron Leader E F J Charles, Officer Commanding No. 611 Squadron RAF, recounts his experiences to other pilots of the Squadron at Biggin Hill, Kent, on the day after sharing the honour, with Commandant Rene Mouchotte, of shooting down Biggin Hill's 1,000th enemy aircraft.
"Jack" Charles RCAF ace with 16 kills

Wing Commander K M Hampshire, Officer Commanding, No. 456 Squadron RAAF (left), and his navigator, Flying Officer T Condon, survey the wreckage of one of two Junkers Ju 88s, which they shot down on the night of 27/28 March 1944. This particular victim fell just outside the boundary of the Squadron's base at Ford, Sussex

Keith MacDermott Hampshire, DSO & Bar, DFC was an ace of the RAAF . He saw action in twin-engine propellor-driven aircraft, flying intruder, ground attack and night fighter missions.

Hampshire is notable for three achievements in particular

• becoming the first person to be awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) twice while posted to RAAF units;
• commanding front-line squadrons in both the Pacific and European theatres, and;
• destroying at least seven (and perhaps as many as 10) enemy aircraft in air combat, all of them during 1944.

His younger brother, John Hampshire (1916–1990), also commanded RAAF squadrons in both the Pacific and Europe.

Sergeant Bernard 'Jimmy' Jennings of No 19 Squadron rests on a starter trolley while giving a combat report to the squadron 'spy' (intelligence officer) at Fowlmere, the satellite airfield of Duxford, late September 1940.
On 4th September 1939 Jennings joined 19 Squadron at Duxford. Over Dunkirk on 27th May 1940 he shared in a probable Do17 and on 1st June destroyed two Me110's and damaged a Do215 on a later patrol.

He claimed a Me110 destroyed and a He111 probably destroyed on 11th September and a Me109 destroyed on the 29th.
He was awarded the DFM (gazetted 4th April 1941).
He retired from the RAF on 21st March 1962 as a Wing Commander

Squadron Leader James Lacey DFM standing by the propeller of a Hawker Hurricane at Milfield, near Berwick.

Pilots of No 43 Squadron RAF based at Wick, Caithness, standing in front of one of the unit's Hawker Hurricane Mark Is. Left to right: Sergeants J Arbuthnot, R Plenderleith and H J L Hallows, Flying Officer J W Simpson, Flight Lieutenant P W Townsend and Pilot Officer H C Upton.

A Hawker Sea Hurricane Mark I of the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit being placed on the steam catapult of a Catapult Armed Merchant (CAM) ship at Gibraltar.

Pilot Officer Józef Stasik of No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron playing with Misia, the dog-mascot of the Squadron, on the wing of his Spitfire at RAF Northolt, 10 April 1942.
KIA on August 31, 1944, Hit by flak baled out north of Ostend, no known grave.

 

[dinomartino1]

1940 A group of pilots of No. 19 Squadron RAF discuss a recent sortie by Manor Farm at Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire. Standing from left to right are: Sergeant B J Jennings, Flight-Sergeant G C 'Grumpy' Unwin, unknown, Flying Officer H S L Dundas (of No. 616 Squadron RAF), Flight Sergeant H Steere, and Squadron-Leader B J E 'Sandy' Lane, the Squadron's Commanding Officer. Flight-Sergeant Unwin's pet German Shepherd dog 'Flash' can be seen to the left.
Bernard James Jennings was born in Luton on 21st March 1915 and joined the RAF as an Aircrafthand on 1st May 1933.

Bernard Jennings. On 4th September 1939 Jennings joined 19 Squadron at Duxford. Over Dunkirk on 27th May 1940 he shared in a probable Do17 and on 1st June destroyed two Me110's and damaged a Do215 on a later patrol.
He claimed a Me110 destroyed and a He111 probably destroyed on 11th September and a Me109 destroyed on the 29th.

"Sandy" lane KIA 1942
During Lane's operational career he claimed 6 (and 1 shared) enemy aircraft shot down, 2 unconfirmed destroyed, 1 probable destroyed and 1 damaged.
A permanent memorial plaque, organised by local resident Paul Baderman, was unveiled on Lane's former home in Pinner, London on 25 September 2011, 69 years after his death.A crowd of about 400 people attended the short ceremony which saw guests of honour Flt Lt K A Wilkinson RAF and Mr John Milne unveil the plaque. Flt Lt Wilkinson flew under Lane's command in 19 Squadron and Milne was Lane's Rigger, responsible for refuelling Lane's Spitfire and the repair of its airframe.

