Fighter PILOTS 1939 - 1945 a UNIVERSAL PROMOTIONS E-BOOK Copyright © Universal Promotions Limited 2010

Commemorative E-Book

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God send me to see suche a company together agayne when need is.

LORD HOWARD OF EFFINGHAM TABLE OF CONTENTS

E-Book Cover with Pilots Wings

Half-title page with poem by Lord Effingham

Index of contributing Fighter Pilots

Introduction by Captain John Purdy

“American Fighter Pilots” A tribute written by Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson

A Message from Air Commodore Alan Deere

Fighter Command 1939-45 Fact Sheet The commanders, fighter production, leading fighter pilots of the war – all nations

Prominent Aircraft of RAF Fighter Command Technical drawings with specifications of the principal fighter aircraft

“RAF Fighter Command 1939-1945” A major feature describing the role and activity of RAF Fighter Command in WWII written by Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson, Allies’ leading fighter pilot in World War II

The Personal Memoirs Individually written by twenty five distinguished RAF and American fighter pilots comprising over 20,000 words of un-edited descriptive combat recollections

Acknowledgements

• INDEX OF CONTRIBUTING FIGHTER PILOTS

Colonel Gerald Brown, DSM, DFC, Air Medal

Squadron Leader Danny Browne, DFC

Major General Marion Carl, Navy Cross*, DFC, Air Medal

Captain Robert Coates, Navy Cross, DFC, Air Medal

Group Captain Paul Davoud, DSO, DFC

Squadron Leader Harry Dowding, DFC*

Wing Commander ‘Stocky’ Edwards, DFC*, DFM

Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris, DSO

Wing Commander Hugh Godefroy, DSO, DFC, MD

Colonel Jim Goodson, DSC, Silver Star, DFC

Squadron Leader Bob Hayward, DSO, DFC

Squadron Leader P.W.E (Nip) Heppell, DFC*

Group Captain Al Houle, DFC*

Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson, DSO**, DFC*

Colonel Robert Johnson, DSC, Silver Star, DFC, DFC (RAF), Air Medal

Lieutenant General Don Laubman, DFC*

Wing Commander Laddie Lucas, DSO*, DFC

General Robin Olds, AFC, Silver Star, DFC, DFC (RAF), DSO, Air Medal

Flight Lieutenant Larry Robillard, DFC,

Wing Commander Dal Russell, DSO, DFC*

General Robert Scott, Silver Star, DFC, Air Medal

Flight Lieutenant Sir Alan Smith, DFC

Wing Commander Rod Smith, DFC*

Commander Alex Vraciu, Navy Cross, DFC, Air Medal

Group Captain The Hon. John Waddy, DFC, Air Medal Introduction by Captain John Purdy

P-38 Fighter ace and Chairman of the American Fighter Aces Museum Foundation

Fighter pilots are people I have known most of my life. Many of the aces included in this volume are personally known to me and I am therefore honoured and delighted to introduce this collection of biographical recollections from WWII.

I have often been asked what it takes to be a fighter pilot. I don’t believe there is a straightforward answer to the question because a fighter pilot needs to have a variety of special qualities. If pressed, however, I would say there is one characteristic every fighter pilot I ever knew has, and that is ‘individualism’.

What makes this series of memoirs so fascinating is that each has been individually written by the man himself. Thus each personal memoir gives a glimpse into the character of the man in a way that reflects his personality and individualism.

Since the early days of aerial combat fighter pilots have been portrayed as glamorous extroverts. However justified this image may be, of one thing you can be sure: in the air, fighter pilots are true professionals.

I like the professional way in which this series has been compiled and published and I believe these memoirs will serve as a tribute to all fighter pilots, and in particular to the memory of those who lost their lives while still in the flush of youth.

Captain John Purdy, USAAF (Ret.) AMERICAN FIGHTER PILOTS

by Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson

In these memoirs you will read the personal accounts of some outstanding American fighter pilots including my old friends Robin Olds, Danny Browne, Eagle Squadron ace Jim Goodson, and Robert Johnson who achieved 28 victories in the space of just 12 months combat in Europe. Some fought in Europe with the RAF, others with the USAAF – Jim Goodson with both. Others fought in the Pacific with the US Navy and Marine Corps. Robin Olds, one of the great fighter pilots of our time, became an ace flying P-51 Mustangs in Europe during WWII and went on to become one of the outstanding jet fighter leaders in the hard fought war in Vietnam.

After Pearl Harbor, in 1942 the Japanese were masters of a large part of Asia, dominated the Western Pacific, and controlled Indonesia. American strategy was to hold the line until sufficient strength had been gathered, then progress using amphibious landings as they arduously fought their way step-by-step up through the Pacific towards Japan. When in May 1942 the Japanese struck the U.S. Fleet in the Coral Sea, for the first time in naval history all the fighting was conducted by carrier-borne aircraft – not a shot being fired by the surface ships during the battle. It was a portent of what was to become a war dominated by American fighter aircraft.

Soon after came the decisive Battle of Midway when the brilliant flying of the Navy and Marine pilots set new standards in carrier-borne warfare. Then followed Guadalcanal – one of the hardest fought campaigns in American history – and ‘up the ladder’ to the Solomons, Gilbert and Marshalls, the Marianas and Bonin islands till, in the summer of 1945 the American forces had battled their way to within bombing distance of Japan itself.

Both Services produced many fighter aces, Marine pilot Marion Carl being among those to achieve early success at Midway. Flying Wildcats, Hellcats, Corsairs – big radial engine fighters favoured by the Americans – the Navy and Marine pilots that fought the Pacific battles were among the bravest and most determined of the war.

Although the memoirs in this collection largely represent pilots that fought in the European Theatre, the publishers wisely felt those that fought in the Pacific should be acknowledged in any collection titled “WWII Fighter Pilots”, and I heartily agree.

Fighter pilots were, and are with few exceptions, more important than the machines they fly – and this applies to all forms of aerial combat. Fighter pilots are individualistic, characterful, sometimes colourful, occasionally quirky, but all have in them the basic nature of the hunter. In war the fighter pilot lives a strange life alternating between short periods of intense excitement in the air, sometimes quite frightening, which greatly contrasts with long periods on the ground between fighting when they have little to do. These periods of relaxation often produce much gaiety and frivolity but, unlike the image often portrayed in the popular press, never of the nature that affects a sense of purpose in the air. Once airborne, the fighter pilot becomes at one with his aircraft and in extreme adversity, invariably exceeds even his own expectations. I believe these personally written memoirs bring out the individuality of each contributing Fighter Pilot in a quite unique way and I am proud to have had the opportunity to acknowledge the huge role that our American counterparts played in WWII.

• ROYAL AIR FORCE FIGHTER COMMAND 1939-1945

AN INTRODUCTION BY AIR COMMODORE AL DEERE, DSO, DFC, OBE.

A casual observation in Johnnie Johnson’s “Fighter Command 1939-45” could well be that “it has all been said before” and so it has; but, the author, calling on adepth of experience on fighter operations throughout the period, has successfully knitted together the various phases of the development of the Command to produce a refreshingly readable account of Fighter Command in war.

It has been said that mistakes lose wars, and so it was to prove in the Battle of Britain, for, as the author brings out, German High Command made two grevious ones. In the first place, flushed no doubt with quick victory in Poland and the Low Countries, their Head of Intelligence assessed victory over Fighter Command as “between a fortnight and a month”. His mistake was grossly to underestimate the capability of the Command to withstand an aerial blitzkreig as practised thus far by the Luftwaffe, due no doubt to the fact that he either ignored or was not made aware of the highly sophisticated radar defence-control system which appended the RAF fighter force, that high degree of flexibility not available to the continental air forces. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, in switching the Luftwaffe from its originally stated pre-invasion aim “Destruction of the Royal Air Force” to the bombing of London, as a retaliatory measure for the bombing of Berlin in August, the German High Command abused the first principle of war “maintenance of the aim” and this at a time in the Battle when victory was almost in sight.

This account of Fighter Command should, I believe,be treated as a follow up to the Author’s autobiographical “Wing Leader”; together they make complementary reading. Royal Air Force Fighter Command 1939 - 1945 FACT SHEET

1. 4. The most successful fighter pilots of the Second World War, by On 16th October 1944 Headquarters Allied nationality. Expeditionary Air Force ceased to exist and was . absorbed into Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Australia Gp. Capt. Clive R Caldwell 28 Force. Air Defence of Great Britain reverted to Air Austria Maj. Waiter Nowotny 258 Ministry control and was redesignated Lt. Command. The Principal components of Belgium FIt. Vicki Ortmans 11 Command as it supported overlord in its final stages Canada Sqn. Ldr. George F. Buerling 31 are shown below. Czechoslovakia Sgt. Josef Frantisek 28 Air Marshal commanding: Denmark Gp. Capt. Kaj Birksted either 8 or 10 Air Marshal Sir Roderic M. Hill. Finland F/Mstr. E.I. Juuualainen 94 Senior Air Staff Officer: France Sqn. Ldr. Pierre H. Clostermann Air Vice Marshal WB. (to 31.1.45) 19 Air Vice Marshal G.H.Ambler 1.2.45) Germany Maj. Erich Hartmann 352 No. 10 Group. Hungary 2nd Lt. Dezio Szentgyorgyi 43 Air Vice Marshal J.B. Cole-Hamilton (to 31. 10.44) Ireland Wg. Cdr. Brendon E. Finucane 32 Air Commodore AV. Harvey (from 1. 1 1.44) Italy· Maj. Adriano Visconti 26 26 Squadron - Mustang. 504 Squadron - Meteor. Japan Sub-Off. Hiroyoshi Nishizawa 103 No. 11 Group. Netherlands Lt. Col. Van Arkel 12 V-Is and 5 Air Vice Marshal H.Wl. Saunders (to 31. 10.44) New Zealand Wg. Cdr. Colin F. Gray 27 Air Vice Marshal J.B. Cole-Hamilton (from 1.1 1.44) Norway FIt. Lt. Svein Heglund either 14 or 1 6 25,29, 151,307, (Pol), 406(RCAF),456(RAAF) Poland Jan Poriatowski 36 squadrons - Mosquito. Romania Cap. Prince Constantine Cantacuzino 60 64, 118, 122, 126, 129, 165, 234, 303 (Pol), S. Africa Sqn. Ldr. M.T. St. J. Pattle 306(Pol), 309(Pol), 315(Pol), 316(Pol), 41 442(RCAF),61 1 Squadrons - Mustang. UK Gp. Capt. James E. Johnson 38 124,31O(Czech), 312(Czech), 313(Czech), United States Maj. Richard I. Bong 40 33 1(Nor), 332(Nor) 44 1(RCAF), 45 1(RAAF), U.S.S.R. Guards Col. Ivan N. Kozhedub 62 453(RAAF) Squadrons - Spitfire. No. 12 Group. Air Vice Marshal J.M. Henderson (to 31.12.44) 5. Fighter Pilots serving with the 6. Fighter Pilots serving with the ,Air Vice Marshal JW. Baker (from 1. 1.45) RAF during the second world war USAF during the Second World · 1, 91, 602, 603 Squadrons - Spitfire. who achieved 25 or more War who achieved 25 or more 125 (Newfoundland) Squadron - Mosquito. No.13 Group. - confirmed aerial victories. confirmed aerial victories. Air Commodore JA Boret. Pilot Victories Pilot Victories 19, 65 Squadrons - Mustang. Sqn. Ldr. M.T. St. J. Pattle DFC 41 (SA) USAAF:- Maj. Richard I. Bong (CMH) 40 329(Fr) Squadrons - Spitfire. Gp. Capt. J.E. Johnson DSO, DFC. 38 (UK) Maj. T.B. McGuire (CMH) 38 Gp. Capt. AG. Malan DSO, DFC. 35 (SA) Col. F.S. Gabreski 31 British British Arri als of Arrivals 2 • v Fighter Fighter Fighters in Ov�rseas Wg. Cdr. B.E. Finucane DSO, DFC. 32 (Ir) Lt. Col. RS. Johnson 28 of F ghters Production Production U.K. from I Sq. Ldr. G.F. Buerling DSO, DFC, DFM. 31 (Ca) Col. C.H. MacDonald 27 (Numerical) (Million Ib) N. America Direct F�m U.S.A. Wg. Cdr. J.RD. Braham DSO, DFC, AFC. 29 (UK) Maj. G.E. Preddy 26 1939 2,403 8.33 Wg. Cdr. R.R.S. Tuck DSO, DFC. 29 (UK) USN:- Capt. D. McCampbell 34 1940 5,804 18.39 578 Sqrr. Ldr. N.F. Duke DSO, DFt, AFC. 28 (UK) USMC:- Maj. J.J. Foss 26 194 1 8,457 26.79 467 922 Gp. Capt. C.R. Caldwell DSO, DFC. 28 (AU) Lt. RM. Hanson 25 1942 10,663 34.75 1,099 1,066 Gp. Capt. F.H.R. Carey DFC,AFC, DFM. 28 (UK) Lt. Col. G. Boyington 22 1943 11,103 29.16 470 648 Sqn. Ldr. J.H. Lacey DFM. 28 (UK) (Lt.Col. Boyington is known to have destroyed an 1944 10,730 29.69 495 1,04 1 Wg. Cdr. C.F. Gray DSO, DFC. 27 (NZ) additional six enemy aircraft while serving with the 1945 5,445 22. 12 493 260 FIt. Lt. E.S. Lock DSO, DFC . 26 (UK) Air Volunteer Group under Chinese command). • I.e. To British overseas commands and other Wg. Cdr. LC. Wade DSO, DFC. 25 (US) governments, Including Canada 7. Fighter Pilots who scored over 3. Allied Fighter Pilots who scored ten or more confirmed victories 100 victories against the Western during the Battle of Britain. Allies in N. Europe, S. Europe, the Mediterranean and N. Africa. Sgt. J. Frantisek, DFM. 17 Hurricanes 303 sqn. Cz. Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Marseille 158 PIt. Off. E.S. Lock, DSO, DFC. 16+ 1 shared Spitfires 41 sqn. G.B. Oberstleutnant Kurt Buhligen 112 Fg. Off. B.J.G. Carbury, D.F.C. 15+ 1 shared Spitfires 603 sqn. N.z. Generalleutnant Adolf Galland 104 Sgt. J.H. Lacey, DFM. 15+ 1 shared Hurricanes 501 sqn. Aux. Major Joachim Muncheberg 102 PIt. Off. RF.T. Doe, DSO, DFC. 15 Hurricanes 238 sqn. Oberstieutnant Egon Mayer 1 02 Spitfires 234 sqn. G.B. Major Werner Schroer 102 FIt. Lt. P.C. Hughes, DFC. 14+ 3 shared Spitfires 234 sqn. Aus. Oberst Josef Priller 10 1 PIt. Off. C.F. Gray, DSO, DFC. 14+ 2 shared Spitfires 54 sqn. N.z. FIt. Lt. AA McKellar,DSO, DFC. 14 + 1 shared Hurricanes 605 sqn. G.B. Fg. Off. W Urbanowicz, DFC 14 Hurricanes 303 sqn. 8. Some of the most outstanding Hurricanes 60 1 sqn. Pol. Jet Fighter Pilots' Victories from Fg. Off. C.R. Davis, DFC 11+ 1 shared Hurricanes 60 1 sqn. SA W.W.II. Records. Lt. FIt. RF. Boyd, DSO, DFC. 11+ 1 shared Hurricanes 60 1 sqn. GB. Oberstleutnant Heinz Bar 16 Sgt. A McDowall, DSO,AFC, DFM. 11 Spitfires 602 sqn. G.B. Hauptmann Franz Schall 14 Fg. Off. JW. Villa, DFC. 10+ 4 shared Spitfires 72 sqn. Major Erich Rudorffer 1 2 Spitfires 92 sqn. G.B. Oberfeldwebel Hermann Buchner 12 Fg. Off. DAP. McMullen, DFC. 10+ 3 shared Spitfires 54 sqn. Leutnant Karl Schnorrer Not fewer than 8 Spitfires 222 sqn. G.B. Leutnant Rudolf Rademacher Not fewer than 8 FIt. Lt. RS.S. Tuck, DSO, DFC. 10+ 1 shared Spitfires 92 sqn. Major Theodor Weissenberg 8 Hurricanes 257 sqn. G.B. Oberleutnant Waiter Schuck 8 Lt. Off. H.C. Upton, DFC. 10+ 1 shared Spitfires 43 sqn. Oberst Johannes Steinhoff 6 Spitfires 607 sqn. Can. Major Wolfgang Spate 5 FIt. Sgt. G.C. Unwin, DSO, DFM. 10 Spitfire 19 sqn. G.B. Leutnant Klaus Newmann 5

------British Aircraft that flew with fighter command

SUPERMARINE x POWERED BY: 1 1030 h.p. Rolls Royce Merlin III SPITFIRE lA 12-cylinder liquid-cooled engine. ft. ft. WING SPAN: 36 11 ins. LENGTH: 29 11 ins. ft. MAX. SPEED: 362 m.p.h. at 20,000 ft. SERVICE CEILING: 34,200 NORMAL RANGE': 505 miles. x ARMAM ENT: 8 ·303 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted.

HAWKER HURRICANE I x POWERED BY:1 1030 h.p. Rolls Royce Merlin III 12-cylirider liquid-cooled engine. ft. ft. WING SPAN: 40 0 ins. LENGTH: 31 4 ins. ft. MAX. SPEED: 328 m.p.h. at 20,000 NORMAL RANGE: 505 miles. x ARMAMENT: 8 ·303 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted.

BOULTON PAUL DEFIANT x POWERED BY:1 1030 h.p. Rolls Royce Merlin Ill. ft. ft. WING SPAN: 39 4 ins. LENG:rH: 35 4 ins. ft. MAX. SPEED: 303 m.p.h. at 16,500 x ARMAMENT: 4 ·303 Browning in power-op turret.

HAWKER TYPHOON. x POWERED BY: 1 2,100 h.p .. Napier Sabre I. ft. ft. WING SPAN:41 7 ins. LENGTH: 31 10 ins. ft. MAX. SPEED:412 m.p.h. at 19,000 ft. SERVICE CEILING: 35,200 RATE OF CLIMB: 2,540 fVmin. NORMAL RANGE: 510 miles. x ARMAMENT: 12 ·303 Browning in wings.

GLOSTER GlADIATOR x POWERED BY: 1 830 h.p. Bristol Mercury IX. ft. ft. WING SPAN:32 3 ins. LENGTH: 27 5 ins. ft. MAX. SPEED: 253 m.p.h. at 14,500 � SERVICE CEILlNG:32 00� RATE OF CLIMB: 2,444 fVmin. NORMAL RANGE:428 miles. x 2 ·303 Browning x 2 ·303 Browning under lower wings.

WESTlAND WHIRLWIND x POWERED BY: 2 885 h.p. Rolls Royce Peregrin I. ft. ft. WING SPAN:45 0 ins. LENGTH:32 9 ins. ft. MAX. SPEED: 360 m.p.h. at 15,000 ft. SERVICE CEILING: 30,000 RATE OF CLIMB:2,586 fVmin. x ARMAMENT: 4 20 mm Hispano Mk I in fuselage nose. Optional bomb load of 500 lb.

GLOSTER METEOR x POWERED BY: 2 2,000 Ib Rolls Royce Derwent I. ft. ft. WI NG SPAN: 43 0 ins. LENGTH: 41 3 ins. ft. MAX SPEED:475 m.p.h. at 30,000 ft. SERVICE CEILING: 44,000 RATE OF CLIMB: 4,000 fVmin. x ARMAMENT: 4 20 mm in nose. altitudes at a range of one hundred miles from Royal Air Force our shores. Special radars had been ordered FIGHTER COMMAND for the detection of low flying aeroplanes and an I.F.F. (identification friend or foe) had 1939-1945 been developed for distinguishing friendly aeroplanes from “hostiles”. A network of new Edited by Air Vice Marshal communications had been laid down which JOHNNIE JOHNSON enabled Dowding to exercise control through CB, CBE, DSO, DFC a simple yet effective chain of command from his headquarters at Bentley Prior, through the Top Scoring Allied Fighter Pilot in WWII fighter groups, to the fighter stations, and • thence to the squadrons in the front-line.

Unfortunately, Fighter Command’s tactical Defeat in the West training was based on the theory that the air threat to Britain would be hordes of German In the spring of 1938 Hitler and his Nazis were bombers, flying in close formation, and not on the march, and they rehearsed some of their escorted by fighters since the Messerschmitt Blitzkrieg techniques during their bloodless 109 could not reach our shores from airfields occupation of Austria. Czechoslovakia was next in Germany. Apparently, those who assessed on the list and was Hitler’s “last territorial claim the threat did not take into account either the in Europe”. In the Autumn of that year our possibility of French airfields becoming available radars watched the Prime Minister’s aeroplane to the Luftwaffe, or that Willi Messerschmitt return from Munich bringing the news of the might increase the range of his angular fighter unsavoury agreement whereby Britain backed by the simple method of fitting long-range the French Government, who abandoned her tanks. Dog-fighting, it was held, was a thing faithful ally, Czechoslovakia and left her to her of the past, and rigid air fighting tactics were fate. The policy at Munich was fiercely contested introduced which, by a series of complicated and at home by those who held that if Britain had time-wasting manoeuvres, aimed at bringing taken a firmer stand at Munich, France would the greatest number of guns to bear against have followed the lead. However, it gave us a the bombers. breathing space – not Chamberlain’s intention at the time – and Air Chief Marshal, Sir Hugh Our fighting unit was the tight vic of three Dowding, took full advantage of the precious fighters, and squadron training was based on six months to fashion his force, Fighter Command, types of formation attacks against unescorted for the war he knew was inevitable. Had we bombers. These set-piece attacks, although gone to war in 1938 our old fighter biplanes, excellent for precision flying and squadron like the Hawker Fury and the Gloster Gauntlet discipline, were useless in combat. would have been swept from the skies by the Tactically the German Fighter Arm was well infinitely superior Messerschmitt 109s. ahead of Fighter Command mainly because of their young fighter pilots like Mölders, Galland, When, in September 1939, the Second World and Wiecke, had fought and gained valuable War began, Dowding’s unrelenting struggle to experience, since 1936, with the German Condor provide Britain with an adequate air defence Legion in Spain. The German fighter pilots soon had made great strides. We had more than 500 realised that the speed of their 109s made close modern fighters, Hurricanes and Spitfires, in the formations impracticable for combat. The large front-line. However, our greatest achievement turning circle of the curving fighters dictated was the establishment of a sound air defence that a loose pattern was the only method by system incorporating twenty radar stations which individual pilots could hold their position which could detect aeroplanes at medium in the turn and keep a sharp look-out at the same time. The high closing speeds, especially France, fighter pilots of four countries took on from head-on positions, made it essential to the Messerschmitts as best they could. But pick out and identify the enemy aircraft as soon the French were poorly placed in their ageing as possible, so that the leader could work his Moranes, and Our fighting unit was the tight way into a good attacking position. The simple vic of three fighters, and squadron training was requirement was for a loose, open type of based on six types of formation attacks against combat formation with the various aeroplanes unescorted bombers. These set-piece attacks, flying at separated heights which would permit although excellent for precision flying and individual pilots to cover each other and search squadron discipline, were useless in combat. a greater area of sky than before. Tactically the German Fighter Arm was well Credit must be given to the Germans for ahead of Fighter Command mainly because of devising the perfect fighter formation. It was their young fighter pilots like Mölders, Galland, based on what they called the rotte, that is the and Wiecke, had fought and gained valuable element of two fighters. Some two hundred experience, since 1936, with the German Condor yards separated a pair of fighters and the main Legion in Spain. The German fighter pilots soon responsibility of the number two, or wingman, realised that the speed of their 109s made close was to guard his leader from a quarter or an formations impracticable for combat. The large astern attack. Meanwhile the leader navigated turning circle of the curving fighters dictated his small force and covered his wingman. The that a loose pattern was the only method by Schwarme, four fighters, simply consisted of which individual pilots could hold their position two pairs, and when we eventually copied the in the turn and keep a sharp look-out at the Luftwaffe and adopted this pattern we called it same time. The high closing speeds, especially the ‘finger-four’ because the relative positions from head-on positions, made it essential to of the fighters are similar to a plan view of one’s pick out and identify the enemy aircraft as soon four finger-tips. as possible, so that the leader could work his way into a good attacking position. The simple On 10th May, 1940, the Blitzkrieg pattern again requirement was for a loose, open type of unfolded. Enemy bombers, escorted by long- combat formation with the various aeroplanes range fighters, attacked more than seventy flying a separated heights which would permit Dutch, Belgian, and French airfields – some of individual pilots to cover each other and search which housed Fighter Command squadrons. a greater area of sky than before. Some of these well-planned attacks lasted nearly an hour and were so successful that the There were many Messerschmitts and few Dutch and Belgian Air Forces were practically Hurricanes, and the Stukas had a splendid time written-off. In Holland the Germans were when those screaming dive-bombers seemed to careful to leave some landing areas undamaged have a personal antagonism towards everyone and, when the bombers turned for home, scores on the ground. For it seemed that disaster of Junkers 52s, which strong fighter escorts, came with the Stukas; that after the dive- dropped thousands of tough and experienced bombing and machine-gunning the tanks rolled paratroops. The seizure of Holland had begun on and on through France. The Stukas spelled and would be completed in a matter of days. death, confusion, and terror. The dive bombers When the storm broke there were six Hurricane were not part of the Blitzkrieg, they were the squadrons in France. Within twenty four hours Blitzkrieg. three more Hurricane squadrons had flown to France, and a fourth on 12th May. The Stukas usually flew in large numbers escorted by twin-engined Messerschmitt 110s As the terrible German combination of and higher 109s. Other enemy bombers were aeroplanes and armour blasted and punched also heavily escorted and packs of free ranging their way through the Low Countries and into 109s roved well out on the flanks. Hurricane pilots thus found themselves fighting for their At Dunkirk the initiative lay with the Luftwaffe lives before they could get at the bombers; for because no one could anticipate the timing of they were so few and the odds so great – four the attacks and enemy bombers could rapidly Hurricanes against thirty Domiers and twelve concentrate over the town. For all that the 109s, eight against sixty Stukas and 109s, radars in England constantly saw large gaggles, three against one hundred Stukas and sixty RAF airfields in Kent were too far away for 109s. Many Hurricanes were shot down before fighters to intercept from ground readiness; and they could get at the bombers. when the bombers came in low there was no radar warning whatsoever. Accordingly Air Vice France was disintegrating before the onslaught. Marshal Keith park, a tall lean New Zealander, The British Expeditionary Force had begun a thrice decorated for gallantry in the First War fighting withdrawal that was to end at Dunkirk, and now commanding 11 Group, had no option and what remained of the Hurricane squadrons but to resort to the wasteful system of standing were ordered back to England. Nearly two patrols, and each of his thirty-two fighter hundred destroyed or damaged Hurricanes squadrons flew up and down the beaches at were left behind, and these represented one- 16,000 feet or so for forty minutes and, in quarter of Fighter Command’s strength of theory, was then relieved. modern fighters. Dowding’s home-based force of some forty squadrons was well short of the Occasionally a squadron fought immediately fifty-two he thought necessary to defend these it arrived near Dunkirk, and the pilots, having islands, but he was under much pressure to used all their ammunition, withdrew to re-arm. send more squadrons to France, where, without Sometimes RAF formation leaders attacked the backing of a proper system of air defence, such large numbers that all that a few Spitfires they would have fared like their predecessors. could hope for was one pass at the bombers Dowding was allowed to plead his case before before the 109s were upon them. Park therefore the War Cabinet, who no doubt had to strike increased the strength of his patrols to two some balance between moral support for squadrons, and later to four squadrons, but France and unsound military measures, for this meant even longer periods when the men Dowding felt his audience was not sympathetic below were without fighter protection and had to his views; after some time he produced a to suffer heavy bomber and a murderous hail of graph showing the wastage rate of Hurricanes, machine-gun fire. placed this before the Prime Minister and said, “If the present rate of wastage continues for 1st June, 1940, was a fine summer’s evening. another fortnight, we shall not have a single The first 11 Group patrol met masses of Hurricane left in France or in this country.” On Stukas and Messerschmitts and was fought to’ the following day Fighter Command sent the a standstill. The second patrol saw nothing, equivalent of a further four squadrons to France but the third intercepted Stukas who had but these, the Cabinet decided, were to be the already bombed and straffed our shipping. The last fighter reinforcements. third patrol fought three times its number of Messerschmitts, but after the Spitfires withdrew So far the Messerschmitt 109E had proved to another damaging German attack ravaged the have a decided advantage over the Hurricane 1, shipping off-shore. since the enemy fighter was faster, had a higher ceiling and better armament. Now, however, the On 4th June the long agony ended, and the last two great antagonists of the air war – Spitfire men to leave Dunkirk sailed under a cover of and Messerschmitt clashed for the first time fog and fighter squadrons. Operation ‘Dynamo’, as Dowding’s home-based Spitfire squadrons one of the most desperate combined operations patrolled over Dunkirk to help bring home the in our long history, was over. bulk of the B.E.F. Mölders often fought over Dunkirk, where The strategy of Operation ‘Sealion’ was to be the Defiant, a two-seater fighter, gave him a that of the recent campaign in the Low Countries nasty shock because it had a four-gun power and France, but on a far greater scale. There operated turret which had a good arc of fire would be massive attacks against the R.A.F., on either flank. At a range of half a mile the the Channel would be a major river crossing, Defiant looked not unlike a Hurricane and when, and the German Armies, well supported by the during its first combats, the Germans allowed Luftwaffe, would, as before, carry all before it to come alongside, it gained a spectacular them. but shortlived success. But the turret proved little compensation for the Defiants indifferent By the end of July the Luftwaffe forces poised performance; the Germans soon had its to crush Britain compromised 2,600 aeroplanes measure and, like the Lysander and the Battle, of which 1,200 were bombers, 280 Stukas and it was fought out of the sky. 980 fighters. This was a formidable force, much bigger than its adversary, but it had two fatal Mölders sometimes bounced a few spitfires flaws. who, flying in their neat, tight vics, failed to see the German ace in the sun; but once the RAF The proportion of bombers to fighters showed pilots had broken out of their pitiful formations that Reichmarshal Herman Göring clearly they fought with a skill and determination which underestimated the forthcoming fight for air Molders had never met Uke the Hurricane, the superiority over the Channel and southern Spitfires could not fly as high as his 109E. England; he, and other in the German High and he could out-dive both British fighters, but Command, thought that Fighter Command when he stayed for the close fighting he found would be crushed in a matter of days and his the Spitfire could out-tum him. bombers would then be free to roam over England, blasting all before them, and paving Mölders, with twenty-five victories, and Galland, the way for the great armoured thrusts. The with seventeen victories, were each proportion of supporting fighters to the bombers awarded the Knighfs Cross and promoted. The should have been at least three to one. RAF’s top scorer in France, with some fourteen victories, was Flying Officer ‘Cobber’ Kain, 73 The second serious omission was the lack of Squadron, a happy, strapping, fearless boy radar deployed on the French coast. Enemy from tremendous odds, and showed that man bomber and fighter formations would not be for man, RAF fighter pilots could stand up to the guided by radar, nor would their leaders have best of the Luftwaffe. any knowledge of Fighter Command’s reaction.

The Thin Blue Line These two failings proved to be the beginning of Now Hitler was master of Europe, German their undoing. The rest was provided by Fighter grand strategy relied on Operation ‘Sealion’ by Command’s radar shield, resolute leadership which Hitler aimed to conquer Britain within by the commander-in-chief, brilliant tactical the next few months; first of all the Royal Air handling by the 11 Group commander, Keith Force (like the Continental Air Forces) would be Park, and the courage and determination of destroyed, then invasion, and the destruction the young fighter leaders – Malan, Tuck, Bader, of our shattered armies on our own soil. Thus, Broadhurst, Beamish, the brothers Dundas, with the western seaboard secured, a neutral Holden, Crowley-Milling, Kingaby, Lacey, Deere, America, the added industrial power of the Cunningham, and others of the ilk. conquered nations, and Europe held by the vicious and nauseating Gestapo, the German The Battle of Britain divided itself broadly legions could turn to the east and deal with into four phases – the attack on shipping, their arch enemy, Russia. ports, coastal airfields and radar stations; the onslaught against inland fighter airfields; the bombing of London; and finally, the fighter- because there was no time to form them into bomber encounters mostly at high altitude. wings, however the Leigh-Mallory’s squadrons based in Cambridgeshire, with greater advance Dowding clearly saw that during the July warning, put into practice Douglas Bader’s strong attacks against shipping the Luftwaffe was views about meeting strength with strength. far less interesting in sinking ships than in Heading south from Duxford leading three, four bringing our fighters to battle in conditions and sometimes five fighter squadrons, Bader’s which favoured the attacker. This probing and wings inflicted much damage on the bombers. sparring continued for more than a month with little satisfaction to the Germans, their Stuka The incessant bombing of our sector airfields, pilots receiving rough treatment at the hands of with their operations rooms and essential our Hurricanes and Spitfires. communications, was the most critical phase of the battle and by early September the damage By mid-August the Luftwaffe had sunk a number was having a serious effect on the fighting of small ships and four destroyers but at a cost efficiency of Keith Park’s 11 group. The fighting of 296 aeroplanes. Though we lost 148 fighters was furious and during a four day period we - just one week’s factory production - this shot down 106 enemy aircraft losing 101 of our preliminary fighting gave Dowding and Keith own pilots. Park, the opportunity to perfect their defensive arrangements, and by the beginning of August We were losing pilots at a rate of about 120 the Command, with 55 squadrons, could call on every week and with our operational training a total of 1,434 fighter pilots. units producing only sixty-five inexperienced fighter pilots each week it was obvious to On 12th August Göring launched the first strike Dowding and Park they were fighting a battle at our radar stations on the south coast, causing of diminishing returns. If the Luftwaffe kept more alarm than damage. For the installations up this it was only a question of time before were vital to our defences. All suffered damage the Germans dominated the air over Southern but only one was wrecked, and the following England. day all but one were repaired and again helping identify German bombers at a range of 110 Fortunately at this point the conduct of that battle miles. changed. On the night of the 24th/25th August the first the first bombs fell on central London 13th August, coded ‘Eagle Day’, saw heavy and Winston Churchill ordered a retaliation raids against southern ports and airfields, the raids against Berlin. Hitler raged demanding enemy trying to destroy our aircraft and vital immediate reprisals, shouting in an hysterical communications on the ground. But their broadcast: “If they attack our cities, we will rub intelligence was poor: of the eleven airfields out their cities from the map” Göring eagerly attacked only one was a fighter station. These responded, diverting his bombing tactics away raids intensified, the size of the enemy bomber from the vital fighter bases, to concentrate on formations increased, but the Stuka losses London. mounted to the point where, on 18th August, Göring withdrew them from the battle losing It was the crux of the Battle and its turning point, one-quarter of the German bomber strength. giving Park the opportunity to repair his battered At the same time the Reichsmarschal gave airfields and restore his communications so orders that fighter escorts should fly close to that when, on Sunday, 15th September, Göring the bombers; a stupid order which restricted made his maximum effort to saturate our the German fighter pilots’ freedom of action defences with massive raids on London and the and incensed Galland and Mölders. south coast cities, the Luftwaffe was routed. In the morning raids thirty Germans were brought Park’s 11 Group squadrons usually fought singly down at a cost of seven R.A.F. pilots, and with heavy fighting continuing into the afternoon Germans to describe the attack – ‘coventrated’. R.A.F pilots claimed a further fifty-nine bombers and twenty-one fighters destroyed at a cost of During the ten-hour raid fighter command just eleven of our fighters. flew well over one hundred defensive sorties, The Germans were harried by Spitfires and but only seven German planes were seen. Two Hurricanes as they withdrew across the Blenheims opened fire without success, the Channel, bombers struggling back to France, anti-aircraft gunners claimed two destroyed. some on one engine, badly shot-up with many crew members dead or injured. At the Thus began the worst winter yet endured debriefings the bomber captains complained in Britain’s long history. The Coventry raid bitterly of incessant Hurricane and Spitfire marked the peak of the Luftwaffe’s power to attacks from squadrons that, according to their make devastating attacks against out cities, own intelligence – and Berlin radio – had long and also represented the nadir of our night ceased to exist. defences. Attacks swiftly followed against The fighting on this day clinched the victory, London, Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchester and and two days later, on Hitler’s instruction, the Cardiff until it seemed to the citizens of those German invasion fleet left the Channel ports and cities that darkness and the enemy approached Operation Sealion was permanently cancelled. together to bring yet another night of fire and The daylight offensive against London continued death. for another six weeks but from the beginning of October enemy bombers only operated at night. Göring had found that the heavy losses off the Though the Blitz, in all its fury, was upon us, the daylight battles were reduced to practically daylight offensive passed to enemy fighters and nil when he operated his bombers at night. fighter bombers. These raids, flown at great He had more than seven hundred serviceable heights and taking every advantage of cloud aeroplanes, each carrying over a ton of bombs. cover, set Dowding new problems about high Training in night bombing and navigation, altitude interception, but they achieved little started long before the war, enabled the bomber else, and Fighter Command continued along the force to operate round the clock. The Luftwaffe path of recovery. already had Knickebein, and now a new and improved beam, used on the Coventry raid, was In the Dark ready. During the early evening of 14th November, 1940, a dozen Heinkel bombers crossed These beams were not sufficiently accurate to the south coast. By following a radio beam enable a bomber to hit, say, a particular factory, intersected at known intervals by two cross- but they made it possible, whatever the weather beams the navigators made good their tracks, over the target, to hit a town or city, for their found the speed and direction of the wind, and average bombing error was about half a mile. calculated their ground speed; armed with this Further, dozens of radio beacons were available information they knew the exact moments to on the Continent, and enemy navigators could drop their bombs over Coventry. either ‘home’ to the beacons or fix their positions from them. In fact the Luftwaffe had developed Shortly after 8 o’clock, on that bright moonlit a reliable airways system which allowed them night, the incendiaries rained down and kindled to keep the pressure on Britain from their great fires to guide more than 400 bombers, who, string of airfields during the winter months. in steady streams from the east and south, Their offensive was not confined to bombing, for pounded the target with high explosive, some crews, in Junkers 88s, flew on ‘intruder’ parachute mines, and more incendiaries until operations – when they patrolled airfields in just before dawn. From the air the old place East Anglia and Yorkshire, and attacked R.A.F. looked stricken beyond repair, and the wretched bombers as they returned from their raids. scene somehow fitted the word coined by the On 25th November, 1940, Sholto Douglas time the enemy gunners in the bomber had to replaced Dowding and the new commander search against the difficult, black back-ground in chief turned his attention to improving our of the land. Having got to a position some two night defences, for after the victorious daylight hundred yards behind, but still below, the fighter battles of the previous months the man in the pilot opened his throttles, climbed, watched the street found it hard to understand why the bomber sink slowly into his illuminated gun- Germans enjoyed such a free hand at night. sight, pressed the firing button, and saw his In the simplest terms it was because neither cannon shells tear the bomber apart. Then, if fighters nor guns possessed a fraction of trade was brisk, the G.C.I. Controller sent him their daytime efficiency. One reason for this after another ‘bandit’, or handed him back to was largely the lack of inland radars. Once a the sector controller for homing to his airfield. bomber crossed the coast, the Observer Corps So much for the theory. What for the practice were responsible for tracking its progress. But during the bleak winter. ground observers could not see through thick cloud at night, and the Prime Minister of the Five hundred well-trained fighters would not day aptly described the handover from radar to have stopped the enemy bombers dead in their Observer Corps tracking as a ‘transition from tracks. They would, however, have made the the middle of the twentieth century to the early Germans think again. But Fighter Command Stone Age’. had less than a dozen squadrons. Of these, six were twin-engined Blenheims, which, carrying The pilot of a night fighter worked more a belly pack of four Brownings, were transferred intimately with the ground controller than did to night fighting not because the aeroplane the day fighter, for the latter could see gaggles was suitable, but because it could not exist of 109s ten miles or more away; but on dark by day. Fortunately, two of these squadrons nights a pilot could not see another aeroplane were receiving the new Beaufighter, but it was unless it was flying at the same height, and not until the spring of 1941 that all were re- depending on visibility, within a range of one equipped. The Defiants, too, had been switched hundred to about 1,000 yards. to night fighting for much the same reason as the Blenheims; three Hurricane squadrons The technique of night interception was to completed the night force. Even on a bright, plot the tracks of enemy bombers at sector moonlit night the efficiency of these squadrons operation rooms, where the sector controller was not high. assigned particular raids to other controllers at new radar stations, known as ground Fully realising their tremendous responsibilities, controlled interception (G.C.I.) stations. Here, the night fighters took appalling risks to try to the specialist controller called in a night fighter stop some of the bombers. Weather forecasting from its patrol line and, by instructing the pilot was unreliable, and the crews were often to steer different headings, he juggled with the caught out by rapid and unpredicted weather two ‘returns’, or ‘blips’, on his radar scope until deteriorations which cut down visibility and the night fighter was about three miles astem made it impossible for them to grope their of the bomber, when the radar operator in the way back to their feebly illuminated airfields. fighter, could also see the enemy ‘blip’ on his Radios often failed, and the crews desperately radar display. By giving directions to his pilot required navigational and airfield approach aids the radar operator narrowed the gap between that would get them back to their bases and friend and foe, until the pilot saw the bomber help them to carry out a safe approach and looming up – like a lamp-post on a foggy night. landing. There were few runways at this time, Then the fighter pilot slowly eased into the and it was not an easy matter to land a ten-ton ideal firing position, from behind and below, so aeroplane safely on wet, slippery grass. During that he stalked a dark object against the the these early months of the winter the deadliest lighter background of the sky, and at the same enemy was the weather, for more crews were lost to low cloud, fog, ice, and freezing rain than of the enemy effort, and an increasing number to enemy action. of German crews were baffled by the hamming and the distortion of their radio beams. As the cities burned, the more experienced members of Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons Gradually, after months of perseverance and patrolled over the target when it was known ingenuity, of heartbreak and despair, things that the German beam was on a particular began to improve. Beaufighters replaced city. Separated by five hundred feet, the pilots Blenheims. More squadrons were formed. flew a few thousand feet above the shell bursts Runways with improved lighting were built, and and relied on the sector controller to keep the night flying became less dangerous as better Beaufighters away. Flying in bright moonlight, a radios, beacons, blind approach, and landing good day fighter found little difficulty in taking- aids made their appearance. off, navigating, and landing; but occasionally they were sent off in foul weather and were More G.C.I. Stations came on to the air, profoundly thankful to get down in one piece. but, since each controller could only handle One or two determined and reckless types interceptions simultaneously, the system destroyed a few bombers by prowling among could easily be saturated, especially if the the heaviest gun-fire, but it only taught the bombers came in thick and fast. The number remainder to appreciate the problems of of Beaufighters that could be closely controlled fighting at night. was strictly limited at any one time, and this was a severe handicap against a concentrated The grave problems of night defence exercised raid. Other Beaufighters free-lanced at the some of the best brains in the country, and discretion of sector controllers and, at long last, many schemes were pressed forward with both closely controlled and free-lancing night great speed. Long aerial mines, consisting of fighters got the contacts, and the mounting a parachute suspending a small bomb, could claims, especially those of john Cunningham be dropped to form a barrier ahead of the and his A.I. Operator, Jimmy Rawnsley, inspired bombers: likewise a curtain of bombs could be the whole force. hung from drifting balloons, but both failed, simply because the bombers could approach The anti-aircraft gunners, too, were able to fire the target from any direction. One night twenty- more accurately as radar sets reached both anti- four R.A.F. bombers patrolled over Birmingham aircraft and searchlight units, for they destroyed to try to get at the raiders, yet, despite many almost one hundred enemy aeroplanes in the sightings, they were too slow and cumbersome first five months of 1941. Counter-measures, to fire at the Germans. including jamming and rebroadcasting, against the German beams improved to the extent A lot of time and energy was spent in fitting that the enemy no longer set up his beams the search-lights on to twin-engined, radar- afternoon before the attack, except to fool the equipped aeroplanes that would patrol with defence, but waited until the bombers were a Hurricane in close formation on either side. on their way. Fighter command, not content This ‘Turbinlite’ aeroplane would operate like a to remain always on the defensive, copied Beaufighter except that when it reached a good the Luftwaffe and formed a special Blenheim range the searchlight would be switched on and intruder squadron to patrol over enemy airfields the Hurricanes would attack. The idea, however, and attack bombers as they landed or took-off; suffered from the fact that once the searchlight these aeroplanes were not allowed to carry was switched on it gave the game away; for radar, lest a set should fall in German hands, surprise, the essence of fighting by day or and although the squadron did not immediately night, was immediately lost,. Other schemes of gain spectacular results, it laid important a more passive nature, including decoy fires and foundations for this highly specialised form of dummy airfields, attracted a small proportion long-range air fighting. organised into wings, each of three squadrons, 10th May, 1941, six months after the Coventry and wing commanders were appointed to lead raid, was another bright, moonlit night and saw these formations of thirty-six fighters. We had the biggest enemy night attack of the Second learned, the hard way, about the wretched vic War when more than five hundred sorties were of three and now our basic fighting unit was the flown against London. Day fighters defended pair, two pairs combining to make the finger- the capital, and the total claims were twenty- four. eight, but, according to their records, the Luftwaffe only lost eight bombers, and of these 11 Group, now commanded by the genial one crashed on take-off. Such an attrition rate, Leigh-Mallory, had an abundance of talent to of less than two per cent, would never deter lead the new wings, including Douglas Bader at the Luftwaffe and it, with the coming of the Tangmere, and ‘Sailor’ Malan at Biggin Hill. good spring weather, they were ready to begin intensive, round-the-clock attacks, Britain was In the spring of 1941 Fighter Command was in for another rough time. poised for more defensive fighting, but the enemy daylight bombing was not resumed The Luftwaffe was indeed ready to move into so our fighter wings began to lean forward top gear, but Hitler was set upon the destruction across the channel and over northern France. of Soviet Russia, and the panzers were already Sometimes our fighters’ sweeps were opposed deploying between the Baltic and the Black by the Messerschmitts, but we were not seriously Sea. Blitzkrieg in the east called for the usual challenged since thirty-six Spitfires flying over reconnaissance, bombing, and close support, the Pas de Calais at 25,000 feet did not offer any and almost two-thirds of the Luftwaffe’s combat serious threat – Galland and his chaps, based at units were soon established in secret along the St. Omer, could please themselves whether or Russian front. From time to time the bombers not to seek combat. would return, but the long ordeal was over. It was therefore decided that some bait must be Even with its beams, skilled pathfinders and offered to the skulking 109s to lure them into ingenious tactics, the Luftwaffe was not capable the air and the bait was to be a dozen Blenheim of night precision bombing, and had resorted bombers heavily escorted by four wings of to indiscriminate bombing of cities to try to fighters, with other wings free-lancing on the stop industrial production and to break the flanks of the ‘bee-hive’, providing diversionary, nation’s spirit; had the enemy possessed more forward, target support, and withdrawal cover. powerful bombs, the story might well have been On these ‘Circus’ operations the bombers would different. The industrial war effort suffered, amass over their own airfields. but not desperately, and the people’s morale was far better than during the Zeppelin raids On 27th September, 1941, the ‘Circus’ operation of the First War. The mass bombing caused was directed against the marshalling yards at much distress and suffering, but the man-in- Amiens. It was a routine affair, except for one the-street thought only of hitting back and, thing. Several pilots reported the presence of eventually, when Bomber Command got into its radial-engined fighters which seemed faster stride, his wish was fulfilled a thousandfold. than the 109s and completely out-climbed our Spitfire V’s. Soon it was confirmed that the Reaching Out Focke-Wulf 190, designed by Kurt Tank, was in Throughout 1941 the air defence system was service. improved in accordance with the experience gained in the Battle of Britain. The number of The Focke-Wulf 190 completely out-classed our operational fighter groups grew from five to Spitfire V’s and was supreme in the skies over seven, and the number of fighter squadrons France and the Channel. Our new fighter, the was increased to seventy-nine. Squadrons were Hawker Typhoon, was suffering from teething troubles. Two tons heavier than the Spitfire V The operation was cancelled because of the the Typhoon had a disappointing performance at weather and the troops were disembarked, but high altitude, which was a serious disadvantage not before the Luftwaffe had attacked the ships because a good high flying performance was the lying in Yarmouth Roads near the west end of essential quality for air superiority. The Typhoon the Solent. was finally vindicated and gave yeoman service in the ground attack role. The Canadian historian says: “ As the troops had been fully informed of the objective of the In the summer of 1942, enemy fighter-bomber proposed raid, and once they left the ships units flew to bases in northern France and it would no longer be possible to maintain began to make fast low-level attacks against complete secrecy, General Montgomery coastal targets. Their tactics were to fly a few recommended that the operation should now feet above the sea, where radar could not detect ‘be off for all time’.” them until the last minute, to drop their bombs on pre-selected targets, and to get away out to Now, six weeks later, the operation was on sea. Because of the lack of radar warning they again. More than 6,000 troops, of whom about were very difficult to intercept and although 5,000 were Canadians, would take part in the Typhoon squadrons were moved to forward assault, the stated objectives of which were to airfields they had little success against the fast destroy enemy defences, airfield installations, low raiders. radar stations, power stations, dock and rail facilities; to capture enemy invasion barges and That year, 1942, was also marked by the night prisoners and remove secret documents from ‘revenge’ bombing of our old non-industrial an enemy headquarters. cities ‘as listed in Baedecker’. Exeter was the first target followed by raids against Bath, My squadron, 610, formed part of the wing Norwich, York, Exeter again, Cowes, Hull and led by ‘Jamie’ Jameson, a great air fighter Canterbury. By mid summer our night fighters, from New Zealand. On our first patrol over with their splendid new Moquitos and improved Dieppe, just after dawn, we were savagely airborne radars, had shot down some forty of attacked by higher Focke-Wulf 109s and in our the raiders. In four raids, during late July, the inferior Spitfire V’s we were sorely pressed. My attackers lost twenty-seven bombers to the wingman, ‘South’ Creagh from Australia was night fighters and anti-aircraft guns, which shot down, and I was lucky to get back after a was welcome evidence that the Command fierce running combat with a 190. was plugging the gap in night defence. Soon afterwards the Allies landed in North Africa and Most fighter wings flew four times that day and the night attacks petered out as the slender the Luftwaffe had the better of the air fighting German bomber force was transferred from the for German pilots shot down two of our fighters west to the Mediterranean. for every one lost to them – a fair indication of the superiority of the 190. Dieppe The security of Operation ‘Jubilee’, the The close-support operations of Hurricanes and disastrous combined assault against Dieppe, Typhoons were not effective because tactical was appalling, for in mid-July it was common aircraft can rarely participate successfully in knowledge that the Canadians were to make a close-locked, hand-to-hand fighting of this big raid on the French coast. nature. In later years we devised tactics and communications whereby our forward ground The troops were originally embarked on the troops were able to indicate precision targets, 2nd and 3rd July and sealed on board their and in Italy attacks were successfully carried ships. High-ranking officers visited the various out against enemy troops occupying houses ships and all the troops were fully briefed. on the other side of the street from our own soldiers. But these facilities were not available were getting into their stride and we began to at Dieppe. When Leigh-Mallory asked for a escort these day bombers as they reached out situation report, the reply was: ‘Situation too over France, Holland and Belgium, and soon obscure to file useful report.’ into the heartland of Germany. On their early missions the Luftwaffe reacted in strength and Tactically the Dieppe raid must be regarded our fighter wings had some stiff fighting. But as a complete failure, for none of its stated the Fortresses had a range far greater than that objectives were achieved in full measure. It is of our Spitfires and so we had to leave them at a record of poor security, of faulty intelligence, the German border in the hands of their own of inadequate communications between air longer-range escorts of Republic Thunderbolts and ground, of a confused and bloody ground and Lockheed Lightnings. situation over which central coordination could not be exercised. It is a story of great gallantry The sturdy Thunderbolts escorted their bombers and heavy loss of life, and the record of the far beyond the radius of action of our Spitfires. (Canadian) Essex Scottish, who brought back Sometimes the Fortresses and Liberators made 52 personnel, of whom 28 were wounded, out long penetrations beyond the range of their of a force of 553, gives some indication of the own fighter escort: it was on some of these desperate situation on the ground. Perhaps operations that the Luftwaffe reacted with Chester Wilmot made the best assessment of uncanny skill, and in one black week almost the operation when he stated: “the Dieppe raid 150 bombers were lost together with their yielded bloody warning of the strength of the crews. Despite these setbacks, the Americans Atlantic wall.” never lost sight of their goal and eventually attained it through their characteristic energy Fortunately for we fighter pilots, a much and perseverance. improved Spitfire was at hand; this was the Spitfire IX powered by a 1600 h.p. Rolls Royce The bomber formations grew in size and Merlin engine fitted with a two-speed, two stage strength, and some of the Fortresses were supercharger that maintained the power at high modified to carry more guns; but the self- altitude. It had a speed of 408 m.p.h. at 25,000 defence experiment was unsuccessful. Their feet and, at long last, we had a slight edge fighters were then fitted with special long-range over the FW 190. The Spitfire IX was a splendid tanks and the Thunderbolt was given a radius defensive fighter and it formed the backbone of of action of almost 400 miles, while that of the Fighter Command until the end of the war. Lightnings was increased to nearly 600 miles. Eventually the single-engined Mustang made It was not until the spring of 1943 that I was its appearance over Germany; this beautiful able to fly this latest product from a great little fighter could fly as far as the bombers. The stable. I was promoted to lead the Kenley Spitfire, the supreme fighter, could have had (Canadian) Wing and soon found the great the range to take part in this epic contest had it tactical advantage of the Spitfire IX was that, not been for some blinkered minds in Whitehall apart from its longer nose and more exhaust – who thought only of defence. stacks, in the air it looked very similar to the old Spitfire V. Thus, enemy fighter pilots would not D-Day and the V-Weapons know whether they were tackling the inferior Towards the end of 1943 planning for D-Day V or the superior IX. We exploited this tactical was well advance. Leigh-Mallory handed over advantage and soon settled some old scores the Command, now approaching the zenith with the 190s. of its might and power, to Roderick Hill who would have the supreme task of coordinating Seven League Boots and controlling the new Second Tactical Air From their bases in East Anglia the Flying Force until its fighters and radars were safely Fortresses of the United States Army Air Force located in France. Many wings were transferred to the Second Tactical Air Force and Fighter down to a low altitude by the intermittent cloud. Command’s name was changed, regrettably, to The air space became dangerously crowded that of Air Defence of Great Britain. as fighters, fighter-bombers, light bombers, medium bombers, reconnaissance aeroplanes The existence of German pilotless weapons had and gun spotters twisted and turned above the long been suspected and in the late summer grey, choppy sea. The danger was not from the of 1943 many concrete launching pads were Luftwaffe, but from a mid-air collision! constructed inland of the Channel coast; these were called ‘Crossbow’ sites and the German Four times that day we made our way across the aim was to fire 500 a day against London. Channel and never a sign of an enemy aeroplane. This plan, however, was frustrated by heavy, My pilots were bitterly disappointed with the medium, and fighter-bomber attacks against Luftwaffe’s failure to make an appearance on the sites and it was not until after D-Day that this day – one of the most momentous in our the first flying bomb fell on London. long history of war. But the truth was that the once-vaunted Luftwaffe was crumbling into “Magnitude, simultaneity, and violence” were, defeat on all fronts – beaten into the ground by said Winston Churchill, the essential ingredients the might of Allied air power. for the successful invasion of Europe. A few days later my Canadian Spitfire Wing was On D-Day these requirements were met in based in France. We had left the static airfields full for besides the colossal power of Bomber of Fighter Command and now belonged to the Command and the Eighth Air Force, we had a flexible Second Tactical Air Force which had tactical air armada of 9,210 aeroplanes. This its own mobile radars and engineers to build vast force as directed from a combined control airfields. Soon we would breakout of Normandy centre at Uxbridge where, less than four years and begin the long, buccaneering, exciting trek before, when the Battle of Britain had reached that, in the following spring, would take us to its zenith, Keith Park had told Winston Churchill the Baltic – but that is another story. that he had no fighter squadrons in reserve. On the early morning of Tuesday, 6th June, I In the early hours of 13th June, 1944, the led my Canadian Wing of thirty-six Spitfires first flying bomb fell on London and Hill faced across the choppy, grey Channel to patrol the a great challenge; his defence plan included a eastern flank of the assault beaches. The cloud belt of anti-aircraft guns on the North Downs base was about 2,000 feet and the visibility and a concentrated balloon defence around the between five and six miles, which meant that south-east of London; similar arrangements a great many aeroplanes were compressed into were made at Bristol and Southampton. a small air space. I called the Wing Leader of Fighters would patrol off the coast at 12,000 the Spitfires we were about to relieve and told feet whenever ‘Divers’ were expected and him we were on our patrol line. Had he seen would have plenty of space to intercept, before any enemy fighters? “Not a bloody thing”, he the robots reached the guns. replied, “but there’s plenty of ours milling about and the flak is pretty hot”. I called the fighter On the night of 15th June 244 ‘Divers’ left the direction ship below and asked if there were ramps in France. Forty-five crashed soon after any plots of Hun formations. The controller launching; 144 crossed the English coast and of came back with the guarded reply that for the these seventy-two reached Greater London. A moment he had nothing for me. further fifty were fired at Southampton.