JOINING the RAF as an apprentice clerk in 1929, George Unwin was selected for pilot training six years later, and went on to become one of the most successful Battle of Britain aces. By the end of the Battle, during which he flew as a sergeant pilot, he had shot down 14 enemy aircraft and had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal and Bar.

Hugh " cocky" Dundas became one of the youngest group captains in the RAF. His brother John, a 12-kill ace with No. 609 Squadron, was killed in action in November 1940.
His war time score was 4 destroyed, 6 shared destroyed, 2 shared probables, and 2 and 1 shared damaged.

Harry Steere.joined the RAF at Halton in September 1930 as an Aircraft Apprentice. ON 11th May 1940 Steere shared in the destruction of a Ju88, 19 squadron's first victory. Over Dunkirk on the 26th he destroyed a Ju87, on the 27th shared in probably destroying a Do17, on the 28th destroyed a Me109 and on 1st June he probably destroyed a Do17 and shared in the destruction of a Me109.
On 19th August Steere shared in the destruction of a Me110, on 9th September he claimed a Me110 probably destroyed, on the 15th a Do17 and a Me109 destroyed, on the 18th he shared in the destruction of a He111 and a Ju88, on the 27th he destroyed a Me109 and on 28th November he destroyed another Me109.
Steere was killed on 9th June 1944 as a Flight Lieutenant with 627 Squadron, aged 30. Mosquito IV DZ353 AZ-B came down near Orgeres during a raid against railway targets at Rennes. F/O KW Gale RAAF was also killed.

 

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Wing Commander MICHAEL ROBINSON
During the Battle of Britain he flew with Nos. 601 and 238 Squadrons RAF, and commanded No. 609 Squadron RAF until July 1941. He arrived at Tangmere having shot down 16 enemy aircraft, and led the Wing until the end of March 1942, when he replaced Wing Commander A G Malan as wing leader at Biggin Hill. He added a further 3.5 victories to his score before he was killed in action on 10 April. Robinson was appointed to lead the Tangmere Wing on 1st January 1942. He failed to return from a sweep on 10th April whilst leading the Wing at the head of 340 Squadron. It is believed that his Spitfire Vb W3770 was shot down by Fw190s of JG26.
He has no known grave,Robinson is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.

After his death the following account was found in his personal papers, it differed from the details recorded in his combat report and logbook for the combat of 16th August 1940 which read:

He [the German pilot] never rose above 100 feet until well south of Maidstone and then throttled back. I overtook him and formated on him, pointing downwards for him to land. He turned away so I carried out a dummy quarter attack, breaking very close to him. After this he landed his Me in a field. I threw him a packet of twenty Players and returned to base.

Six months or so before the outbreak of war, he and two young Army friends were on leave, skiing at Garmisch. One evening in the 'local' they had encountered a group of Luftwaffe officers, also on leave, from the Richthofen Geschwader, based at Augsburg in southern Germany, some 60 or 70 miles away. After 'rather a long Kummel session', the senior German officer had invited the British contingent to a Guest Night in the Mess at Augsburg three or four days hence. The invitation was accepted.

We set off from Garmisch in a taxi about six o'clock on a cold and starry night to drive to Augsburg. Eventually we reached a gloomy and windswept expanse reminiscent of Lincolnshire and were escorted to the Richthofen Geschwader's Mess. It's difficult to describe one's first impressions, but generally I was very impressed. We were shown into the anteroom, which was sparsely furnished, but clean and attractive, decorated with pictures of aerial battles of the First World War - only course, the Fokkers were always on top and the odd SE5A’s and Camels were spinning down in flames. I pointed out to a young Leutnant that we too, had the same sort of pictures in our Messes except that the role of principal characters was usually reversed. This seemed to amuse him, the remark was passed round the room in German.


The officers were most polite, clicking their heels and generally be anxious to bring us as many drinks as they could. Personally, I was very impressed by the appearance of all of them. We were led into the dining room and were placed by ourselves at two ends and the middle of a long refectory table. I sat at one end beside the CO, a First World War pilot. My friend from the Welsh Guards was at the far end beside the adjutant, another last-war pilot. The third member of our party was down the middle of the table next to the second in command. The room was lit only by candlelight. The walls were panelled, and the only decorations were squadron banners hung along the sides. The general effect was very good. Like most Guest Nights the dinner started rather pompously and I was surprised when the CO turned to me and said: 'You must not be surprised if you find my boys getting rather out of hand after dinner.' 'Well, sir,' I said, 'I shouldn't worry too much about that. I think we know the form all right.' The CO hesitated. 'I'm afraid you don't understand me. You see, your Air Force and mine, as things used to be, were brought up to certain definite traditions. You may have to excuse my pilots, but remember they are very young and perhaps lack some of the training.'