We swept parallel to the coast beneath a leaden The V.1. carried 1,870 pounds of high explosive sky, and I positioned the wing a few hundreds and it was set to fly between 1000 and 4000 yards off-shore so that the enemy gunners feet. Its speed increased steadily from 200 could not range our Spitfires. We were forced mph after launch to about 400 mph when it reached London. The auto pilot controlled the the Rhine and the demented Fuehrer raved course; another device cut-off the engine and in his bunker that would soon become his at the same time depressed the elevators thus mausoleum. But there was still the possibility of causing this unpleasant weapon to dive into the some suicide attack on England and so Fighter ground. Command, again wearing its honoured name, watched and waited as it had since those far-off Our air defence against the flying bombs days of 1939. consisted of Spitfire IX’s and XIV’s, Typhoons, Tempests, Mustangs, and Mosquitos. Between It had been a long hard road but, thanks to mid-June and mid-July these squadrons had to Dowding, the base was firm and withstood the contend with about 3,000 robots which reached onslaught during the four critical months of 1940 the defence coverage; of these the fighters when the command held the fate of the country, destroyed more than 900, the guns and balloons and perhaps of the civilized world, in its hands. over 300, some went astray, about 1,200 fell Few men in history have had the tremendous on London, and twenty-five on Portsmouth and responsibility shouldered by ‘Stuffy’ Dowding Southampton. throughout the battle. His pilots knew that behind that bleak and melancholy countenance The flying bomb was not easy to shoot down was a man utterly devoted to his Service and because it was as fast, near the target area, as his Country. His moral courage and integrity our best fighters and presented a small target came through our simple chain of command (about half the size of a Spitfire). It could fly in and produced that priceless pearl – high morale any weather and sometimes when attacked it – the most important single factor in the Battle would explode and engulf the overtaking fighter. of Britain.

Fighter Command had flown a wide variety of Fortunately many launching sites were captured missions – small formations of hard-pressed when our armies entered the broad plains of Hurricanes and Spitfires, the vigil of the France and at the beginning of September it lonely night fighter, the daring of the intruder, seemed that the contest was over. However, dangerous low-level ‘rhubarbs’, big wings more flying bombs were launched, well out and multiples of big wings on the offensive, at sea, from Heinkel bombers and Junker essential reconnaissance flights, and thousands transports; these small and spasmodic attacks of fighter-bomber operations to pave the way went on for some time and the last struggles for D-Day. Day in, day out; year in, year out, against the flying bombs were fought at night the Command had never rested. as the launching aircraft could not get near our coasts by day. The fighter pilots of Fighter Command were quick, responsive, proud, highly strung, On 8th September, 1944, shortly before sunset, young in years – twenty five was maturity there was a loud explosion at Chiswick followed and thirty was old age – and brought to near by the sound of some object rushing through the perfection a form of warfare invented by their air - the long expected V.2. had arrived to further fathers. No less than 3,690 command aircrew challenge the defenders. There was little the had fallen over the years, and they and their Command could do about these rockets except contemporaries had proved themselves to be to join with Bomber Command and the Second worthy descendants of that generation of whom Tactical Air Force in heavy, concentrated attacks the first Queen Elizabeth spoke three and a half against the launching pads and all components centuries before: “Even our enemies hold our of the system. For a short time England was nature resolute and valiant, and whensoever subjected to her last ordeal as about half the they shall make an attempt against us, I doubt V.2.s fired fell in the greater London area. not but we shall have the greater glory”.

In the spring of 1945 Allied forces crossed SOl A ,A CBE, DFC, DL, Comp.T.!., JP

I always wished to fly and joined the R.A.F.V.R. as a Sergeant Pilot in the Spring of 1939. I started flying training on Tiger Moths on 24th June that year. I recommenced training in 1940 on Magisters and Harvards.I then moved to 7 O.T. U. at Hawarden and was introduced to the SpitfireI. I never experienced anything like the surge and power of the aircraft-I was haUWay across Liverpool before I got the wheels up! I joined 610 Sqn. at Acklington in October 1940 and was later posted to 616 Sqn. at Kirton Lindsey in December 1940. The Eagle Squadron was also based there-volunteer American pilots flying Hurricanes; a great crowd of chaps. Douglas Bader's Wing man The Squadron moved to Tangmere in February 1941, joining 610 and 145, thus forming the Tangmere Wing. Douglas Bader joined us in March and decided to lead the Wing with 616 Squadron. He selected 'Cocky' Dundas and Johnnie J ohnson tojoin him in the leading section of four aircraft.Looking around the dispersal hut his eye fell on me and he said, "What's your name?". "Smith, Sir". "You'll do-stick to me like glue and watch my tail". I just couldn't believe my luck! Douglas was the perfect pilot-flew as if part of his aircraft, superb at aerobatics and the finest leader I ever experienced.

It was Douglas Bader who perfected the "four aircraft abreast" formation which was so much more efficient than the earlier "four in line astern". I say this with feeling as will every pilot who flew No. 4-tail-end Charlie! I owed not only whatever tactical flyingability I may have had to Douglas, but also very many examples and lessons of leadership which stood me in good stead in later life. On August 9th I was grounded due to a heavy cold and my place as Douglas's No. 2 was taken by Sergeant Geoff West. What one had always dreaded Pilot's Combat e 0 t happened-Douglas did not return with his squadron. Geoff was a superb pilot but, nevertheless, I have always felt as guilty as hell at not being in the air July 2nd, 1941: We were doing an offensivepatrol over France combined with that day. bomber escort to Lille. There was a great deal of oppositionand a considerable amount of dog fighting during which the squadron destroyed three and November 8th was my first combat experience with F.W.190's when a bunch damaged two. My first confirmed enemy aircraft destroyed-an Me 109 of themjumped us from out of the sun, demonstrating a new aircraftwhich was which shed various bits and pieces of metal aftertwo long bursts from astern. better than our Spitfire 11. We lost our Wing Commander Scottduring the dog It was pouring heavy smoke and proceeded almost vertically downwards. A fighting which ensued. further Me 109, which came in to attack me, overshot and I got in a quick burst In November 1941 I was posted to 58 O.T.U., Grangemouth and an which did a certain amount of damage. As always, in these dog fights, the sky Instructor of Spitfrre pilots, and in June 1942 Ijoined 308 Sqn. United States was full of aircraft one moment and practically devoid of them the next. Army Air Corps at Atcham. My job was converting American pilots to Spitfires, teaching formation flying and dog fighting. I found the American pilots cheerful, able, and quick to learn. In August 1942 I was promoted to Flight Lieutenant and posted to 93 Sqn. and took part in the invasion of North Africa. We operated from Maison Blanche aerodrome, initially then moved to Bone and immediately thereafter to Souk-el-Arba. Operationally it was an active period, patrolling, dog fighting, attacking enemy ground positions and escorting bombers. I was posted back to U.K. in January 1943 to instruct on Spitfires, and ended the war instructing at No. 5 B.F.T.S., Clewiston, Florida.

No 66 Sq 0 The highlight of my time in Fighter Command was spent flying Number 2 to Douglas Bader, who was L-R. Johnnie Johnson. Cocky Dundas. Douglas Bader. Alan Smith leading the Tangmere Wing and flying with 616 Sqn.; The other two pilots of the four leading aircraft being 'Cocky' Dundas, and Johnnie A w Comb Johnson. We saw a great deal of action over both I only saw operational service on one aircraft type-Spitfires. In the U.K. I the U.K. and on sweeps over France. Bader was an flew Mark IIa and lIb and also Va and Vb. In North Africa I flew the Vb exhilarating leader and a superb pilot. Morale of the clipped wing which I found a remarkably good aircraft with extremely good Squadron and the Wing was extremely high and not manoeuvrability. one of those of us who were privileged to fly in those days will ever forget 9th August, the day on which The Spitfire was a quite superb aeroplane and in all the time I flew it I was Douglas did not return. never once let down by engine failure.