The dinner was good and very well and impressively served. We reached the coffee stage and it was apparent that they were determined put us under the table as quickly as possible. More and more Kirsch arrived until I felt that so long as I remained upright at the table I could cope. I did notice, however, that gradually, one by one, the pilots were disappearing - seeing a doorway leading into the open air we went outside, rubbed our faces in the snow and ran a couple of times around the Mess. We came back into the Mess expecting to find the boys turning somersaults over chairs and that sort of thing. Instead, they were gathered about in odd groups having drunken arguments in German. A young Leutnant came up to me 'You've got Hurricanes?' he asked 'Yes,' I replied. 'Well,' he said, 'we've got Messerschmitt 109’s and God help you if you ever have to fight us in your old tubs.'

It was their Mess so I didn't want to provoke an argument. 'You know,' I said mildly, 'even so, we still think our Hurricanes are pretty good, too.'

'Then,' he countered, 'you don't believe me? When the war starts (and I hope it does soon) I will take on any three Englishmen with Hurricanes in my Messerschmitt.' A few days later, we returned home. I was destined to meet that young Leutnant once again - not in southern Germany, but in southern Kent, in a hop field near Maidstone.

It was a most perfect day and the dust he had created by landing his 109, wheels up, hung over the field. I followed him down, landed nearby and walked across two fields to where he was lying in the sunshine. I recognized him before he recognized me. 'Hello,' I said, 'are you all right?' He nodded. Then,' I asked, 'may I have your pistol?' As he handed it over I said to him: 'Your face seems familiar, haven't we met somewhere before?' 'Yes,' he said, 'wherever was it?' His English was immaculate, I think he had been at Oxford.

'Augsburg, February 1939,' I said. 'It was a good dinner.'

'Ah, yes,' he murmured. 'But tell me - why didn't you shoot me down when I was in the air? I couldn't have escaped.'

'As a matter of fact, I couldn't shoot you down,' I said. 'I had to force you down the way I did. I had used up all my ammunition on some other 109's'

Then the Home Guard came and took him away.

 

[dinomartino1]

Lysander Mark IIIA, V9547 BA-E, an air-sea rescue aircraft of No. 277 Squadron RAF, preparing for a practice sortie from Hawkinge, Kent. Seen here with M-Type dinghy containers fitted on the undercarriage stub wings and smoke floats on the rear fuselage bomb-racks.

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIb 'Hurribomber' 'AF-S' of 'B' Flight 607 Squadron being re-armed at Manston, 6 November 1941

Squadron Leader R W Oxspring, Commanding Officer of No. 91 Squadron RAF standing on the wing of his Supermarine Spitfire Mark VC, AB216 DL-Z "Nigeria Oyo Province", at Hawkinge, Kent. One of the first Spitfire pilots in the RAF, Oxspring fought through the Battle of Britain with No. 66 Squadron RAF. He commanded 91 Squadron from January to July 1942, and, after them, No. 72 Squadron RAF with whom he moved to North Africa. He then joined the Staff at Fighter Command HQ before assuming command of 322 Squadron RAF in 1944. Oxspring led the Detling Wing until the end of the war, by which time he had destroyed 12 enemy aircraft.

Hawker Typhoon Mark IB, JP853 SA-K, of No. 486 Squadron RNZAF based at Tangmere, Sussex, in fligh

Mechanics look over the cockpit of Messerschmitt Me 410A-3, TF209, at No. 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight at Collyweston, Northamptonshire. This aircraft was formerly F6-OK of 2(F)/ 122, which landed intact and was captured at Monte Corvino, Italy. It arrived for testing at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, on 14 April 1944, and was also evaluated by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down. TF209 flew with the Fighter Interception Unit at Wittering from August 1944 until March 1946 when it was transferred to No. 6 Maintenance Unit at Brize Norton.

 

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Spitfire F Mark XII, MB882 EB-B of No. 41 Squadron RAF, on the ground at Friston, Sussex. Note the slipper fuel tank fitted between the undercarriage.

Nine Hawker Typhoon Mark IBs (JP919 nearest) presented to the RAF by the Brazilian "Fellowship of the Bellows" and officially handed over to No. 193 Squadron RAF by the Brazilian Ambassador, Dr J J Moriz de Aragao at Harrowbeer, Devo

The interior of the No. 10 Group Operations Room at Middle Wallop, Hampshire.

Flight Lieutenants P W Townsend (left) and C B Hull of No. 43 Squadron RAF at Wick, Caithness, at the time they had shot down three enemy aircraft each. Hull became the commanding officer of the Squadron in September 1940 and was killed in action on 8 September having shot down at least 10 enemy aircraft. Townsend was to end his flying service with at least 11 victories, having commanded Nos. 85 and 605 Squadrons RAF. He then commanded RAF stations at Drem and West Malling, and No. 23 Initial Training Wing, before becoming Equerry of Honour to the King in March 1944.

From a farming family, Hull's early years were spent in Southern Rhodesia, South Africa and Swaziland. He boxed for South Africa at the 1934 Empire Games. After being turned down by the South African Air Force because he did not speak Afrikaans, he joined the RAF and, on becoming a pilot officer in August 1936, mustered into No. 43 Squadron at RAF Tangmere in Sussex
Sunday 7th September 1940 saw the first big Luftwaffe raid on London. 43 Squadron were scrambled and Hull led them to intercept a large force of Do17’s escorted by Me109’s. The combat that followed was very intense and Hull was last seen going to the aid of F/Lt. RC Reynell, a very popular Australian pilot. Both men failed to return.
Hull’s Hurricane, V6641, was found in the grounds of Purley High School near Croydon, he was dead from a bullet wound.

Flight Lieutenant Tadeusz Czerwiński, the CO of "A" Flight of No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron, and Flight Lieutenant Stanisław Skalski, the CO of "B" Flight, with the Polish national emblem. RAF Churchstanton, 26-28 January 1942.


Flight Lieutenant Tadeusz Czerwiński died on August 22, 1942 shot down by the German flak in the Saint-Omer area.

Stanisław Skalski DSO DFC** was a Polish fighter ace of the Polish Air Force in World War II, later rising to the rank of brigadier general. Skalski was the top Polish fighter ace of the war and the first Allied fighter ace of the war, credited, according to official lists, with 18 11/12 victories and two probable. Some sources, including Skalski himself, give a number of 22 11/12 victories.

 

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Flight Lieutenants Brendan 'Paddy' Finucane (left) and Keith 'Bluey' Truscott of No 452 Squadron congratulate each other at Kenley on 13 October 1941. The two flight commanders had just returned from a very successful Circus operation during which each had shot down two Me109s.
Wing Commander Brendan Eamonn Fergus Finucane, DSO, DFC & Two Bars Born into a Catholic family in Ireland of Irish and English heritage. His father was member of the Irish Volunteers and served under de Valera's command in the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin.
Brendan and his mother were nearly killed, when caught in cross-fire between the Royal Irish Constabulary Black and Tans and the IRA In 1921. In November 1937, Brendan approached his father about joining the RAF, despite his Republican past, the senior Finucane agreed, believing a military career would provide a sense of direction lacking in his own youth. His parents cashed in their insurance policies, even though they needed the money, his father had been made unemployed.
He joined the RAF aged 17 in 1938, , Finucane's brother Raymond served in No. 101 Squadron RAF and survived the war.
Finucane was credited with 28 aerial victories, five probably destroyed, six shared destroyed, one shared probable victory, and eight damaged. Included in his total were 23 Messerschmitt Bf 109s, four Focke-Wulf Fw 190s and one Messerschmitt Bf 110. Official records differ over the exact total. After the war, two of Finucane's victories that were credited as probables had, in fact, been destroyed, but were not officially included. His total victory count could be as high as 32. Some sources credit him this figure.

On 15 July 1942, Finucane was killed at the age of 21 while leading the Hornchurch Wing in a fighter "Ramrod"—ground attack—operation targeting a German Army camp at Étaples, France. Finucane took off with his wing at 11:50. The attack was timed to hit the Germans at lunchtime. Crossing the beach at Le Touquet, they targeted machine gun positions. Finucane was hit in the radiator at 12:22. His wingman, Alan Aikman, notified him of the white plume of smoke and Finucane acknowledged it with a thumbs up. Standard regulations insisted the wing carry on the mission even if the leader was in trouble. Radio silence was maintained so the enemy radio-interception services would not know a person of importance was hit

Finucane flew slowly out to sea, talking calmly to Aikman as he glided along in his stricken fighter. Finally, some 8 miles (13 km) off Le Touquet on the French coast, he broke radio silence and sent his last message. Aikman, flying alongside Finucane, saw him pull back the canopy, and before taking off his helmet, say "This is it Butch". It was a well–executed landing, but the waves were difficult to predict and the Spitfire's nose struck the water and disappeared in a wall of spray.
Over 2,500 people attended his memorial at Westminster Cathedral. A rose was planted in the memorial garden in Baldonnel Aerodrome in Dublin (home of the Irish Air Corps) where Brendan and his brother Ray first flew. Finucane's name is also inscribed on the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede. The memorial commemorates airmen who were lost in the Second World War and who have no known grave.