D.F.C. + Bar

AIIUl Smith WING COMMANDER Ht )y DSO, DFC, MD

In the fall of 1939 I was very upset when a young girl-friendof mine was missing from the SS Athenia - sunk by a U-boat in the Atlantic. I immediately applied to join the Royal Canadian Air Force but my training did not begin until the following year. After the usual flying training I was posted to England and flew bullet scarred Hurricanes at an operational training unit; and then I joined 401 Squadron, RCAF, at Digby in Lincolnshire. I did several sorties with the squadron over France without seeing a Hun - only to discover on landing that some of my friends were missing! I still had much to learn about keeping my eyes open. Re-equipped with Spitfire VBs we joined the Biggin Hill Wing led by the able and softly-spoken Jamie Rankin. One day when the controller reported a lot of enemy activity over the Pas de Calais I thought I saw sparks coming out of my engine. On closer inspection I realised they were going the other way. Tracer! I broke violently and saw my number two, Brian Hodgkinson, going down in flames. I was in the midst of a swarm of Me 109s. Turningand twisting, I firedat every 109 that came in front of me until I ran out of ammunition. For what seemed an eternity I held my Spitfire in tight, shuddering turns to avoid being shot down. Eventually, I pulled the stick back into my guts and kicked the Spitfire into a spin. At 15,000feet I recovered from the spin and continued down in a spiral dive balls out. At 10,000feet I started a pull-out and headed for the white cliffs of Dover-when I saw them they looked like the pearly gates. On landing at Biggin I found that of the twelve pilots who had taken-off eight were missing. On 1st July 1943, I was leading 403 Squadron as top-cover to the Kenley The rest of that tour was similar. Our Spitfire Vs were decidely inferior to Wing. I saw some specks ahead at my level. Increasing speed I identified them the redoubtable Focke- Wulf 190s. I often found myself alone, out as Messerschmitt 109s climbing in a wide V. At full throttle I dived my numbered, dog-fighting to survive,no definite hits, runningout of ammunition Squadron below and in front of them and climbed into the centre of the V. I had and struggling back over the Channel, sometimes hit in several places. two choices, to start shooting at the wingmen and maybe get myself a brace and Taken off operations I went as a test pilot to the Air Fighting Development leave little chance for my mates to get a shot, or go for the leader. I chose the Unit at Duxford and here for the firsttime, and with the aid of a camera gun, latter and I passed half the 109s before I reached lethal range. I shot him down I learned to shoot. Also, I gained the very valuable experience of flying with a two second burst and pulled up sharply in a climbing tum. I looked back a 109 was on my tail andhe could not miss. I was waiting transfixed for the hot Spitfires and Mustangs in mock combat against a captured FW 190. lead in my back when he burst into flames; Sergeant Soldice, my Number 2, Returningto 401 Squadron, now at Kenley, I wanted to get my revenge for had not let me down. my previous tour and I was happy that the squadron had just re-equipped with the formidable Spitfire IX, which I soon found was superior to my oid adversary -the FW 190, and in early 1943 I got my first victory when I destroyed a low-flying 190 returning from a raid on London. Transferred to 403 Squadron, I was soon promoted to flight commander and in that spring and summer saw a lot of action with the Kenley Wing led by 'Johrmie' Johnson. The highlights of those epic days, during which I was I was transferred from 401 to 403 Squadron where I promoted to command the squadron, were escorting the Flying Fortresses was properly trained as a fighter pilot and leader. At of the 'Mighty Eighth'. 403 Squadron my efforts were warmly received and rewarded with rapid promotion. It was with 403 After 144 sorties on my second tour I was given a month's rest and then Squadron that I enjoyed my greatest success and returned to the old Kenley Wing, now re-named 127 Wing, to replace was able to see the first unit under my command Johnnie who, after three years at the sharp end, was taken off operations. welded into an unbeatable outfit. 127 Wing was transferred to 83 Group and during the following months I led the wing on some 100 missions during which we destroyed 50 enemy aeroplanes, dive-bombed V-I launching sites and strafed all manner of military targets. In April 1944 I was awarded the DSO, disgruntled because I was taken-off operations with the Normandy invasion imminent, and flattered when Air Vice-Marshal Harry Broadhurst, a leader I greatly admired, posted me to his 83 Group staff. I started on Hurricanes, including the 12 machine gun version and later went on to Spitfire Vbs. Returning to 403 Squadron we had the excellent Spitfire IXb I flew over the beaches on D-Day, and two days later landed with and at 20,000feet the second blower came in automatically, givingfull power. I Broadhurst, at B.2, the first landing strip in Normandy, and so began the have taken a IXb to 42,500 feet. I eventually had the four machine guns taken great adventurous trek through north-west Europe. out of my IXb to make it easier to compete with the rate of roll of the FW 190; it My Merlin 61 engine finally let me down. It caught fire returning from was the best fighter I ever flew. Normandy to England and without time to give a Mayday I baled out in I flew the Typhoon from Normandy and found it a powerful and manouvrable mid-Channel. Fortunately, a ship was passing, a man on the bow saw me brute, able to withstand punishment. With four 20mm cannon and either two and gave the alarm and soon I was safe aboard. 500lb bombs or eight rockets, it was a very resilient fighter bomber.

I!�:J � I·

DSO DFC + Bar CROIX de GUERRE with GOLD STAR COLONEL JAMES GOODSON DSC, DFC, USAAF (Ret'd)

Although born in New York in 1921, I became dramatically involved in the war almost from its declaration. After a summer in Europe, I heard Chamberlain announce that England and Germany were at war as I sailed away from England to Canada on the SS. 'Athenia'. A few hours later, the 'Athenia' became the first ship of the War to be torpedoed. After helping the crew in rescuing the passengers, I slithered down a rope, swam to a lifeboat and was finally picked up by a Norwegian tanker which took me to Galway in Ireland. I now had only one goal: to become a Fighter Pilot with the RAF. After training in Canada, I achieved this ambition, flying Hurricanes with 43 Squadron (Tangrnere) and Spitfires with 416 Squadron (Kenley). When the entire 133 American Eagle Squadron was lost on a mission escorting Fortresses over Brest-as an American flying with the RAF-I was asked to help reform that Squadron, a move which led to my eventually becoming Commanding Officer. Aerial Combat In September 1942, the US Army 8th Air Force needed fighter pilots with combat experience and it was agreed that 133 Squadron, together with the On August 16, 1943, one hundred and seventy B-17 Flying Fortresses took other two Eagle Squadrons of the RAF, should transfer to the 8th U.S. Air off to bomb Le Bourget, the main Paris airport; a short mission for us. The Force to become 4th Fighter Group. It was of this Group that Maj. General bombers were to be escorted at 23,000 ft. by four ThunderboltGroups ( 192 "Monk" Hunter, chief of Fighter Command 8th US Air Force, said to the fighters), with Spitfires sweeping the area at 15,000 ft. RAF: "You will never know what it meant to us to receive a group of fully Before we joined up with the bombers, we saw 30-plus enemy fighters coming trained, operational pilots. It has formed the nucleus around which we have up frombehind. Don Blakeslee, Colonel commanding the Group, asked me to built our fightingmachine. The 4th Fighter Group has been the stem whence cover him and took his flight into the attack. The FW-190's broke away and Fighter Command doctrine has sprung". we followed in a vertical dive, reaching such speed that we not only left our The main goal of the 8th Fighter Command was to provide escort protection to wingrnen behind, but also caught up with the 190's. the growing fleetof bombersattacking Germany's productioncentres by day; Blakeslee was getting hits on one of them, but we were now in the hornet'snest but the Spitfire, designed for defence, had only enough range to protect the and three 190's curvedin behind him. Due to my speed, I was able to shoot one bomberson the firstand last brief stages, and the 8th Air Force learned, after of them down. We were now below 10,000 ft. and fighting forour lives in the such disasters as Schweinfurt, that their losses became unacceptable without kind of dogfight where,every time we attacked, we had to break off because we Fighter cover all the way to the target and back. were attacked ourselves. The 4th first exchanged their Spitfires for P-47 Thunderbolts, which, with I was able to shoot down another 190 off Blakeslee's tail but not before his droppable external fuel tanks enabled them to cover the bombers over Thunderboltwas badly hit. I was able to drive offother 190's by pressing home Western and Northern Germany. Then, taking only 24 hours out of action, attacks, although by now I was out of ammunition. Although both he and the they switched to the new Rolls-Royce engined P-51 Mustang, with which, plane were covered in oil, I managed to guide him back to an emergency always at the far end of the relay of fighters, they could cover the whole of landing at Manston. The Thunderbolt had over twenty cannon holes, Germany. This led Goering to say that when he saw the 4th's Mustangs including one which took out a cylinder in the engine. escorting the bombers over Berlin, he knew the War was lost. The Fourth ended the War as the most successful of all Allied Groups or Wings, with over 1000 enemy aircraft destroyed, of which 360 were accounted for by the old 133 Squadron. �o 33 ( agle) Sl ad Although I spent the last 10 months of the war as a POW, I was officially (Later 336 Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, US credited with 32 enemy aircraft destroyed. 8th Air Force.) Afterbeing shot down, I was Adjutant of the Centre Compound of Stalag-Luft This was my first and only Squadron command. It Ill, escaping towards the end of the War to lead the American Army back to was my home for over a year and a half, during the Camp. which time I was constantly in combat (about 1000 hours of combat operations, including some 300 missions). The Squadron at one time included the three leading aces of the US Air Force, as well as twelve other aces. Its score at the end of the War was 360 enemy aircraft destroyed. And, if the Squadron was my home, the people in it Notes on Aircraftflown in Combat, 1939-45 were my family. When I met Luftwaffe pilots after the War, I asked how they kept on fighting so During World War 11, I flewthe Hurricane, Spitfire,P-47 Thunderbolt and P fanatically right up to the end, although they knew SI Mustang. Whilst the Hurricane was a bettergun platform, the Spitfire was the War was lost. The answer was always the same: the best defensive fighter of the war due to its excellent rate of turn and "We were fighting for the Squadron". That's how I manoeuvrability. The P-47 could out-dive the 109 and the 190, but was felt about my Squadron. inferior to German fighters under 25,OOOft. The P-51 Mustang with the Merlin engine was in my opinion the most complete fighter aircraft of the war. It had speed, dive, manoeuvrability and climb, but above all it had the range to enable it to escort bombers to the limit of their range.

- - - D.S.C. Silver Star D.F.C. Jim Goodson Legion d'Honneur GROUP CAPTAIN

DSO,OBE,DFC

After graduating from the Royal Military College in June 1932 I accepted a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force and after completing my training at 5 FTS, Seal and, I was posted to 17 (F) Squadron at Uphaven in September 1933. However in 1935 I resigned my commission in the RAF to accept a commercial flying job in Canada and also I transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force Reserve. I rejoined the RCAF in June 1940 and after instructing at the Central Flying School I joined a night fighter unit, 410 Squadron, at Ayr. In June, 1941, we moved our obsolete Defiants to Drem where, without airborne radar, our chances of intercepting at night were remote. In September I was posted to Coleby Grange, Lincs, promoted to Wing Commander and given commandof 409 Squadron who were re-equipping with Bristol Beaufighters. Fortunately, both my flight commanders were experienced pilots and with their help, and two Oxfords, we ran our own 409 Operational Conversion Unit until all the crews were checked out on their Beaufighters. On the night of 1 November, 1941, my radar navigator, Sergeant Carpenter, and I were vectored onto a lone hostile aircraft which had flown eastbound across the middle of England and was heading out over the sea. The plotting and instructions from the GCI Station were perfect and afterobtaining a visual contact we destroyed the Dornier 217 which fell blazing into the sea. Date - 1 November 1941. Base - Coleby Grange, Lincs. Squadron - 409 In May, 1943, I was posted to command 418 (Intruder) Squadron, who, at RCAF. Aircraft- Bristol Beaufighter.Pilot- Wing Commander P. Y. Davoud, Ford, were phasing out their old Douglas Bostons for the versatile Mark VI RCAF. RlNav.- Sergeant Carpenter, RAF. fighter-bomber Mosquito which, with its de-rated engines, tremendous fire power,great rangeand high speed made it a really sharp weapon. In addition to We took-offfrom Coleby Grange at 2055 hrs under the control of Orby GCI. its normal night fighterrole we began to fly an increasingly large number of low After several vectors between 80 and 100 degrees at an altitude of 16,000 feet, level daylight sorties. contact was obtained at a maximum range. Bandit was to port and 500 feet below. I turned port and lost height and obtained a visual at 6,000 feet. I lost In early, 1944, I was promoted to Group Captain and commanded a RCAF height andclosed to 400yards and identifiede/a as a Dornier217 which dived Spitfire wing, but this assignment did not last long and in April I took over 143 for cloud cover. I increased speed and closed to 200yards firing a short burst Wing, consisting of three Typhoon squadrons. This fighterlbomberwing was andseeing hits on his starboard wing. Dornierreturned fire and, afterclosing to part of No. 83 Group RAF which supported the British 2nd Army into 100 yards, I fired two long bursts into starboard engine. Just before entering Normandy and across North Western Europe. cloud a heavy explosion blew his right wing off. The enemy aircraftfell into the The Typhoon, with its eight 60Ib rockets was particularly lethal against sea on fire. German armour and transports, and the very close working relationships I returned to base and was particularly pleased, as Commanding Officer, to between Army and AirForce units at all levels, and excellent communications, have scored the first victory for 409 Squadron. permitted the flexible Typhoons to operate extremely close to the Allied front line of advance. During the winter of 1944 my wing was based at Eindhoven but on 1 January, 1945, I wasappointed Group Captain Operations, 83 Group, which proved to be ahighly responsibleand rewarding assignmentas I had a freehand to control and operate some 600 fighters andfighter-bombers until the ceasefire. In my The heavily-armed, fast and manoeuvrable Mark view the flexible fighter-bombers played a tremendous part in this campaign. VI Mosquito was ideal for intruder operations. The side-by-side cockpit permitted easy and positive Afterthe war I kept a very close liaison with all my oid squadrons, the Canadian communication between pilot and navigator andthe Forces Base at North Bay and Fighter Group Headquarters, and it gives me morale of my aircrews of 418 Squadron was very great pride and pleasure to have the school at North Bay named after me. 409 high. and 410 Squadrons are now equipped with the splendid CF-18 Hornet(T AC) fighter at Cold Lake, and 418 is an active Reserve Squadron flying De Havilland Twin Otters out of Edmonton on search and reserve operations. Although I only served with this squadron from May, 1943, to January, 1944 I left with a tremend ous sense of pride and accomplishment knowing that it would soon be the scourge of the enemy; and so it proved sinceit became the top-scoring fighter squadron in the RCAF with a record of 178 enemy aircraft and 83 flying bombs destroyed.

I flew Defiants,Bostons, Beaufighters and Mosquitos on operations but the De Havilland Mark VI fighter-bomber Mosquito was head and shoulders above any other operational aircraftwhich I flew in World War IT. It was particularly suited to the low-level offensive role played by 418 Squadron and was responsible for much of its success. This Mosquito was a delight to fly. Fast, manoeuvrable, able to absorb punishment, and capable of an exceptional single engine performance. Truly a remarkable aircraft!

OSO OFC Order of Orange Nassau Chevalier, Legion of Honour PaulOavoud Croix de Guerre with Palm AIR VICE-MARSHAL NN E JOHNSON CB, CBE, DSO, DFC, DL, C.Eng, MICE

At school I always wanted to become an R.A.F. Figher Pilot, and I was inspired by the legendary Aces of the First War-Ball, Boecke, Bishop, Von Richthofen, Mannock and McCuddon. When the Volunteer Reserve was expanded I joined this enthusiastic bunch of weekend pilots.

After initial training I was posted to 616 Squadron at Kenley. However almost immediately I found myself out of the front-line when the Squadron, which had been decimated by the loss of six pilots and five wounded, was moved to Coltishall. (Perhaps just as well for I had only 12 hours on Spitfires.) In February 1941 Billy Burton took the Squadron to Tangmere and the next few months were the most exciting of my fighting career. Then Douglas Bader arriveo to lead the Tangmere Wing, and the great man elected to flywith 616 Squadron: 'Cocky' Dundas, Alan Smith and myself were selected to fly with Douglas in the leading section. We flew and fought hard during that epic summer. Douglas was a great and inspiring leader whose fruity language in the air was ajoy to hear. He took time to teach us the intricate art of air fighting. His idea of an afternoon off was to take one or two of us over the Channel hoping to come across Adolf G alland and some of his chaps, then based at Abbeville in the Pas de Calais. On 19th August, 1941, we were badly "bounced" by a bunch of higher Messerschmitts and Douglas did not return from this fight. After we had refuelledwe searched for him for several hours over the Channel as we thought he might have baled out and clambered into his dinghy. Gradually it dawned upon us that he would not be returning and that this day marked the end of an era that was rapidly becoming a legend. In the summer of 1942 I was promoted to command 610 (County of Chester) Squadron, and then in early 1943 I was promoted to Wing Commander to lead the Canadian Spitfire Wing at Kenley, my personal score at that time was eight victories. During the spring and summer of that year I led the aggressive Top Scoring Allied Fighter Pilot-Combat 'R.eport Canadian fighter pilots on 140 missions over North-West Europe, my pilots shot down more than 100 enemy aircraft, and my personal score rose to 25. My stiffest fight took place on 19th August, 1942, when I was leading 610 The highlights of those days were escorting the Flying Fortresses of the Eighth Squadron in support of the ill-fated Dieppe raid. Air Force. We had been "bounced" by a mixed bunch of Messerschmitts and Focke After a short rest from operations, in March, 1944, I was posted to lead Wulfs and after a certain amount of sparring I fought a duel-my Spitfire 5 another Canadian Spitfire Wing, and on D-Day, 6th June, 1944, I led 144 against a 190. We sparred for about a minute and I tried my usual tactic of Wing on four missions over the beaches. On 8th June, we made history when trying to turn inside the enemy, but after a couple of turns I was making no we were the first Spitfire Wing to land in France, and a few weeks later we headway, and, in fact, he was gaining on me! began the exhilarating, buccaneering trek across France. In September 1944, Although I held the Spitfire in the tightest of vertical turns the enemy pilot was I scored my 38th and last victory. Patrolling the Rhine, with 443 Squadron, we still closing and it was only a question of time before he had me in his sights. bounced nine Messerschmitts flying low in the opposite direction, and very Stick over and well forward, I plunged into a near vertical dive to try and quickly shot down five, but unfortunately on this occasion I lost a superb escape him. At ground level I pulled into another steep turnwith the 109 still Canadian fighter pilot, Squadron Leader "Wally" McLeod. with me, and as I gauged my height above the groundand watched the roof tops Early in 1945, I was promoted to Group Captain and commanded 125 Wing I caught a glimpse of the Dieppe promenade, of stationary tanks, the white equipped with the latest Spitfire 14s. In the spring we crossed the Rhine and casino, and a deserted, littered, beach. flew from Luftwaffeairfields. Soon it was all over and I had time to reflect that Then I made my bid to throw him off.A short distance off shore I could see a a boy's amibition of slightly more than a decade ago had, indeed, been Navy destroyer surrounded by a cluster of smaller ships. We had been briefed realised. not to fly near them because the Royal Navy always opened fireon friend and Publishers Note foe alike. Flat out and at sea level I raced towards the destroyer. The usual barrage of flak and tracer came straight at me and at the last moment I pulled A. V. M. Johnnie Johnson retired from the R.A.F. in 1966. He then founded over the destroyer, slammed down the nose and headed out to sea. I broke hard the Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust, which after 15 years now provides homes to the left and searched for the 190, but, happily, he was no longer with me. for over 2500 Elderly and disabled people. An accomplished author, his book WINGLEADER being a classic WWII biography, and FULL CIRCLE a ·definitive account of aerial combat from WWI to the Korean War. THE STORY OF AIR FIGHTING, due out in Spring 1985, updates Full Circle '0 N0616 • to include air fighting over Vietnam, The Falklands, and various Arab-Israeli (SO t YOrKS e) clashes. 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron will always have great significance for me because it was my first operational squadron and I stayed for nearly two years, becoming a Flight Commander and winning tes 0 Aircraft flown in Combat, 1939-45 the DFC and Bar. During the Second War I flew Spitfire I 's, 2's, 5's, 6's, 9's and 14's. HA nice When I joined the squadron in the late summer of first flying machine, but it is not a Spitfire any more" was my comment after 1940 it was in poor shape, but I witnessed the new my first flight in a 14, for the powerful Griffonengine produceda lot of torque , Squadron Commander, Billy Burton, restore the which meant that in a dog-fight the aircraft required constant trimming-not confidence of the older pilots, train we new pilots cond'udve to a favourable conclusion. and form us into a fighting, aggressive, squadron, which eventually rated with the best in Fighter My favourite was the beautiful Mark 9-the best Spitfire of them all. Command.

DSO and 2 Bar.; DFC and Bar Da Merit. Legion of USA DFC.USA I�

Air Medal. USA Order of Lcopold (Belgium) Croixc de Gucrrc (Belgium) Johnnic lohnson MAJOR GENERAL

MARION E. CARL, USMC

From the time I first saw an aeroplane in the air I wanted to be an aviator. As a farm boy I went to Oregon State College and graduated in 1938 with a degree in mechanical engineering with aeronautical option. As a result of four years ROTC I received a reserve commission in the Army Corps of Engineers. Near the end of my senior year I took the physical examinations for both the Air Corps and Navy flight programs. I chose the Navy as the quickest way to get flight training and shortly after reporting for duty opted to be a Marine. I received my Wings and commission on December I. 1939. and was assigned to VMF-I flying F3F-2 Grumman fighters. Six months later I was sent back to the training command as a flight instructor. While there I was augmented into the regular Marine Corps. In August of 1941 I reported to VMF-221 at NAS North Island. San Diego. for duty flying F2A Brewster Buffalos. On December 8. 1941. the squadron boarded the carrier Saratoga. We arrived on Midway Island on Christmas Day. I was one of the few that remained there through the Battle of Midway.

On June 4. 1942. 19 Brewsters and six Grumman Wildcats took to the air to intercept the oncoming Japanese. Ten returned. I had a total of 5.6 Wildcat hours when launched into combat. Oue to a mix-up on take-off only three Wildcats were together and were vectored to intercept the bombers. We made an overhead pass and that was the last time I saw a friendly aircraft until I landed. The next thing I knew I had a Zero on my tail. Only a friendly cloud saved me as I soon found out that I could not out-manouever him. Later I found a Zero by itself and shot it down. I landed with eight holes in my plane. When another scramble came a short time later one other plane and myself were the only two to take to the air. It was a false alarm. the Japanese carrier and their aircraft were under attack by the Navy carrier task force.

Two weeks later I returned to Hawaii and joined VMF-223. I was now a Captain. On August 20 the squadron departed the jeep carrier LOllg Islalld and we were the first fighters on Guadalcanal. Initially it was a primitive existence. We were short on everything-food, fuel. ammo, and spare parts. A lot of it was flown in using C-47 aircraft. On many occasions six Wildcats were the maximum that we could Pilot Combat Report put into the air. and we were always out-numbered. Once engaged in a flight it was every man for himself. In less than two months we lost half our pilots. We were About noon on August 26, 1942, a week after our squadron arrived on then relieved and returned to the States. During this period I shot down 15 Zeroes Guadalcanal we were scrambled with all available fighters-some ten Wild and bombers and got shot down once. cats-to meet an incoming raid of 16 twin-engine bombers and like number of Zeroes. We tangled with the Zeroes and I shot down one. I returned to At home I was promoted to command the squadron re-equipped with new F4U-1 the field alone and was on the down-wind leg with gear down when I was Corsairs. In July, 1943. we embarked and again headed west. First stop was by a Zero. I immediately dived for an anti-aircraft battery at the edge Midway for two months for training. Eventually we ended up at Vella LaVella and jumped started flying over Rabaul. The war was beginning to wind down in that area. I of the field which promptly opened fire on the Zero and started winding up shot down two more Zeroes over Rabaul and was then transferred to group. This the gear, some 28 turns of the hand crank. The Zero broke-off and headed terminated my combat flying for the rest of WW2. seaward. I went after him. He did a 180 and started climbing. As we met head-on I stood the Wildcat on its tail and opened fire on a 90 degree deflection In January, 1946. I reported to Flight Test. Naval Air Test Center. Patuxent River. shot. The Zero caught fire and exploded over the beach. That night I was Maryland. There I was one of the first Marines to check out in jets and helicopters given the oxygen bottle from that aircraft. receiving the No. One designation as a Marine helicopter pilot.

In 1947 I took command of VMF-122 at MCAS Cherry Point. NC. which a few months later was the first squadron to receive jets. the Phantom I. In the spring of 1948 I formed a jet aerobatic team and led it. putting on many exhibitions 223 including the National Air Races at Cleveland. Marine Fighter Squadron

In 1949 I returned to Flight Test. again as Chief of the carrier aircraft section. As All of my combat flying in World War, except the two missions at Midway, a result of my tours in Flight Test I set a World Official speed record in the Douglas was with VMF-223. During the first tour at Guadalcanal in Wildcats we Skystreak in 1947 and an unofficial altitude record in the Douglas Skyrocket while operated on a day-to-day basis with a shortage of fuel, ammo, and spare testing a full pressure suit in 1953. parts, sometimes barely able to get six planes into the air and always outnumbered by Zeroes that could out-perform us. The second tour as CO In 1954 I headed for Korea but got there too late for combat. As CO of a and with Corsairs the situation was reversed. We outnumbered the Zeroes photographic squadron in 1955 I flew photo missions over Fukien province of Red China. In 1956. now a Colonel. I was CO of an aircraft Group at MCAS. El Toro. with better planes and had them on the run. The main problem was finding California. Next came the Air War College. then two years with the Joint Staff in enemy aircraft to engage. The main thrust of the war had moved further west. the Pentagon. This was followed by two years in HQ Marine Corps. After five months, I was interim director of Marine Corps Aviation. at that time a two star billet. In 1963 I was transferred to MCAS Kanehoe Hawaii. as Chief of Staff of the Brigade, an air-ground team consisting of an air group and a reinforced regiment. Six months later I was promoted to Brigadier General and took command of the Notes on Aircraft flown in Combat Brigade. In 1965 the Brigade was transferred to Vietnam and split up. I then became Most of the aircraft that I shot down, 16 out of 18, was while flying the Assistant Wing Commander. During the eight months that I was in Vietnam I flew Wildcat. It was a very sturdy aeroplane but a Zero could rather easily out an occasional mission in the F4B-I. Phantom 11. and the Huey gunship. While manouever it and out-climb it. It took 45 minutes to get a Wildcat to 30,000 flying the latter I managed to corner and take prisoner a couple of Viet-congs. feet. It could out-dive a Zero and the pilot had full control at terminal velocity. In June of 1966 I reported to MCAS. Cherry Point. as Commanding General of The pilot of a Zero didn·t. At low altitude there was no way of getting away that base and all bases Eastern Area. In 1967 I was promoted to Major General from one. and the next year took command of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing and all On the second tour with Corsairs it was possible to climb with them and to Marine tactical aircraft on the East Coast. As Wing CG I checked out in and flew out-run and out-dive them. Most of our engagements were over or near Rabaul all the various types of more than a dozen different types of aircraft in the wing. After two years as CG I was transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps and retired and we normally out-numbered them. The war was winding down in that area in 1973. and a short time later Japanese aircraft abandonded the area.

lWO NAVY CROSSES DISTINGUISIIED r-LYING CROSS with four oak leaf clu�'cr)l, FOUR LEGIONS OF MERIT AIR MEDAL (with du»(er..) Marion E. Carl WING COMMANDER

DSO,DFC

Completing my education at Trinity College School,Port Hope, Ontario in 1934,I was fortunate in gaining employment with Canadian Industries,Ltd. in Montreal in 1935. In my spare time (5.30-6am),I learned to flyat Montreal Light Aeroplane Club outside of Montreal and later that year,I joined the RCAF Reserve,Weekend Pilots, in 115 Fighter Squadron flying out of St. Hubert Airport. With the outbreak of the war and as a result of our previous association with 115 F Squadron, we were posted to Halifax to join No. 1 RCAF Fighter Squadron,then preparing to go overseas.On July 5,we were postedto Croydon where our fmal training began. On August 26,we entered the Battle of Britain with a patrol overNorth Weald. We were operating out ofNortholt withNo. 1 RAF and 303 Polish Squadrons when we ran into about 25 plus Domier 217s. We shot down three before we were attacked by Me 109s. I claim one shared on this operation. Our responsibility flying Hurricanes was to tackle the bombers leaving the high cover 109s to our SpitfIres. One week later,I destroyed a Heinkel lll. Later in September, accompanied by 303 Polish Squadron, we ran into a large formation of Dorniers with close escort of Me 110s and Me 109s above. We were positioned above 303 Squadron which attacked the bombers while we concentrated on the Me IlOs. I destroyed one Me 109 and two Me IlOs. On October 9,I was awarded the DFC and on that day,the squadron wastaken off operations andmoved to Prestwick,Scotland. We had lost two pilots killed andseven injured andin hospital out of a complement of 20. My firsttour ended In early September,1940, I was flyingBlue 3 when we sighted enemy bombers with 78 sorties on Hurricanes. and as we attacked we were harriedby Me 109s from starboardand above,and In March, 1941,I returned to Canada for a victory bond tour of US and as I broke away I came up under three 109s flying in line astern.I gave the last Canada. Later,I formed a Kitty Hawk Squadron of fIghters in Ottawa and 109 a three-second burst at about 70 yards,noting strikes on his belly andhe proceededto the West Coast in defense of a possibleattack by the Japs who had soon baled out. His leader andnumber two took violent evasive action and I already attacked Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. In December, 1942,I eventually lost them. Shortlyafterwards I climbedto attack a gaggle of Me 11 Os him returned to U.K. for my second tour. In May,1943, I was given command of and fired from above and behind at the last fighter. I gave about a ten 411 Squadron at Redhill,having flown Spit IXs as a supernumerypilot with the second burst which set his starboard engine on fire and he rolled over, one Kenley Wing on fIghter sweeps over France for several months. parachute came out and he crashed just south of Biggin Hill. Still above the 110s,I attacked another and saw strikes on his cockpit before my ammunition With 411 Squadron flying Spit Vs with clipped wings,our job was close escort ran out. The 110 went into a lazy spiraland crashed several miles fromthe f1I'St, to medium bombers of 2 group RAF and Marauders of the USAF attacking somewhere in the Maidstone area. targets in France,Belgium and Holland,not very exciting work except for the flak.The high cover SpitIXs took care of most of the Me 109s and FW 190s. Promoted to wing commander in July as winco flying 126 wing,2nd TAF, with Squadrons 401,411 and 421 RCAF. We were moved to an advanced landing fIeld at Staplehurst,Kent under canvas andcontinued close escort to bombers. On October 23,1943,after 97 sorties,I completed my second tour of Ops. We I select 1 Squadron (later 401 Squadron),RCAF, had escorted well over 1000bombers without loss of a single bomber to enemy because I went into action with this unit on August fIghter action. 26, 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain. During the Battle I destroyed a Dornier 217, a RAF I was posted to 83 group 2nd as wing commander tactics. November 23, Heinkel Ill, a Me 109 and two Me 110. 1943,I was awarded Bar to DFC. In May,1944, I dropped a rank to S/L to take over a newly arrived Canadian Squadron 442 to be on hand for the Although I never commanded 1 or 401 Squadrons, invasion. the latter was partof 126 Wing which I commanded on my second and third tours, first in 1943 in We were given SpitIXs andstationed at 144 NF Ford adjacent to Tangmere. England and later after D-Day in France,Belgium Our duties were close escortagain to medium bombers,dive bombingradar and and Holland. buzz bomb installations,bridges, etc. in preparation for D-Day. After D-Day June 6,no more close escort. We were really on the offensive.As a result, between June 6 and July 9, this new unit accounted for 15 alc destroyed plus a large number of motor transport rendered useless. July 9, I was promoted to wing commander and took over my oid wing 126 flying with four Squadrons 401 (formerlyNo. 1),411,421 and 442. During the war I flew 78 sorties on Hurricanes and 196 sorties on Spitfires, about equally divided between Spitfire Vs with clipped wings and SpitfireIXs. From a slow start after D-Day,126 wing built up a very impressive record to While on a trip to Italy early in 1944,I flewa Spitfire VIII with aNew Zealand over 200 a/c destroyed,ranging over France,Belgium and Holland. Our largest squadron. I also flew a Mustang, although not on operations. bag in one day came early morningNew Year's Day,January 1,1945 when we destroyed 24 a/c. This was the last push by the German Fighter Force. I flew a Spitfire 11 at a fighter leader's course,and had 146 hours on the Kitty Hawk while in Canada - a nice aircraft,straight and level,but very heavy on the Awardedthe DSO in September for operations during theNormandy Invasion. controls in a dive. I flew Spitfire IXs during the latter part of my operations. On January5, 1945, having flown 99 sorties,I completed my third tour of Ops, This aircraft fmally gave us superiority over the Me 109s and FW 190s. With just prior to the crossing of the Rhine and soon returned to Canada. its two-stage supercharger,we had command of the skies in Europe. It was a most versatile aircraft and beautiful to fly.

E-�41 �

DSO DFC + Bar Order of Orange Nassau Croix de Guerrc DBl Russel BRIGADIER GENERAL

ROBIN OLDS, USAF

I grew up with combat aviation in my blood, my father having served as a pilot in France in World War I. He was responsible as much as anything else for my burning desire to be a pilot. He was always a strong advocate of air power and among many other achievements had been the commander of the 2nd Bomb Group, the first unit to operate the B-I7. In 1940 I entered West Point, where I was able to play football successfully enough to become an all-American tackle in 1942, and captain of the Point team.

I received my wings on graduation in June 1943, and started operational training almost right away on the Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter, an experience which seemed to take forever. In May 1944, however, I was assigned to England as a member of the 479th Fighter Group (434th Fighter Squadron). There we were stationed at RAF Wattisham. We quickly worked up to combat status, carrying out a lot of interdiction type flying over France and Germany prior to D-Day. June 5 was a day never to forget. We were sent out to cover the Armada headed for Normandy, and were back the following day to provide escort for the actual invasion itself.

I had still to experience my first actual aerial combat, an event which took place early on the morning of August 13, somewhere close to Montmirail in France. This involved a surprise attack I was able to pull off when jumping two FW-190s down at ground level. After a brief but hectic fight I was able to down both of them. Things moved faster after that. Just a couple of weeks later my wingman and I attacked a group of Messerschmidt 109s-there were between 55 to 60 of them-and had a heck of a fight. The Me's were headed for the bomber stream. The engagement began at 28,000 ft. over Muritz Zee, and, in the usual fashion for such affairs, finished down on the deck. By then, we were close to Rostock on the Baltic. During the battle, I was able to bag three Me's while my wingman was responsible for two destroyed. But what I remember most from this was the trip home. It was long, slow and cold, my canopy having been shot away. Things worked out however, and this-only my second combat-resulted in the award of the Silver Star.

That Fall we converted to P-5Is, and I continued on to fly a total of two Notes on Aircraft flown in Combat combat tours, many of them characterized by engagements every bit as In World War II I flew Lockheed Lightning P-38Js and North American colorful. Many of the operations were long range escort missions for bombers Mustang P-5IDs. In Southeast Asia I flew the McDonnell Douglas F-4C and on deep penetration missions. We also ha<;l engagements with the Me 262 jet, D models of the Phantom. Since the time lapse between the two wars was and many of the missions involved strafing runs on German facilities and rather extensive, I have to say I had two favorite aircraft, these being the P airfields. By the end of the war I was commanding the 434th Squadron, and SI and the F-4C. had made it up to the rank of major at the age of 23. My official score for the war was 24.5 combat "kills", 13 of them in air-to-air engagements and 11.5 destroyed on the ground. I flew 107 combat missions during that period.

Soon after returning home,. I joined the first P-80 jet group in the new USAF, and became wingman on the first jet aerobatic team formed by the service. 434th Fighter Squadron, 1946 was a great summer: plenty of air shows, and participation in the Thompson Trophy Races (jet division) at Cleveland, where I placed second. US Army Air Corps.

My luck held, and I then served an exchange tour with Number I Squadron, I trained with the 434th Squadron in the US, and RAF, at Tangmere. Here I was able to fly the Gloster Meteor, the RAF's flew 107 missions with that unit out of RAF Wat first operational jet fighter, and was also the first foreigner to command a tisham from May 1944 to the end of the war. In regular RAF squadron. I have nothing but warm remembrances of those times. that time I was responsible for downing 13 enemy Staff and command postings sent me to Germany, Libya, the Pentagon, aircraft, and destroying another 11 and a half during back to England (to command the 81st Fighter Wing at RAF Bentwaters), then airfield strafing runs. on to Ubon, Thailand in September 1966. Here I took command of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at a time when the Vietnam war had come to the front burner.

Publisher's note: Olds earned his second Oak Leaf Cluster to the Silver Star Pilot Combat Report on January 2, 1967 during his famous "MiG Sweep". The Third Oak Leaf On 3rd May 1967, we were penetrating from the Gulf of Tonkin to a target Cluster was awarded for "exemplary airmanship, extraordinary heroism and which lay alongside the railroad northeast of Hanoi. Our 8 F-4Cs were indomitable aggressiveness" in a low level bombing run against the Thai providing escort coverage for a force of F-105s which were in action striking Ngyen steel mill blast furnaces. By now he had replaced his earlier SCAT I a marshalling yard. Just short of the target we were hit by a group of some fighter (a P-38) for SCAT XXVII, a McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom 11. In 16 MiG 17s. A swirling battle ensued, with a member of my flight immediately all he flew 152 total combat missions, of which 115 were over North Vietnam. taking hits and being forced to bail out. I managed to bag one of the MiG 17s He is credited with destroying two MiG 21 fighters and two MiG 17s during early on in the fight, which turned out to be the longest aerial battle I have bombing sorties over North Vietnam. He was awarded the Air Force Cross experienced. The enemy was most aggressive and well disciplined. However, for his part in the Famous Paul Doumier Bridge raid. low fuel ("bingo") finally forced us to disengage, but half way to the coast I His career ended with-<>n his own admission-"the rather strange choice" turned back by myself to engage the MiG pilot who had seemed to be directing of Chief of Safety of USAF. Before that he served three years as the traffic from a vantage point on the deck below the general melee. I caught Commandant of Cadets at the Air Force Academy. He retired from active him and downed him with one Sidewinder heat seeking missile, then turned duty in 1973, and moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. for the Gulf and that desperately-needed aerial tanker.

AIR FORCE CROSS �ILVER STAR with three ; I1 oak leaf cluslcn. _ DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS with five oak. leaf clu:.lcr:. AIR MEDAL with thirty nine oak leaf cluster:,. Distinguished Flying Cross (RAF) Croix de Gucrrc (France) DSO (S. Vietnam Air Force) Robin Olds Air Gallantry Medal cS. Vietnam) SQUADRON LEADER J. D WNE DFC

As an Americancitizen I watched World War 11 build-up andfelt the awful menace of the German war machine. In 1940, I travelled to Montreal and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as a member of the Free World seeking to keep it that way. I earned my Wings and was commissioned in the fall of 1941. Shortly afterwards,just about the time of Pearl Harbour, I sailed from Halifax, N.S., to Liverpool. My country was then at war. I became caught in one of the eddies of the war aftersailing for Singapore and being diverted to the Middle East. Eventually, on June 6, 1942, I was posted to a flight at Abadan, Iran, where Gloster Gladiators defended the then world's greatest oil refmery. However, there was no air fighting and I wanted to get to the UKand flySpitfires over Europe. Eventually, in May, 1943, Ijoined the Kenley Wing which was led by Johnnie Johnson. During that summer we escorted the first Fortress raids into combat. They took some very hardknocks and it was not until the most significantfighter of the war camealong, the North American Mustang, that the 8th Air Force was able to fly to Berlin and back without undue losses. When the American long-range fighters came into the theatre it changed the character of the air war and the German fighter squadrons were pulled back fromthe coast andoperated from bases nearer the centre of Germany where the bombing targets were located. This caused a shift of emphasis for our squadrons to ground attack operations, especially because of the forthcoming invasion of Europe. Ground attack does not have the romance of the air duels, but in the later stages of the war, the fighter-bombers of the Royal Air Force and the US Ground attack against a defended target was always a thriller. Zoned fife Air Force were the cutting edge of the Allied armies that swept onto enshrouded the plane with flfeballs - and you only saw every fifth projectile. victory. Your own debris from dive-bombing was a menace. In the late summer of 1943, we attacked targets in northernFrance, radar Towards the end of the war, we were on a low level patrol just north of the Elbe stations, did rail interdiction and hit a lot of other ground targets with when I attacked the lead vehicle on a long convoy of supply trucks and particular emphasis on transportation. On November 13, 1943, I did a personnel carriers. I opened fire from several hundred feet of altitude and 'Rhubarb' to the Cambrai area, destroying six locomotives and severely perhaps 2,000 feet distance. The entire lead section of the convoy erupted right damaging a military train. On April 8, 1944, I led the first Spitfire dive in front of me in a colossal ball of white light, with no way to avoid flying bombing raids from England against V-I sites. through. I pulled back hard and shut my eyes on my way through the flames. Somehow I found myself on the way back to base. What an aeroplane! Early in 1944, Johnnie Johnson formed 144 Wing at Digby where he had three brand new squadrons from Canada and his job was to get them operational before D-Day. He asked me to command 441 Squadron, and during the spring of 1944 we worked hard to train the new Canadian pilots in the groundattack role so that we could support the First Canadian Army during the invasion by overcoming enemy strongpoints and attacking 441 Squadroncame to being in the 2nd Tactical Air concentrations of enemy infantry and armour. Force for the greatest military onslaught ever On D-Day, the wing flewfour times over the Normandybeaches without attempted - D-Day at Nonnandy. I ledthe squadron seeing an enemy aircraft.Soon after that, on D+ 5, we moved to Normandy over the beaches at H-Hour and for three more patrols on that day. It was a never-to-be repeated to an airfield called St. Croix-sur-Mer, and, having gained a foothold in command. France, began more close support operations. By then I had completed nearly 175 combat sorties, and during July to September, I came back to We werethe first squadron tooperate fromNonnandy the United States for a most delightful leave. and the frrst tobe based there. This kind of airpower paved the path of the invasion and was decisive to After reading newspaper accounts of old squadrons' activity, I decided to the outcome of Overlord. return to the UK, smuggled myself to Europe andjoined Johnnie Johnson who then led 127 Canadian Wing at an airfield called Grave. He gave me command of 421 (Red Indian) Squadron. In the winter of 1944, we were based at Brussels Evere where we were stationed during the Battle of the Bulge, and also on January1, 1945, when My combat experience was in the Spitflfe IX, with some convoy patrol in the Luftwaffe pulled its great coup including a devastating attack on our Spitfire V's. It was an incredible, immortal combat vehicle. We were bounced airfield. On March 24, 1945, we supported the great Rhine crossing and on several occasions at 9,000 feet by P-51 Mustangs from bomber escort at after some more bitter ground attacks, the war ended with 127 Wing based 25,000 feet and we were able to outclimb them back to their level. We came just across the Elbe south of Hamburg and recognized as the highest home on several occasions from deep penetration 2,000to 3,000feet abovethe scoring fighter wing on ground targets in 2nd TAF. FW-190's at 35,000 feet.

DFC WING COMMANDER

DFC, DFM

On completion of senior matriculation at St. Thomas' College in Battleford, Saskatchewan, I applied to join the RCAP and was called up for pilot training in October, 1940. After elementary flying training on Tiger Moths at Edmonton, I received my Wings at Yorkton as asergeant pilot. It was my first disappointment not to be granted a commission, but I was determined to become a fighter pilot. I was transferred overseas in July, 1941, and took my OTU at Usworth on Hurricanes. In November, 1941, I was one of many RCAP pilots sent to the Middle East and would flyon RAF squadrons for the next three years. Posted to 94 Squadron in the Western Desert on Hurricanes,my introduction to operations was fitting to the type of life I would lead for the next 18 months. Flying in anold Bombay fromthe outskirtsof Cairo,it tooktwo days to findthe We were patrolling just off Anzio up and down the coast at 14000' waiting to squadron locatedtemporarily at Antelat landing ground some 80 miles south of escort our B-26s over their target. Bandits (20+) were reported in the area at Benghazi. To greet us on arrival a Ju 88 appeared out of the low clouds and 15000'.While flying north we spotted20+ Me 109s and long-nosed FW 190s dropped a string of bombs on the landing strip while the ack-ack fired back. came down through the cloud at approximatelytwo o'clock to the section about In the mess tent we learned that six pilots, including the CO and a flight 500' above. They appeared to be manoeuvring into sun to bounce the Kitties commanderhad been shot down the previous day by Me 109s. The next day the below. We climbed into the e/a closing around to astern. One Me 109 was squadron packed up and retreated eastward- 'Operation Crusader' was over. attempting to fire at one of us from 150 yards astern,when I frred from 300 94 Squadron converted to Kittyhawks and I shot down my first Me 109 on my astern. I could not observe any hits but he broke away immediately and went first operational sortie, escorting Boston bombersover Martuba airfield. Soon down. I turnedonto another which half-rolled and I fired from about 300 yards, after 94 Squadron was repatriated to the Delta area,and along with six other 100 astern. Pieces appeared to fall off and it dived vertically but my carmons pilots, I walked across the airfield to join 260 Squadron. stuck in the 'on' position (probably frozen) and did not observe results after it reached 6000', map reference F.7729. I pulled up again and peeled off on For the next 12 months I flew Kittyhawks in close support of the 8th Army, another long-nosed FW 190 and chased it to deck level over the coast. Closed retreating and advancing from 28 different landing grounds. Although the to about 300 yards just before crossing our lines. E/a saw my Spit behind and Kittyhawks didn't go looking for the 109s they found us most times. As we took evasive action by weaving violently I fired two bursts of machine gun from gained experience and skills we learned to thwart the 109 attacks and 200 astern. E/a poured black smoke, caught frre, the pilot tried to side-slip the sometimes turn them to our advantage. By the time of the Axis defeat in flames away, but hit the deck and crashed at map reference F.8440. I claim one Tunisia,in May,1943, 260 Squadron like manyother squadrons in the Desert FW 190 (long-nosed) destroyed and one FW 190 (LN) damaged.* Air Force, had become top operational units. My score in the air at that time *Damage later confirmed by the army - in fact, six E/ A were shot down and was 13� Me 109s,one Macchi 202 and one six-engine Me 323 transport,plus only four claims made. many probab1e s and damaged. After 195 operational sorties I was hit once in the wing area by an attacking Me 109 but not a scratch from groundfrre during 55 straffmg missions. Aftera tour as gunnery instructor at the Middle East Central Gunnery School, El Ballah, I returned for a second tour of ops with 417 Squadron, RCAP, in Italy, flying beautiful Spitfrre VIlIs. Two weeks later I became a flight It was on 260 Squadron that I became operational as a fighter pilot. I led a flight for three months with commander on 92 Squadron, RAF, in 244 (Spitfrre) Wing. While flying patrols over the Anzio beachhead 1 managed to shoot down four more enemy greatsuccess before I was commissioned and on the fighters. first sortie as flight commander, my squadron inter cepted enemy aircraft staffing our forward troops In March,1944, I was given command of 274 Squadron. A few days later, and we shot down six Me 109s without loss. while flyingover the centralmountainous regionof Italy,my Spitfrredeveloped a severe glycol leak and I force-landed on a mountain top. I returned to my Seldom did the Kittyhawks go looking for the Me 109s. "Experten" Me 109 pilots of JG 27 and JG squadron ten days later to learn that it was to be repatriated back to England 53 attacked our formations at will and shot down with 80 and 229 Squadrons to bolster forces for D-Day. many of our aircraft. The squadrons formed a new Spitfire wing at Hornchurch, under Wing On 260, as on all RAF squadrons in the Desert Air Commander 'Hawkeye' Wells. We operated from Detling, then later from Force,there was a greatmixture of nationalities with West Malling, flying sweeps and escorts over the Continent and during 75 a tremendous camaradie amongst the personnel. sorties no enemy aircraft were encountered. Incombat with Me 1 09s,I managed a single victory (damagedor destroyed) on In August, 1944, 274 Squadron converted to Tempest aircraft to chase 18 occasions and a double victory seven times and a triple on two occasions. 'DoodleBugs'. Shortly afterwards,I was taken offops and sent back to Canada. While dive bombing and ground strafmg, I destroyed 12 aircraft and over 200 At this time I received a Bar to my DFC. vehicles. I received the DFM and DFC in February, 1943. I returned to ops in March, 1945, as Wing Leader of 127 Wing, RCAP, and managed to damage a few more enemy aircraftbefore the war ended when we were based on an airfield near Hamburg. I remained in the RCAP after the war, becoming one of the first jet pilot instructors on Vampires. In 1952 as Wing Leader of 2(F) Wing, I led three squadronsof Sabres overseasto Grostenquin,France, for Nato forces. I retired I flew all modelsof Kittyhawks,Mark I, lIs and Ills, in the WesternDesert and from the RCAP in 1972. In collaboration with author, Michael Lavigne,I North Africa. With six .50 machine guns, the Kittyhawk was great for ground launched my book KlTTYHAWK PILOT in December, 1983. KlTTY strafing, but in combat, with 'g' forces, the guns had a terrible habit of stopping Mk HAWK PILOT tells my story with 260 Squadron and the air war in the aftera couple of short bursts. The Spitfrres I flewwere Vbs,VlIIs and IXs. I Western Desert during World War Two. It is published by Turner-Warwick always said that one should do a tour on Kittyhawks to really understand and In Mk Publishers Limited, Battleford, Saskatchewan,Canada. appreciate the grace and beauty of a Spitfire. my opinion, the Spitfire IX was the fmest fighter ever built.