"Don't ditch her, Truscott. If you are over water and in trouble, bail out. Get out of her fast. She doesn't take to water like a duck; she takes to it like a fish and goes straight down."
Finucane to Keith Truscott upon his arrival at 452

Paddy and Bluey where known for their bad landings and both where poor student pilots.

Keith William "Bluey" Truscott, DFC & Bar (17 May 1916 – 28 March 1943) was a World War II ace fighter pilot and Australian rules footballer with the Melbourne Football Club. After joining the Royal Australian Air Force in 1940, he became the second highest Australian World War 2 ace credited with 20 confirmed victories and 5 unconfirmed victories. After completing flying training in Canada, Truscott served in Britain flying Spitfire fighters. He returned to Australia in early 1942 and served in New Guinea, where he fought during the climactic Battle of Milne Bay. He was killed in a joint Australian-US training exercise off the coast of Western Australia in March 1943, at the age of 26.

"I owe a great deal to Paddy Finucane. He coached me in air fighting and taught me everything I needed to know, both before and after we started ops."
Keith Truscott reflecting on his time with 452

The pilot and flight mechanic of the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit, practice a 'scramble' to Hawker Sea Hurricane Mark I, V6733, on the steam-catapult of Catapult Armed Merchantman (CAM ship) SS EMPIRE DARWIN in the Mediterranean, while heading for North Africa in a convoy

A ground mechanic of No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron playing with a spaniel dog, pet of one of the Squadron's officers, at RAF Northolt, 10 April 1942

 

[Steve27752]

I think the bottom caption should read 'Pilot Officer playing with a spaniel....'
Not many ground crew would be wearing a silk(?) scarf.

 

[dinomartino1]

Supermarine Spitfire of No. 603 Squadron taxiing out at Dyce in Scotland for another routine convoy patrol, 4 February 1942.

Flight Lieutenant Brendan 'Paddy' Finucane seated in the cockpit of his Supermarine Spitfire at RAF Kenley while serving with No 452 Squadron

Group Captain A.G. 'Sailor' Malan on the wing of Squadron Leader Hugo 'Sinker' Armstrong's Spitfire IX at Biggin Hill, 2 January 1943

406022 Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) Hugo Throssell Armstrong DFC and Bar, RAAF of Perth, WA (centre), Squadron Commander of No. 611 (West Lancashire) Spitfire Squadron, shot down two Messerschmitt BF109 aircraft during a day raid on Britain on 19 January 1943. Also in the photo are Wing Commander Richard Maxwell Milne RAF, Wing Leader, Biggin Hill (left) and Adjutant Robert G. Gouby, 340 Squadron RAF (Free French Air Force) (right) who also shot down two German Focke-Wulf FW190 aircraft. Sqn Ldr Armstrong was a member of the first Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) course, and one of the earliest EATS graduates to command a squadron. He went missing in action over the English Channel off Boulogne, France on 05 February 1943, and has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey UK

Squadron Leader Antoni Wczelik, the CO of No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron, briefing his pilots on the next operation. RAF Churchstanton, 26-28 January 1942. From left to right - Squadron Leader Antoni Wczelik, Flying Officer Adam Fliśnik, Sergeant Witold Krupa (with a mascot-dog), unknown, Sergeant Jan Śmigielski; Flying Officer Bohdan Arct (in the background), unknown, Flight Lieutenant Tadeusz Czerwiński.

Squadron Leader Antoni Wczelik
On 14th April 1942 the squadron was escorting a force of Bostons to bomb a power station at Mondeville near Caen. On the return the Spitfires were bounced by Me109's and Wczelik, in Spitfire Vc AP182, was seen to go down with white smoke issuing from the aircraft. It is presumed that it went into the Channel.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Polish Air Force Memorial at Northolt.

Flying Officer Adam Fliśnik KIA 1942

Tadeusz Czerwińsk KIA 1942