DFC + Bar DFM 'Stocky' Edwards SQUADRON LEADER P. W. E (N ) HEP ELL DFC, FRICS

On my eighteenth birthday, in June 1939, Ijoined the RAF Volunteer Reserve and was posted to my first squadron, 616 (South Yorkshire) AAF, in the autumn of 1940; this weary and sadly depleted unit had been pulled out of the Battle of Britain for a rest and to train new pilots like Johnnie Johnson, Alan Smith and myself. In February of the following year we moved to Tangmere and shortly afterwards Douglas Bader arrived to lead the Tangmere Wing. Bader's impact on 616 was truly remarkable. He chose to fly with our Squadron so that when in the spring and summer of 1941 we reached out over North-W est Europe, we of 616 -Johnnie, Cocky Dundas, Alan, JeffWest, BuckCasson, Colin Mcfie- always seemed to be in the thick of the fighting.In August, when Bader went missing, 616 was one of the crack units in Fighter Command. Early in 1942 I took-off my Spitfire from the 400feet deck of HMS Eagle-an experience I shall long remember! I was a FlightCommander in 249 Squadron and I was leading my flight to Malta, then struggling desperately for its very survival against the Luftwaffe. The enemy attacked in strength,never less than three times a day. The pattern seldom varied. Stukas and Junkers 88's escorted by yellow-nosed 109's ['-R NipHeppeJl Km Holdm.Johnnie Johnson carrying out dive-bombing attacks on the airfields at Hal Far, Luqa and Takali, and the GrandHarbour. The number of attacking aircraftvaried from Pilot's forty to over one hundred, and they were seldom opposed by more than a handful of Spitfires. Often the very numbers of the oppositionallowed the few On 10th March 1942, Stan Turner, from Canada, was leading our Squadron Spitfires to enter the fray,fire a few bursts, and depart unnoticed. On 8th April, and I was leading a section of four Spitfires.We climbed to over 20,000 ft to 1942, only two of us took off to intercept more than one hundred bombers try and intercept some enemy bombers and fighters, but there was a lot of escorted by a similar number of 109's. I was leading this pair of Spitfires and cloud about and I had difficulty keeping contact with Turner. After some time our gunners were fuing at the bombers,but they hit me, andmy Spitfiresimply searching for him I suddenly saw eight enemy aircraft about 3 or 4,000 ft disintegrated. I fell about 7,000 ft. before regaining consciousness. below and led my flight to attack. I got in a long burst at the leading Aftera spell asboth ferry and test pilot in the Middle-East, I returnedto Malta Messerschmitt and could see I was hitting him, but I was closing very fast and at the end of 1942 and found the situation much changed. The Island was now suddenly I must have hit his slip-stream because my Spitfire was wrenched secure and it was our turn to go on the offensive- fighter sweeps over Sicily upside down and I thought I had been shot at and hit from behind. I pulled into and a fair amount of train bashing. a steep turn, jettisoned the canopy and called my wingman to report any damage, but he replied that all was well, and that he had seen the 109 crash Early in 1943 I baled out offCalanfranabecause of a bombhang-up and landed into the Grand Harbour. This was the first Spitfire victory over Malta. in the sea where I was soon picked up. In April I was promoted to Squadron Leader to command 229 Squadron, and shortly afterwards was clobbered by After landing we held a post mortem about my losing contact with Stan the pilot of a Focke-Wulf 190 with a remarkable deflectionshot. I was hit in the Turner.Clearly, this was my fault and we all put it down to 'finger trouble' , but two days later another pilot, flyingthe same Spitfire,flopped out of a formation chest and the backside, but managed to stagger back to Malta where I put my Spitfire down safely and was taken to hospital. at 25,000 feet and just regained consciousness at low level. Inspection revealed that the oxygen supply was faulty, and we concluded that I was After sick leave in UK I took the opportunity to fly as Johnnie Johnson's suffering from oxygen starvation when I lost contact with Turner. wingman on fighter sweeps over France. Then I was given command of 118 Squadron (Spitfire 9's) and later re-equipped with Mustang 3's, in my opinion, the most significant escort fighter of WorldWar n. Its greatrange enabled it to escort Fortresses and Liberators right across Germany and so establish the 616 (South Y�r�shire vital air superiority which eventually made the Normandy landings possible. )

616 made a great impression upon me, aged 19, for I saw it transformed from a poor unit to one of the most ouststanding squadrons in FighterCommand. Ken Holden, our direct Yorkshire Flight Commander with his "now you young lads", Notes on AIrc aft flownIn Co bat, 3 ·4 fatherly approach, probably did much for my career with his careful guidance and advice, and Douglas During my RAF career I flew about 50 different types of aircraft including a Bader's outstanding bravery and qualities of leader number of twins when I ferried in Africa. The Spitfirewas the finest. I firstflew ship made a lasting impression. the Mark 1 Spit with pump up undercarriage and then Mark 2 (a), (b) and (c); Mark 5 (a), (b) and (c); Mark 6 and 7 high altitude; Mark 9 (a) and (b). A I have the fondest memories of those epic days at wonderful aircraft on which much praise has justly been lavished. It must be Tangmere, of Cocky Dundas, with his great ability borne in mind that it first flew in 1935 and its limited fuel range was its only and humour, whose brother, John, was shot down embarrassment. and killed in the Battle of Britain; of Johnnie Johnson, a life-time friend; of JeffWest, from New The Mustang Mark 3 with Rolls Royce Packard Merlin was a much later Zealand who later came to Malta with me; of our design and much had been learned by more than trebling the fuel capacity, Commanding Officer, Billy Burton, who became a improving the visibility and improving bad weather handling with adjustable great Wing Leader in the Western Desert and who flaps giving greater stability. was sadly lost in the Bay of Biscay returning to Africa; and even after all this time, I still remember vividly those days and those who did not return.

l�

D.F.C. + Ba, Croix de Guerre Avec Palmes

l'{ip Heppel\ WING COMMANDER ROD SMITH DFC + BAR

When I was five I saw a biplane flying from a field near Regina in Canada where I lived. It broke its undercarriage at the moment it lifted ofTand belly landed later in a cloud of dust. Aeroplanes captivated me ever after. At 18, I joined the RCAF in September 1940. I trained in Canada on Tiger Moths and Harvards, and then took operational training on Spitfire I's at Grangemouth, Scotland. I thought they were superb but was surprised to find that their eight .303 machine guns seemed rather feeble when fired. In June 1 941 I joined 412 RCAF Squadron, at Digby, Lincolnshire, in 12 Group flying Spitfire lI's. Our firstaction, in September, was a patrol between Calais and Dunkirk to give withdrawal cover to some Blenheim medium bombers. On the climb-up my stomach felt like ice, but when we got near the Pas de Calais anti-aircraft shells burst all around us, andI then felt fine! Later, a bunch of blue and silver Messerschmitt 109E's, looking like small sharks, dived upon us firingwithout success. They turned our subsequent withdrawal into an embarrassing rout however. In October 1941, we were equipped with Spitfire Mark V's. They had two 20mm cannon, which were vastly more inspiring than the machine guns. During a sweep over Dunkirk tn November we firstmet the new Focke-Wulf 190. We didn't shoot any down and lost three pilots. The FW 190 quickly gained ascendency because of its speed and high rate of roll. In May 1942, I was posted to Malta. On July 15, in the Western Mediterranean, I took ofT from the old aircraft carrier Eagle in a tropical Spitfire V with a long-range drop tank, and flew to Malta. There I joined 126 RAF Squadron and was surprised to find that my older brother J erry was in it. He and I then began to operate as a pair: and once shared in the probable destruction of a Junkers 88 bomber. Unhappily, he went missing about four weeks after I arrived and was subsequently presumed killed in aciton. Throughout July, Malta was receiving four or five bombing raids a day. On July 24 I shot down a Ju 88 almost over our aerodrome, expending all my cannon shells and putting it on fire. It left a long arc of black smoke which lasted a long time. Between that day and the end of October I shot down two more Ju 88's, a tri-motored Italian S.M. 79 and two Me 109F's. Daylight bombing began again in October, and I became a flight commander in the squadron. On October 15 I was shot down, baled out, fell into the sea and luckily was rescued. In December 1942, I returned to England to spend most of 1943 instructing at a Hurricane O.T.U. and taking leave in Canada. In December 1943 I was postedto 401 RCAF Squadron at Biggin Hill, which had Spitfire IX's. They were much superior to the Me 109's and FW 190's still being used by the enemy. In March 1944 I became a flight commander in 412 Squadron and in April we moved to Tangmere. On June 6, D-Day, we covered the Normandy beach head and on June 18 we landed at our new Pilot's Combat Report Normandy base, Beny-sur-Mer. I managed to shoot down an FW 190 in During the daylight bombing over Malta in October 1942 my Squadron flames, south of the beach-head. We began to concentrate on shooting up enemy vehicles on the roads. intercepted nine Ju 88's escorted by 80 Me 109F's, attacking from one side. I flew across and behind the 88's to fireat the one on the far side. The gunners in In early September we moved up to Brussels. When the Arnhem airborne the 88's firedtracer bullets at me, which looked like coils of thrown rope. The landing began we covered the vital bridge at Nijmegen. Enemy fighters 109's were swarming above and behind, and after I fired at my 88 and set its appeared low over the bridge in large numbers, and during that time I shot port engine on fire, I saw tracer from 109's going right over my head towards down six Me 109G's. the 88. I dived down for several seconds then came back up again to fireat the starboard engine of the 88, which caught fire also. The 88 plunged gracefully During this period I took command of 40 1 Squadron. We began to see enemy down and exploded spectacularly before falling into the sea. It was the first jet aircraft, Messerschmitt 262's, for the first time. On October 5 we shot one Hun bomber to come down in the October blitz. down near Nijmegen, five of us shooting and sharing him. It was said to be the first. This brought the total number of enemy aircraft destroyed by me to 13 1/5. I returned to Canada in December 1944 and retired from the service in June 1945 with the Rank of Squadron Leader. I joined the Auxiliary Air Force in 1946 and retired from it in 1953 with the Rank of Wing Commander. No 412 (RCAF) Squadron When I joined 412 (RCAF) Squadron, my first, it was newly formed, with pilots of little or no 1939-45 experience. When I left it and went to Malta in Notes on A·re. aftflown in Combat, 1942 I gained experience very similar to that I I flew only Spitfires in combat. No mean fate! I grew to envy the Mustang's would have got had I been fortunate enough to be in great range, however. The Spitfire Mark IX was a far better fightingaeroplane the Battle of Britain. In September 1944 the than the earlier Marks because it had the Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 Series honour fell to me to lead 412 Squadron in the air Engine, which had a two-speed two-stage supercharger. This device wrested battles around Nijmegen Bridge. Over the years the the height advantage from the Germans and gave lasting command of the air to Squadron had become very experienced, and around the Allies. Spitfires were blind directly behind, a serious fault of most World Nijmegen Bridge it shot down more enemy aircraft War 11 fighters, but they were marvellously nimble. than any other Squadron.

DFC + Bar CAPTAIN

ROBERT C. COATS, USN

Prior to graduation from the Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, I was accepted in the Aviation Cadet program, Navy, and in June 1939 received orders to active duty for Hight training in Pensacola and Miami, Florida. In early 1941, I was designated a Naval Aviator, commissioned Ensign, USNR, and retained to instruct in the Fighter Training Squadron, Hying Boeing F-4B and Grumman F-2F biplane obsolete fighters. In March, 1943, I reported to Fighter Squadron (VF) Eighteen, a fleet unit. We trained in the Grumman F-4F and transitioned to the F-6F Hellcat. We deployed in the aircraft carrier, USS Blinker Hill and participated in routine combat air patrol, strafing and bombing attacks in the Solomons prior to our first real combat activity against the Japanese at Rabaul, New Britain, on November 11, 1943.

Following our strike sweep at Rabaul, the Japanese launched a retaliatory strike, catching Hornet in the early phase of a second launch. I happened to be in a position with my wingman between the force and three flights of torpedo planes (Kates). I downed four Kates, while my wingman downed two more. We disrupted the torpedo attack, such that no torpedos found their targets.

While flyingCAP January I, 1944, I engaged a Tony fighter, a snooper. I maneuvered onto his tail at about 12,000 feet, followed through clouds and rain, firing when I could, and finally brought the Tony down at about 300 feet. A wild ride! Other combat activities followed in the Gilbert Islands (Tarawa), the Marshalls and the Carolines (Saipan, Guam, Truk).

After five months of flying an intensive schedule in the combat zone, VF-18 pilots returned to continental US to re-deploy in other squadrons. I joined VF-17 and returned to combat in January 1945. We flew the Grumman F6F-5 from the USS Hornet, and participated in strikes against Okinawa, Tokyo, Iwo Jima, the Okinawa invasion, the Japanese home island Kyushu, battleship Yamato and shipping in and around the Sea of Japan.

March, 1945, was a very significant month for me and it began on the first, when my F-6F took anti-aircraft hits over Okinawa that made her far too unstable for a carrier landing. I opted for a water landing inside the task group-the first of three 17 water landings during my fighter career-and I made it safely. Fighter Squadron On this Hellcat Squadron we had well trained March 18 saw enemy air attacks on the Hornet. Bad weather, and trigger-happy fighter pilots and superb ground crews, and mor ships gunners firing on our own airplanes, interrupted the pre-dawn launch of 24 fighters, with only six airborne. My division plus two Hellcats from the second ale-'that priceless pearl'-was very high. It was division, rendezvoused and proceeded toward Kyushu. Twenty to thirty Zekes a great era-pushing the Japs back-and we all patrolling the coastline high, mounted a mostly unco-ordinated attack. The Hellcats knew we were winning the war in the Pacific. maintained the three, two plane sections in a line abreast. and figure eight defense What a pleasure to fight with such men as Lieu- to guard each others tail. Nine kills verified. We survived only because of outstanding FIGHTING SEVENTEEN tenant Bill Colvin, Ensign Harry Hanna and Ensign air discipline, aggressive head-on shots, snap shots, and returning to formation. Hellcat Squadron Jerry Foster. Continuing inland, we spotted six Zekes that wanted to fight, and flamed them all. We re-grouped, eased south, and found two Zekes and a Corsair in a vertical circle. My wingman and I collected the two Zekes, and a grateful Marine. During this sweep I got five kills from a total of sixteen. We took some hits, but no losses.

The last day of the month was also exciting when over Ammimi-O-Shima I took a Pilot Combat Report direct hit in the engine causing loss of engine and very heavy fire. I dived into a On March 19 my division, due to mechanical problems, was last to join a 60 channel between two islands striking the water at 170 knots. I recovered under plane strike formation at West Kanoya airfield, Kyushu. The Japanese water, surfaced and survived with the help of a one-man raft dropped by Ensign obviously cleared the field of aircraft, and when the bombing began, Japanese Harry Hanna, my Number Four man. Then I was picked up by a single-engine sea planes of all kinds penetrated an overcast and came into view. I dropped my plane, escorted by 60 fighters, and was returned to the Hornet and back in action division out of the bombing group, and we started chasing airplanes, firing on a few days later. eleven above the overcast; we could only verify two kills since they would What a month. drop back in the overcast; some of them were on fire. We then started our bombing runs, only to spot six Zekes in formation in the landing pattern, and Tally for March-seven confirmed, four probables, versus two definitely confirmed with lights on. We dropped into tail position and started shooting, getting two for the other side! more; dropped our bombs on the runway, and headed home to Hornet for a While attending the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in the fall of 1960, night landing. Four kills and six probables for the division. Later during the President Eisenhower dedicated the new building housing the college. He stayed month we downed four more enemy at Kanoya, all at low level, following for lunch with Lieutenant General Mundy, USAF, Commandant of the school. An attacks on the airfield. officer from each service was invited tojoin them. I represented the Navy, General Mundy read the Atlantic Fleet Safety Award, and President Eisenhower presented me with a momento award. Needless to say, "I like Ike!"

In October, 1970, I was on duty as Head, Mid-East Plans for a Joint Staff, the Notes on Aircraft flown in Combat Strike Command. During an unpleasantness in Jordan, the Strike Command Commandant, an Army general proposed that I parachute with a support group I Hew Grumman Hellcats (F6F and F6F-5) in combat and always felt very into a Middle East airfield, hostile environment, to co-ordinate Navy aircraft carrier confident in these sturdy fighters which could take a lot of punishment and support. Fortunately, the situation corrected itself. I felt like telling the General still bring you home. The -5 was a smoother version with Hush rivets, and that water landings are alright, but like windows, I don't do bailouts! maybe 20-25 knots faster; it was the best carrier-based Navy fighter at that time, having better visibility, more stable Hight characteristics, and more I retired in 1971 with 32 years of satisfying service. internal fuel than other carrier-based fighters. This airplane made more 'aces' Happy Landings. than any other fighter.

NAVY CROSS DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS with IWOl!otan.

AIR MEDAL with :-i:( )<.130. PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION LEGION OF MERIT Robert C. Coats SQUADRON LEADER HI G DFC

In 1940, I applied for pilot training and was called up in the following spring. My biggest thrill in my flyingtraining was a forced landing in a sheep pasture in very hilly country,in the middle of a snow storm. My instructor's biggest thrill was trying to fly the Harvard out of that small field the following day. After operational training I was posted to 403 Squadron at Northolt in early June 1942. Squadron Leader AI Deere was the CO at that time. The squadron was equipped with Spit V's which I thought was terrific until I was informed that the squadron had lost six or seven pilots in the last two sorties because of the superior performance of the FW 190. At this time AI Deere finished his tour and was replaced by 'Syd' Ford. Because of so many losses and inexperienced replacements the squadron was moved to Catterick to regroup. My firstreal action was the Dieppe raid on August 19,1942, when we flew close cover to the ships. I managed to get several shots at FW 190's as they were popping in and out of cloud cover but missed. The balance of 1942 was spent doing boring patrols over the North Sea with the occasional sweep thrown in. In January 1943,403 Squadron was moved to Kenley,south of London where we were re-equipped with the new Spit. IX's. In addition to sweeps over Europe a major assignment was escorting US bombers on daylight raids. I shot down my first Me 109 on May 13, 1943, and shared in the destruction of an FW 190. Between May and October, 1943, when I finished my first operational tour I was credited with four enemy aircraft destroyed plus two damaged. During this same time our Wing Leader 'Johnnie' Johnson ran up a fine score. From October 1943 to March 1944 I was on rest at Swinderby,and slowly going mad fromboredom. During the firstweek of March I was contacted by Johnnie Johnson andasked ifI would takethe job of flightcommander in a new Canadian wing he was forming. I was ecstatic andthus I was posted to 442 Squadron of 144 Wing. On June 27,1944, we were flyingan armedreconna issance east of Caen when Larry Robillard spotted six Me 109's low flying towards our lines near Caen. I In the spring ofl944,we practiced a number of exercises for navy and army led my flight to the attack and as we got closer I could see they were carrying support in preparation for the upcoming invasion. We knew it was coming what appeared to be 500 pound bombs. As we bored in they saw us and but didn't know when. We also learned to use our Spitfires as dive dropped the bombs and took evasive action. During the next several mintues I bombers. In May we dive-bombeda number of'buzz-bomb' sites in France shot down two in flames; one pilot managed to bail out. Stan McClarty shot with considerable success. We also continued to fly escort in the daylight down two,one of which blew up scorching his aircraft. Larry Robillard's guns bombing raids as well as sweeps. jammed and the other two got away. Terrible disappointment for Larry. On June 5 we flew cover for a huge naval convoy heading south-east and knew the time had come. On June 6, D-Day, I flew four sorties on patrol over the beachhead and witnessed the most awesome assembly of power the world has ever seen. On June 8, while dive-bombing tanks in Caen,I was hit by the flak which pierced the gas tank and promptly sprayed gasoline all over me. While I was trying to decide how to bail out without becoming a flamingtorch, Ian I chose 422 Squadron not only because it was my Keltie spotted a freshly bulldozed landing strip just above the beach. In first command but also because the squadron had a order to avoid sparks,I leftall switches on,put the wheels down and went in greatdeal of success during my tenure. This gave me for a normal landing on soft earth. All went well until near the end of my a great deal of personal satisfaction. landing run when a French farmer witha horse-drawn load of hay tried to To witness the D-Day landing and be part of the beat me across the landing strip. It finished in a tie. Result - one French successful invasion of Europe makes 1944 the most horse destroyed,one French farmer damaged. Miraculously no fire,and I exciting period of the war. walked away unhurt. I made my way to the beachand returnedto England that night on a motor torpedoboat in a 50 mile per hour gale. I was sea-sick the whole way much to the amusement of the British Navy,some of whom eventually joined me at the rail. Soon after we moved to Normandy and during June I destroyed two Me 109' s and damaged an FW 190. Inearly July I became CO of the squadron and was very proud of their efforts during the 'Falaise Gap' fighting where During both tours I flewSpitfires. The markswere V,IXa and IXb. Of the three the squadron destroyed hundreds of enemy vehicles. types I preferred the IXa which gave us superior performance over the FW 190. When the second stage of the super-charger cut in at about 20,000feet it As the rout of the German army continued,we moved up through France gave us the same manifold pressure and acceleration we had at 5000 feet. At behind them, eventually locating in Brussels where I finished my second the time the Spit. IXa was introduced we were doing a lot of high altitude tour around the end of September. For me the war was over. escorts on B-17 daylight bombing raids. The Spit. IXa was a Godsend.

DFC + Bar A CL'--�"C(� �

Harry J. Dowding WING COMMANDER L E CAS CBE, DSO, DFC.

At 24 I was a workingjournalistwith Lord Beaverbrook'sExpress Newspapers in Fleet Street when World War 11 broke out. After training in Canada in 1940, I served my apprenticeship with Fighter Command's 66 Squadron in 1941 before being posted, early 1942, to Malta. I was later given command of 249, often claimed to be the Royal Air Force's top-scoring fightersquadron, at the height of the island battle. I well recall one incident in the intense fighting. The Squadron, brilliantly controlled from the ground by Group Captain Woodhall, was perfectly positioned to meet an incoming raid of three Italian Cant bombers, closely attended by the Luftwaffe's70 plus Me 109 escort. With height and sun on its side, the Squadron cut clean through the fighter screen to send all three bombers plunging earthwards. It was a model interception. George ('Screwball') Beurling, 249's talented Canadian, watched the action from the ground. "Boss," he said to me just after we had landed, "I couldn't fault that one." It was the ultimate accolade. After a spell on the C-in-C's staff at Fighter Command, I was appointed, in 1943, to command, first, 616, the South Yorkshire Auxiliary Squadron, and then, later, the fighter wing at Coltish all. My recollection of Coltishall, is of our clipped-wing, cropped-blower Spitfire Vs, flying interminable sorties across 120 miles of turbulent North Sea, interspersedwith close escorts for the USAAF'smedium bombers to targets in Northern France. I can still see, as if it was yesterday, Johnnie Johnson and his Kenley Wing of Canadians, with their coveted Spitfire IXBs, high up aboveus, picking offthe FW 190's and Me 109's as they began their passes at the succulent baitway down below. Johnnie's wing leading in the summer and autumn of 1943 was a wonderfully effective and aggressive affair. At the end of a second period on the staff, I was told by Leigh Mallory, the Allied Air Commander, that, at 29, I was "too old for a third tour on fighters". "Very well, sir," I countered, "then how about a chance with 2 Group's Mosquitoes?" So, for the last six months of the war in Europe, as a Wing Commander, I took command of 613's Mosquitoes at Cambrai/Epinoy for the low-level daylight bombing attacks and night interdiction missions flown in support of the advancing Allied armies. Pilot's Co at Re ort Publishers' Note: Ground Control's two JU 88s Confirmed In the peace that followed, Lucas, one of Britain's best-known amateur golfers, became a member of parliament and a public company managing It was just after first light on 6 June, 1942, when Frank Jones, my Canadian director and chairman. Now, in his 'retirement' , he is a successful author with No 2, reportedtwoJU 88s at 9 'clockright down on the water, 80 miles south east of Malta-the result of a hunch by Bill Farnes, the operations controller. four books already standing to his credit. He was awarded the CBE in 1981. 'OK, Frank,' I said, 'we'll take the portside aircraft. "Lint" and Micky*, I want you two to take the aircraft to starboard.' It took 249's four Spitfire VBs four minutes to finish the job. But the credit belonged to Bill Fames and ground control. *Pilot Officer 'Lint' Linton and Flight Sergeant Micky Butler, two more of No 249 (Gold Coast) 249's stalwart Canadians. S adron

Command of a squadron in battle was the ultimate f t r w C privilege the Service could bestow upon a fighter During WWII I flew five different marks of Spitfire, the Hurricane 11 and the pilot. And when that squadron happened to be 249 Mosquito VI. in Malta, with its brilliant English-speaking mix from the United Kingdom and the "old" I would select the Spitfire VB as my favourite combat aircraft in the Commonwealth, from South Africa and the United circumstances of the Malta battle in the spring and early summer of 1942. States-the recipient was doubly blessed. The island fightingwas generally between the SpitfireVB (and VC) on the one I was lucky to take over 249 from Stan Grant in hand and the Luftwaffe's Me 109F (and G) and the Regia Aeronautica's Malta's crisis days of 1942. Here was an outstanding Macchi 202 (and 205) on the other. officer, cast in the classical Cranwell mould. Stan Against such opposition the Spitfire VB was well able, in experienced hands, had given the Squadron a conceit in itself which to contain the heavy numerical superiority of the enemy. Its composite made us feel we were a pace or two ahead of the qualities of manoeuvrability, performance, armament and stability as a gun rest. Nothing below our best would do. No platform gave it an edge over the Me 109F in individual combat. succeeding CO could have asked for more. Moreover, it imbued the pilots with a faithand a confidencewhich did much to sustain morale in those rugged days.

I-® I �

DSO and Bar DFC Croix de Guerre Avec Palmes Laddie Lucas COLONEL

GERALD BROWN, USAF

I was commissioned 10 March 1943 at Williams AFB, Arizona and was assigned to the 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group at Paine Field, Washington. The Group had P-38 aircraft and we were training for escorting bombers.

We depa,ted for England in August, 1943 and arrived at Nuthampstead near Cambridge in early September. Our training intensified during the next few weeks and our Group went on combat operations 15 October. Our mission was to provide long range escort to the bomber forces. We usually escorted them beyond the range of the P-47s and other escort types. We continued this task alone until another P-38 Group, the 20th, became operational in December, 1943. Needless to say it was a difficult task because of aircraft limitations and engine problems. Sometimes I thought that the only good we were doing was that we were taking some of the German fighters offthe bombers. I was shot up twice in November and on one mission-I returned on single engine with 120 plus holes in my aircraft. The German pilots in those days were extremely capable. The first FW 190 I saw attacked a box of bombers head on and inverted. I wouldn't fly through a bomber formation from the rear as they aren't known for their formation flying.

I got my first Me 109 in January 1944. As a defensive maneuver about 12 of us were in a double Lufberry while about 30 Germans were attempting to break it up. One of them got on the tail of a P-38 and I latched on to him and blew his tail off. I got one more in March 1944 and three in April which made me the first P-38 Ace in the 8th Air Force. .

I finished my first tour of operations in April and was assigned as operations officer of a replacement training unit at Goxhill in Northern England until D-Day happened at which time I volunteered for another tour and I joined the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group at Debden. I was really Pilot Combat Report looking forward to flying the P-51 with this well known Group for I believed the 51 was a much better airplane against the German then the On 15 April, 1944 after escorting bombers to Munster our Squadron was to hit the deck on a rhubarb and return to base. When relieved by another fighter 38. There wasn't anything he could do that I couldn't stick with him plus group we started down from about 25,000 ft. My flight was jumped by several the fact that I never once sweated fuel in a P-51. 109s and I ended up on the deck trying to evade 2 or 3 of them. After losing I got in several scraps but was never able to bag one. The only real them I ran onto a 190 which I attacked and saw him spin in. A few minutes interesting thing that happened to me was that I had to bale out of a later I saw and attacked a HE-Il l which immediately crash landed. Keeping Mustang on 5 September 1944 due to engine failure. The French Under up my speed I returned to base with several holes in the aircraft from the ground picked me up and I was back in England the same day. 109s and A.A.

I made the Air Force my career and started flying jets at March AFB in July, 1947. I went to Japan in December 1948 and flew P-51s with the 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group until we converted to F-80s in February, 1950. 38th Fighter Squadron

I was the Squadron Commander of the 39th when the Korean War started I and we started combat operations on 3 July, 1950 in F-80s but within two joined the 38th Squadron right out of flying school and started flying weeks we converted back to 51s because it was a better ground support the P-38. Our Squadron went on combat operations 15 October, 1943 aircraft as it could stay over the target area for a longer period. Our with our primary mission escorting the different types. Our orders were mission was ground support and interdiction and while on an interdiction to stay with the bombers at all costs and we weren't permitted to pursue. mission on 30 November, 1950 I was shot down by ground fire and had to belly in a burning airplane. I was captured immediately by Chinese This order wasn't rescinded until February, 1944 at which time we were troops and was a POW until release on 7 September, 1953. able to be more aggressive which is the name of the game for a fighter Being a POW is a thoroughly degrading experience. Much has been written pilot. I got my first victory in January, 1944, one in March and three about your treatment by the communists and I know that all of it is bad. in April which made me the first P-38 Ace in the 8th Air Force. As a Senior Officer I was blamed and punished for infractions of others. Eight months of solitary confinement being one type punishment.

I continued my career after release from POW status with duty tours in the Training Command before going overseas again as Director of Oper Notes on Aircraft flown in Combat ations of the 66th Tactical Reconnaisance Wing in France from July, 1959 to July, 1962 flying RF-lOls. Returning to the States I spent three years I flew one combat tour in the P-38 and one in the P-51 in the E.T.O. I got in Washington, D.C. with the Federal Aviation Administration until I was my 5 victories in the 38 and considered it a good airplane. However, I believe transferred to Operations at Tactical Command Headquarters at Langley the 51 was a better combat aircraft against German types. I never sweated AFB, Virginia in July, 1965. I was fortunate to spend only one year there fuel in the 51 and I always felt that I could do anything the German could do. At altitude, above 25,000 ft. the German could initiate combat and break it before being transferred to Luke AFB, Arizona as Vice Wing Commander off any time against the P-38. We were the initiators in the P-51. in July, 1966 and was assigned to fly the F-I04. I was made the Wing Commander in June 1967 and continued in that position until I retired I I flew the P-80 and the P-51 in Korea. Neither one was too good for ground November, 1967. support but we made do with them.

III III ( ��} DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL 'c: DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS with three oak leaf clusters AIR MEDAL with thirteen oak leaf clusters Gcrald Brown Crouix de Guerrc (France) FLIGHT LIEUTENANT

DFM,CD

I wasjust over twenty when, in the spring of 1941, Ijoined 145 Squadron, which was one of the three squadrons in the great Tangrnere Wing led by Douglas Bader. I was a sergeant-pilot and I well remember those early, exciting fighter sweeps over the Channel and the Pas de Calais. We knew that one of the German fighter pilots opposing us was Adolf Galland commanding the 26th Fighter Group at St. Omer. At this time Galland had notched up some 70 victories and had just been awarded Germany's highest decoration, the Oak Leaves with Swords to the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross.

On 2nd July, 1941, Galland and I (we subsequently learned) met in the air with pretty dire results for both of us. I saw his Me109F attacking some Blenheim bombers and got onto his tail. After a steep dive and some steep turns, I got in close, fired andsaw strikes on the right hand side of his cockpit. I was about to finish himoff when I saw a flash of other fighters in the sun and I had to break hard into four Me 109's coming at me head-on. They approached very fast. Their leader was firing at me, and I fired at him and hit him. Somehow we missed colliding and I turned and dived, for the ground, and safety. Suddenly I felt a great wallop in my back and part of my wing fell off. My Spitfire went into a vicious spin, completely out of control and I blacked-out. When I carneto, the This was on August 23rd, 1944, when Johnnie led my squadron (443) with ground was coming up at a great rate of knots. I pulled the ripcord, the 421 's Spitfires stepped up down-sun. During the climb, Johrmie's number two parachute opened, but somehow my legs were caught in the lines and I was returned with a rough engine, but he declined my offer of a replacement. going down head-first! After much struggling I got in the correct position and landed by a railway embankment with 109s circling overhead Over the Seine I spotted and reported a gaggle of about 60 aircraft milling about the sky and after our first surprise attack a big sprawling dog-fight took place and I was in a state of shock trying to get rid of my parachute when a young 12-year we climbed into some 109s, firing, trying to break them up and they stayed to old French boy arrived and tried to tell me, in broken English, that German fight. I could not prevent my number two from being shot down, but I got one of soldiers were coming afterme. Fortunately I speakfluent French and I followed his mates and then I heard the wingco: Jean Couderc, my new friend, to a nearby farmhouse thereby beginning my adventurousjoumey through France and Spain, and eventually home -andonly "Larry, where are you? I've got some 109's on my ass." made possible by many courageous French people. I replied that I was over the big bendon the Seine at 16,000 feet and 10hnnie said In early September I reported back to 145 Squadron, commanded by Stan that he would climb to meet us but he was still dodging 109's. Turner, at Catterick, but soon after I was posted to 72 (Tiger) Squadron at I felt responsible for him, especially as he did not have a number two. Many Gravesend. formations of 109's and 190's were still around and he tried to avoid these as a On the morning of February 12, 1942, I led a pair of Spitfires on a lone Spit was very vulnerable in such a hostile sky. But we could not fmd the reconnaissance flightfrom Boulogne down Channel to the south. The cloud was wingco and my apprehension grewuntil I heard him reportinghis landingback at low, 500 feet, but the visibility was reasonable enough when we were ordered to base - Ben Gilrnour who had joined me in the search, and I returned to base return to Gravesend where the squadron was brought to cockpit readiness and much relieved. My enginehowever quit out of fuelat the end of the landing run. scrambledjust before noon. Johnnie told me over a stiff drink, that he had seen my six Spits at 16,000 feet over the big bend of the Seine. He pulled ahead wagged his wings and called me I had no idea of where we were going or what we were looking for, when I saw tojoin up. He was rewarded with bursts of shot and shell as six 109's closed in three old bi-planes, carrying torpedoes, flying low towards the French coast. but, somehow, he shook them off-andwith only one bullet-hole in his starboard Amazed I recognisedthem as Swordfish and noticed another three in the flight. wing. The Wing, had scored a greatvictory and destroyed 12 enemy aircraftand They were so damned slow that we 'S' weaved to stay with them. damaged many more. With a cloud baseof about1600 feet JohrmieRutherford, anAustralian, warned us of 18-plus bandits above. We turnedinto the attack and a strenuous running dog-fight ensued as we tried desperately to protect the Swordfish. I saw a FW 190 with his wheels down to reducehis speedand I firedat a very wide almost impossibleangle, but before I could do much he blew up the Swordfish, whipped up his gear and disappeared into the cloud. 443 Squadron was my best unit. One of the greatest The dog-fight, as usual, had fanned out over a wide areaand I cameout of cloud pilots ever to strap a Spitfire to his back was Wally and looked right down the funnel of a German battle-ship, with others nearby McLeod, from Regina, Saskatchewan, who was our and an escort of destroyers and E-boats. CO and he was an inspiring and aggressive leader. Once we left the Normandy beach-head we began The flak was intense so I made off very smartly, and had a running fight with the long trek through France, Belgium and Holland more 109's before returning to Gravesend where, at the de-briefmg, we learned and then on to the Rhine. We were all young and for the firsttime that we had seen the epic escape of the German battle-cruisers, savoured those tremendous buccaneering days to the Schamhorst, Gneisenau andPrinz Eugen. All the Swordfishwere lost and their full. We fought hard and played hard - especially leader, Lt. Cmdr. Esmonde, was posthumously awarded the VC. when either Paris or Brussels was within striking The following year Ijoined 402 Squadron, RCAF, at Digby, andearly in 1944 distance! Johnnie Johnson asked me tojoin his new-formed 144 Wing. I gladly accepted and in June that year took part in Operation Overlord. Soon after, we were the flfSt fighter outfit to be based in France at St. Croix sur Mer, and I was very proud to play my part in the Liberation. Immediately our troops had captured northern France I made my way there to thank the lovely people who had helped me in my hour of need. Some, alas, had I flew 220 trips over enemy territory in various marks of Spitfires, but I felt sort of paid the full price at the bloodstained hands of the Gestapo. invincible in the Spitfire 9b. It was a beautifulaeroplane and I was very happy to fly and fight with her.

DFM CD laITy Robillard AIR CHIEF MARSHAL Sir CHRISTOPHER FOXLEY-NORRIS GCB,DSO,OBE,MA,FRSA,CBIM.

In 1936 I was commissioned in the Reserve of Air Force Officers through the Oxford University Air Squadron; and was called to active service shortly before the outbreak of World War 11. In 1940 I joined No 13 Squadron in France. The squadron was equipped with the Lysander Army Co-operation Aircraftwhich, when the German offensive came, proved quite inadequate for first-line daylight operations. Consequently by the end of May we had lost all our aircraft; and eventually emerged on foot through Cherbourg, much chastened and looking for better things.

The better things for most of U"S consisted of transfer to Fighter Command, which I achieved in August 1940. After the necessarily brief training on Hurricanes, I was lucky enough to join No 3 Squadron in Scotland, where we saw only occasional and desultory action for a while. But at least one gained experience on type unlike many of my contemporaries, who were fatally flung into the hottest of the Battle with sometimes less than 20 hours flying on Hurricane or Spitfire. In early November I joined 615 Auxiliary Squadron (Churchill's Own). After aroutine operational tour during which I was shot up once and down once, I left 615 in April 1941. The rest of my operational career, from July 1943 to May 1945, was spent on Beaufighters and Mosquitoes. Initially I commanded a flightin 143 Squadron operating against JU 88's and other aircraft attempting to interrupt our anti Pilot's Combat Report submarine operations in the Bay of Biscay, but in the autumn was flown out as On April 22nd 1945 I led the Banff Mosquito Wing on an anti-shipping strike an emergency replacement to 252 Beaufighter Squadron, which was suffering into the Kattegat, which proved abortive owing to fog. While returning across heavily in the Cos-Leros debacle. Thereafter, however, the squadron scored the North Sea we encountered a German anti-force of 18 JU 88's and Heinkel considerable success in operations aimed mainly against shipping trying to Ill's. In spite of continuing low cloud and poor visibility, we shot down 9 supply and reinforce the German garrisons on the Aegean islands; but also aircraft confirmed and I probable. Unusually, post-war research indicated involving encounters with Me 109's, JU 52's and the Arado 196 fighter that 15 German aircraftfailed to returnto base. This must have been one of the seaplane. I had some success in these operations particularly against ships most comprehensive single-action defeats inflicted on Luftwaffe operational which, being larger, I found easier to hit than aircraft. In the late summer of aircraft. 1944 I took command of 603 Squadron on similar operations but by the end of 1944 the war in the Eastern Mediterranean had been brought to a victorious conclusion. On return to the UK I rejoined 143 Squadron, this time as Commanding Notes on Aircraft flown in Combat, 1939-45 Officer and flying Mosquitoes. Our task was to interdict German shipping along the Norwegian coast and later, with long-range tanks, in the Baltic. The I flew the following aircraft in combat: squadron sank a considerable number of ships and even some submarines but Lysander, Hurricane Mk I, Hurricane Mk 11, Beaufighter, Mosquito sufferedheavy casualties due to the nature of the Norwegian terrain and heavy flak and fighter defences. The Beaufighter was an excellent and rugged aircraft but, as for so many other Afterthe war I served nearly six years in the Far East Air Force and two tours pilots, my preference must go to the Mosquito for its superb performance, in Germany, the highlights including appointments as AOC 224 Group in handling and versatility which made it the outstanding operational aircraft of FEAF and Commander-in-Chief RAF Germany/Commander 2nd Allied World War 11. It could also absorb much punishment although its speed when Tactical Air Force. Afterretirement as an Air Chief Marshal in 1974, Ijoined fitted with 16 rocket projectiles and their fixedracks was naturally reduced. Its my oid friend of 40 years, Leonard Cheshire, as Chairman of his Foundation. manoeuvrability enabled us to attack almost inaccessible targets in Norwegian fiords and harbours and to evade both AA and fighter defences; and when necessary it could still return across the North Sea on one engine. It was incomparable.

No 143 Squadron I served twice with 143 Squadron, latterly as CO, on Beaufighters and later Mosquitoes. Our operational task was largely but not exclusively anti-shipping on which the Squadron established a reputation second to none. Main weapons were anti-shipping rockets, solid or HE, and 20mm cannon. These were highly effective, but to attack the aircraft had to flydirectly at the ship, giving its AA defences an equally direct no-deflection shot; Casualties were therefore very heavy but so were enemy losses. For example on May 4th, 1945, the penultimate day of the war, I led the BanffMosquito Wing in a strike which sank an entire convoy of two large merchant vessels and three escorting warships. (See picture. right)

D.S.O.

Chris Foxier-Noms \�------� LIEUTENANT COLONEL

ROBERT S. JOHNSON, USAAF

I did not like what I heard about the Nazis over-running Europe, so in early 1941 I left college and joined the USAAF. In July, 1942, after the usual flying training, I received my Wings and gold bars and was assigned to the 61 st Fighter Squadron at Bridgeport, Conn., flying the first P-47B's. In these early P-4Ts we had several that got into compressability dives. A couple lived through it, resulting in consid erable testing by both the aircraft contractor and Air Force test pilots. Many claimed to have gone through the speed of sound but the absolute maximum that a P-47 could do was about .84 Mach number, straight down and full power.

On January 5, 1943, we left the States and soon after arrived in England. We were briefly stationed at Peterborough where we awaited our P-4Ts. A few pilots flew their first missions from this base. We then moved to Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, where, in April, 1943, most of us were. initiated into combat. Later we moved to Halesworth, near the North Sea, from which I flew most of my combat missions.

On June 6, on my fourth or fifth mission, I broke all the rules and dived from my top cover position through our entire group, pulled up opposite our group commander and shot down the leading FW-I90 . On arriving back at our base, I first received congratulations and then a royal ass-chewing from my flight leader right on up through the group commander, 'Hub' Zemke. I deserved it.

This was the time when the Eighth Air Force was trying to prove their long-held doctrine of daylight strategic bombing-long abandoned by the RAF's Bomber Pilot Combat Report Command because of their appalling losses. The Germans fully realized that once On October 10, 1943, I had just shot down an Me 110. I was alone in the the Eighth could roam across the length and breadth of Europe they had lost the midst of some 25 or 30 enemy aircraft that were attacking the rear of the war. Consequently, they reacted strongly to these daylight raids and we saw the bomber formation. As I pulled away from the 110, I saw four FW I90's heaviest air fighting of the war. coming in to attack the bombers. They were several thousand feet below me and I dived on the leader. I had to dive in an inverted position in order to On March 6, 1944, Zemke announced that we were escorting Fortresses to Berlin; see him. His Number Three man pulled up to attack me. Just as I hit the he would lead two squadrons of the famed 'Wolfpack' and I would lead the leader I felt a bang in my aeroplane, spinning my aeroplane slightly to the remaining two squadrons. Two great fighter pilots from our group, Dave Schilling left. and Francis Gabreski, would not fly on this highly important mission. As I pulled the aeroplane out of its dive, I levelled out directly in front of We made our rendezvous with the bombers near the Zuider Zee at 25,000 feet and four Me 1I0's at a very close range. They let loose at me with their rockets we split into finger-fours and positioned ourselves several thousand feet out from and guns as I dived under their fire and hit left rudder. No reaction. My our big friends. We had to make continual'S' turnsto stay with the slower bombers. rudder cable had been cut by a 20mm. I got out of there, brought it home by Near the German border, Mike Quirk's eight P-4Ts broke hard right. They jumped trim tabs and landed in foggy old England. some Me 100's and had quite a battle, but he would not give us his location. Maybe they wanted all the Huns for themselves!

We flew over the Dummer Lake-an unmistakable landmark,-and the three boxes of bombers we escorted flew silently and majestically on---{\ozens of Forts in each . The 61st Fighter Squadron closed packed box. I stayed with the 61st Squadron throughout my Suddenly gaggles of FW -190's attacked the bombers head-on. We were so close combat tour, except for the last month when I was to our big friends that we had no hope of stopping the 190's who ignored us and transferred to the 62nd for an extension of my tour. went straight for the bombers. I was promoted to Captain on March 15, 1944, after shooting down three enemy aircraft, bringing American and German fighters flashed together at over 600 mph. In a second, they my total to 25 destroyed. Near the end of my were past us. We followed them into the bomber formations whose gunners fired 61st Ftr Sqdn extension, I shot down numbers 26 and 27, and at friend and foe alike. Enemy 20mm shells threw white bursts into the bombers was pulled from combat on May S, 1944. I had Breast Patch and rockets left zig-zag trails as they struck the heavies. flown 91 missions. Promoted to major on May 19, 56th Fighter Group 1944. The March air was filled with cries of warning and combat. One B-17 was cut in half and I thought 'a few seconds ago those ten men were safe and sound'. Others Led by one of our greatest aces, Francis Gabreski, the 61st was a terrific outfit and we took part in a great adventure-that of establishing air superiority dropped out of the lead box, trailing smoke, crippled. Several plunged earthwards, over Europe-which played a major role in the defeat of Germany. trailing black columns of smoke. A hundred parachutes filled the sky.

During that desperate, fierce fighting we did our best to protect our big friends and although my pilots shot down several enemy fighters the Eighth lost 69 bombers (690 men) on this first major daylight bombing of Berlin. Notes on Aircraft flown in Combat During my term of operations I was hit five times by enemy fire, three times by Our rugged P-47s, powered by the Pratt & Whitney R-2S00, an IS cylinder flak (with minor damage) and twice by FW-I90's, but I was never shot down. I radial engine, could take a lot of punishment and still bring you home. We was the first to exceed Richenbacker's World War One record of 26 enemy aircraft were penalized in range and on three occasions, I landed back in England on destroyed in Europe. About this time, Dick Bong, the top scorer in the Pacific, the first available strip when my engine quit halfway down the runway. The had shot down his 27th Japanese aircraft. In late August, or early September, I maximum distance we could make from our base in England, including received a letter from the Air Force stating that I had a 28th victory confirmed and external fuel tanks, was Braunschweig, about a hundred miles short of Berlin. I assumed that one of my 'probables' had been confirmed as destroyed. A month On one fighter sweep mission, I heard a thump in my engine and called to later Dick Bong also received credit for his 28th victory. my wing man asking if he could see anything wrong with my airplane. He Some 38 years later the USAF informed me that the Records Department had replied, "N<>-but the belly is covered with oil." I continued the sweep with made an error and that my official score was the 27 I came home with! one of the top cylinder heads blown, landing with the group as normal.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS SILVER STAR DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS wilh cigtH oak. leaf clusters PURPLE HEART AIR MEDAL with four oak Icarcluslcrs Dislinguishcd Flying Cross (RAF) Crai", de GUCTTC (France) Robcrt S. Johnson Crai", de Gucrrc SQUADRON LEADER ROB t\RD DSO,DFC

In June, 1940, I left home in St. John's, Newfoundland and enlisted in Halifax, Novia Scotia where I was accepted as Direct Air Gunner but happily later classified for pilot training.

I received my Wings at Camp Borden in November, 1940. The whole class was posted for training as instructors with a promise that we could volunteer for overseas when Empire Training Plan had sufficient instructors. I did 1200 hours instructing on Harvards and in October, 1942, my application for overseas posting was granted. After operational training in UK I joined 401 (Ram) Squadron in March, 1943, at Catterick, Yorkshire.

My fIrst operation was a scramble with young Bill Bishop, son of Canada's greatest fIghter pilot of WWI, without interception. There followed many convoy sweeps and bomber escorts during which flak was usually heavy. We flew SpitfIreV's and V b's and enemy aircraft were usually engaged by the High Cover SpitfIre IX's 127 Wing.

On February 14 we celebrated our change to SpitfIre IXb's by destroying a Me 410 at the Hun's advancerefuelling base at St.Andre de Leure for the almost nightly bombing of London - no bombing for several nights after: very satisfying.In March, during a thrash over Cambrai Airport I destroyed a FW 190, damaged another, and sitting on my tail side by side with a 190 my number two, Dave Ashleigh blew him up and for good measure we strafed a Ju 88 on the runway.In "I was Yellow One of two sections and while orbitting the aerodrome April I got a Me 110 that put on a spectacular exhibition of flying on at St. Andrew at 7,500 ft, aircraft were seen taxi-ing and on the fIre, and going in to crash, he tried to lead me into a large factory runway.I spotted one aircraft in the air, about 4,000 feet, half-rolled chimney.As I was deflection shootingat himmy cannon hit the factory and went down. Ela must have seen me as he dived to the deck. Whilst which showed a large explosion on my combat fIlm. In May I was closing at high revs and boost, my engine cut out - high boost capsule promoted to take charge of B flight, 411 Squadron. had burst in the dive - and my speed dropped. Ela levelled offjust above ground and as my speed was dropping fast, I opened up at a Four trips over the Nonnandy beachhead gave a grandstandview and range of 500 yards from dead astern.My engine cut in but I could not a few days later I arrived at Beny-sur-Mer landing strip to stay. open up so I held for a long burst and saw strikes in the fuselage and In Nonnandy we saw more enemy action. On June 28, while strafIng port engine. Ela broke port and I followed still fIring. Port engine enemy transport south of Caen, we were bounced by a large fonnation became enveloped in flames and then his starboard engine caught fife, of 190s and Me 109s when short of ammunition and fuel and did not somebodyleft the aircraftand hit the groundwith a red and white chute engage. Next trip saw three enemy aircraft shot down. I damaged one. trailing behind. El a turned slowly starboard and crashed on a road ..." Early evening we were out again and in an exciting scrap I destroyed two FW 190s.July 4, destroyedanother 190 anddamaged a 190 and a Me 109.

Destruction of ground targets reached a peak when the Gennan Anny was retreated from Falaise.I took kindly to the low flyinginvolved as a Whilst on the continent my squadron flew severe reprimand in my log book attests. During August, I took thousands of armed reconnaissances, and command of 411 and the 'Grizzlie Bears' have the highest score of apart fromenemy fIghtersshot down, destroyed ground targets in 126 Wing which in turn led other wings in ground several hundred Gennan vehicles and we all targets destroyed. felt that we had made a signifIcant contribution to the Anny's advance. Indeed, the Gennan After Falaise we moved through France and on to Belgium. When we Commander in the West, Field Marshal von landed at Brussells the Huns had just left and the porridge in cooking Rustedt, said ..."It was all a question of Air pots was still warm, but our welcome by the Belgians was still warmer. Force, Air Force, and again Air Force ..." I was acting in charge of 126 Wing and in concert with 127 Wing led by Wing Commander Johnnie Johnson, we played a key role in the defence of the Nijmegen Bridge during the Arnhem show. Soon after I came offoperations having completed 195 operations and returned to Canada.

I retired as General Sales Manager, Molson Breweries in 1980. SpitfIreIX - the sweetheart of them all.You didn't flyit you wore it like a glove and waved it around!

I!f2I �

DSO DFC GROUP CAPTAIN AL JLE OPC

I was born on March 24, 1914, on a farm near the small town of Massey in Northern Ontario. Due to a bad snowstonn, in those horse andcutter days, the doctor was many hours late and my paternal grandmother had to act as mid wife. In 1936 I graduated from the University of Toronto with an honours degree in electrical engineering, and when war broke out I immediately attempted to enlist in the RCAP as a fighter pilot, since that seemed to be the only option that provided individual competition in combat. After receiving my Wings I was postedoverseas on HMS California and during the voyage we listenedto Lord Haw-Haw brag that the Bismarck had sunk us. After our operational training on Hurricane Is about 60 pilots, mostly Canadians, were selected to flylong-range HurricanelIs offthe aircraft carrier Ark Royal to Malta. With my 178 hours total flying I was a little apprehensive as it was the type of operation which had to be done right the first time, but on the day all went well. Later I was postedto 213 Squadron where we flew Hurricane IIc's with the two outboard cannons removed. This did not give much of a fire pattern and we were almost helpless against the much faster, higher flying Me 109s. My first success came on September 1, 1942, when I was leading ten Hurries against a Ju 88 bomber raid on our El Alamein line. Aftera short burst my canon seized andas my fighterhad been hit by return fireI returnedto basewhere my number three confmned the kill. During this engagement we destroyed three enemy aircraft but we lost five Hurries - two pilots were killed and three managed to walk back. I was acting flight commander at the time while the other flight commander was 'Jock' Cameron, later Sir Neil Cameron, GCB, CBE, OSO, OPC, ADC, Chief of the Air Staff. Afterthe El Alamein line broke, 213 and238 Squadrons landedmore than 100 My most memorable action was on October 26, 1942, when, at dusk, I got into miles behind enemy lines and straffed the roads and airfields used by the about two squadrons of Ju 87 s flying west into anilluminated sky while I was in enemy. We were moved out on the third day after we had wiped out two relative darkness. On the frrst three I got so close that the bullets straddled the armoured columns that were only a few miles from our airfield. At this time I target. Slight right rudder put the left cannon on target. On the fourth Stuka I shared a Fieseler Storch but have never included it in my score as I was inadvertently pushed forward on the stick, the result was spectacular. Each ashamed to claim an unarmed opponent. cannon frred into a wing root fuel cell. They both blew up. I watched mesmerized while the aircraft went into a slow spiral from about 700 feet and When Wing Commander Darwen took over the Spitfrre wing in November, crashed on a sandy spit. I damaged another enemy aircraft,then throttled back 1942, he took me with him as flight commander in 145 Squadron, and I and headed for home. Gennany has admitted the loss of two pilots that night managed to destroy another 109 before going offfor a rest in 1943. A review of and that the two gunners baled out. NBuckingham Palace on April 18, 1944. I was fonnation I ever led while on Spitfires, and that includes more than one then re-patriated to Canada and denied another tour mainly because the press complete tour of operations. That credit must go to the wonderful steed that it advocated that two tours were enough. was.

DFC + Bar

Bert Houle COMMANDER

ALEXANDER VRACIU, USN

Born in East Chicago, Indiana, I won a scholarship to DePauw University, and sensing a war looming on the horizon. obtained a private pilot's license under the government's CPT (Civilian Pilot Training) program during the summer vacation between my junior and senior years.

Following graduation in 1941, I entered naval Hight training just prior to Pearl Harbor and earned my wings in August, 1942. With planes and aircraft carriers scarce in the earlier phases of the war, I was finally given the opportunity to carrier-qualify on the USS WOLVERINE. a converted excursion ship, on Lake Michigan. I qualified on eight straight passes in my F4F Wildcat. demonstrating an early affinity for carrier duty. My first combat assignment was Hying F6F Grumman Hellcats off carriers. learning my deadly trade for five months as wingman to Medal of Honor winner. Lieutenant Commander Edward H. 'Butch' O'Hare, Commanding Officer of Fighting Squadron 3 (later changed to 6).

It was while Hying section lead in Skipper O'Hare's division that I shot down my first enemy aircraft, a Japanese Zero fighter, at Wake Island in October, 1943. I got a reconnaissance Betty two-engine bomber at Tarawa, and on January 29, 1944 I qualified as an Ace after downing three more Betty's over Kwajalein. The last of these was destroyed after a long, low-level pursuit with only one gun firing part-time at the Betty which was jinking and turning in. I notched three Zeroes and one Rufe in a wild dogfight at the first Truk raid on February 16, 1944 as part of a 72-Hellcat fighter sweep at the Japanese Naval fortress. It was a new and enjoyable experience for the F6F pilots ... Pilot Combat Report an all-fighter raid with no bombers to protect. That night, Air Group Six, aboard INTREPID, was forced to retire from the combat zone when the As part of the American task force protecting the Saipan landings, we were carrier was torpedoed by a Japanese Kate. expecting an attack by over 400 Japanese carrier planes on the morning of 19 June 1944. I was leader of the second division of a standby group of 12 When my squadron returned to Stateside, I requested continued combat duty. Hellcats launched from the LEXINGTON to supplement the combat air patrol The Navy obliged by assigning me to Fighter Squadron Sixteen aboard already aloft. The full-power climb was too much for some of our tired LEXINGTON, where I added two more Zeroes at the second Truk raid on engines, so I radioed our predicament to the FDO who ordered my group to 29 April. My 12th kill, another Betty snooper, was shot down north of Saipan orbit at 20,000 feet. A short while later we received a new vector of 265 on 12 June. Betty's (big, fat-bellied, versatile Japanese bombers) were my degrees when the radar screens began to show another large force of enemy prime preoccupation after being told that it was a Betty that had shot down planes approaching. Taking that heading led us directly to a rambling mass Butch O'Hare on a strange night encounter. On June 14, participating in a of over 50 enemy planes 2,000 feet below, portside and c1osing-a fighter strike against enemy shipping in the harbor, I sunk a large enemy merchant pilot's dream.In the next eight-minute tail chase, I was able to splash 6 Judy ship with a direct hit on its stern. dive bombers, chasing the last two right into the task force AA fire.Looking On 19 June I bagged six Judy dive-bombers in eight minutes in what has around at that point, only Hellcats seemed to be remaining in the sky. (LTJG become known as the Marianas 'Turkey Shoot'. The following day I shot Vraciu might have added that having to work in closely due to his oil-streaked down a Zero, my last enemy kill, and damaged another while Hying escort windshield, he amazingly used only 360 rounds of ammunition that morning for bomber and torpedo planes on a record, long-range strike against the to shoot down the six planes). Japanese Heet in the First Philippine Sea Battle. Air Group Sixteen was returned to the States, but after several months, I talked my way back out to the combat area when I found that I was being lined up for a War Bond tour. My luck ran out early this time on December 14, 1944, however, when I was 16 shot down by anti-aircraft fire on my second mission while strafing near Clark Fighter Squadron Field, Luzon, Philippines. After parachuting to safety, I spent the next five A transfer was effected to Fighter Squadron 16, nicknamed the"Airedales," weeks with the USAFFE guerrillas and was given the honorary rank of Brevet when it was discovered that my first operational unit, Fighter Squadron 6, Major while with them.For the final week of this episode, I found myself in was being returned home in February 1944 after experiencing its second command of 180 men, dodging Japanese to meet General McArthur's advancing carrier torpedoing. I felt keenly that there was still a job to be done by Americans. I marched into an American camp sporting a Luger and carrying requesting continued combat duty and I was not disappointed. The Pacific a Japanese sword. Forced to return home due to regulations, I would not be war was warming up and all good fighter pilots naturally want to be where able to make the first Tokyo raid. the action is. After surviving service on six carriers, two of which were torpedoed, two It is likewise natural for me to associate my most successful combat Hight ditchings and two parachute jumps-to be known as Grumman's Best with the opportunity afforded us at the Marianas "Turkey Shoot" in June Customer-my war was over. I was the U .S. Navy's one-time leading Ace 1944, when I was able to down 6 enemy dive bombers on one Hight. Not for three months in 1944 and ended World War II as the fourth-ranking Naval many fighter pilots get a-once-in-a-lifetime occasion like this. Ace, having shot down 19 enemy aircraft and destroyed 21 more on the ground. For the last few months of the war I served as a test pilot at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland, helping evaluate tactical performances of U.S. and enemy aircraft. Notes on Aircraft flown in Combat After post-war staff duty in the Navy Department, Naval Post-Graduate School and shipboard duty, I received the ultimate desire of all fighter pilots Throughout the war I Hew the Grumman F6F Hellcat, which was designed command of my own squadron. As Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi Zero, the dominant plane early in the FIFTY-ONE, I won the High Individual Air-to-Air competition in 1957 Naval Pacific war. The Hellcat gave us not only the speed, range and climb to Air Weapons Meet at El Centro, California, outshooting all Naval and Marine compete successfully against the Zero, but it could dictate the rules of combat. pilots for the top honor. I received the following message from CINCPACFLT: It had a rugged dependability. a solid and stable gunnery platform, and I AM DELIGHTED TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE TOP GUN IN JETS IN distinctly was more of a pussycat than a Hellcat in its carrier operations. PEACE AS YOU WERE WITH HELLCATS IN WAR X CONGRA TULA What better success could be attributed to the F6F than to acknowledge its TIONS AND WELL DONE X ADM STUMP. kill-to-Ioss ratio of nineteen to onc.

NAVY CROSS DISTINGUISIIED FLYING CROSS with two gold �'ar.. AIR MEDAL with three gold stars Alcx Vraciu BRIGADIER GENERAL

ROBERT L. SCOTT JR., USAF

I remember always being jealous of birds: they flew! My boyhood idols were Billy Mitchell and Billy Bishop. My head was always in the clouds, but I managed to be accepted at West Point in 1928-mainly to assuage my father's disappointment that he had a flyer on his hands. In 1932, I transferred to the Air Corps, where I finally won what I had been seeking for many years: my wings. It was just the start. From the very first I was a time hog, racking up as many hours as I could to build time. I figured that this was the only way to gain an edge as a fighter pilot. In February 1934, the Army took over air mail operations from the airlines, and that month alone I new some 200 hours despite being officially "grounded" for being a hog. Then came a succession of jobs. One of them was armament officer with the 78th Pursuit Squadron in Panama for the 19th Composite Wing. At one stage I was charged with mis using about a million rounds of ammunition. I had been shooting at everything which moved. The Audubon Society would have hated me, but I became a mighty good shot.

Back in the USA I was a flying instructor at Randolph Field, Texas, which helped me put thousands of hours more in my book.Then, President Roosevelt announced the Civilian Flying Training Plan and I was given the honor of opening the Cal-Aero Academy in Ontario, Ca., the largest flying school in the country. I made it from lieutenant to lieutenant colonel in one year. Then came a shock: I was told that at age 33 I was too old to live my dream of being a fighter pilot. I resorted to writing countless letters over the heads of my superiors to Congressmen and Senators, to no avail. Rescue came when an acquaintance made it possible for me to misrepresent the fact that I had Pilot Combat Report never flown a B-17-I hadn't, but I said I had 1,042 hours-and I was assigned Remembering that first victory ...Early on the morning of July 31, 1942, I to a top secret mission. Named Acquila, its objective was the bombing of took off from Kunming Headquarters to fly to Kweilin, five hundred miles Tokyo, 24 hours after General Doolittle's raid from the carrier Hornet.The across high mountains to the east.At first I was above solid cloud. Overhead idea was to pinpoint the bombs on the fires Doolittle had started. It seemed Lingling I was given an "alert": enemy 'planes tracking the Canton-Hengyang like a one-way mission but it was stopped in Karachi. By then I had proved railroad, close to my position.My trouble was, I was low on fuel. To engage I could fly anything! or not, that was the question. The answer came easy: if I got a Jap ship it would justify the loss of mine if I ran out of fuel. Let's do it. It would be my I was then transferred to flying Gooney Birds (C-47s) over the Hump into first. China, supplying Chennault's American Volunteer Group-the Flying Tigers. I'll never forget the moment 1 first saw him. He was closing fast, a twin-engine I met Chennault and finally convinced him to let me fly a P-40 Tomahawk. bomber. He never saw me, as I went through the gun-sight setting drill. But, it was That was in April 1942. By then I was unofficially attached to the Tigers, just like Gen. ChennauIt had said, "If you see a lone bomber "tooling" along fat, flying between five and ten combat missions a day over Burma, often on dumb and happy look up in the sun and you'll see his escort!" Sure enough that is "guest missions" with the AVG. Finally, the Tigers were inducted into the exactly what happened. Just as 1 was about to fire, I saw two enemy fighters about US Army Air Corps on July 4, 1942, and I became the commander of the three thousand feet above. I nearly stopped aiming from the surprise of seeing them, 23rd Fighter Group of Chennault's China Air Task Force, in Kunming. but still I went unnoticed by any of them.They were Zeros! But I didn't know enough about combat to worry. My guns would neutralize theirs, I could hit the bomber and Within six months of that, I had notched up 13 confirmed victories, plus nine be off into the clouds before the fighters came down. Anyway, by now I was shooting. probables (gun cameras had not yet arrived in China.) 1 remember diving right down under his nose-and thinking he was one surprised Those probables were later confirmed by US Inspectors with Chinese Warning Net, leading me to pilot. 1 pulled round in the tightest turn I have ever done, mushing down into the a final tally of 22. clouds, hiding me from the fighters. I saw the bomber again and got ready for a full denection shot. Now the Zeros were shooting at me. I maneuvered and got good In 1943 I was ordered home: I was told that I was too valuable now to risk shots in on the fighters. I hurt one badly. Then I turned and attacked the bomber being captured.I knew too much, they said. Back in the USA I was assigned again. 1 nearly rammed it. missing the radio antenna by inches. When I pulled up to the Army General Staff as Deputy for Operations, School of Applied again the Zeros were gone, and the bomber was spinning in names. Tactics, a job which quickly turned into giving a series of speeches across Then I remembered the fuel situation: EMPTY. I glided to a landing at the country. Then I started finagaling to return to combat and to ChennauIt Lingling. I couldn't buzz the field because I expected the engine to stop at in China. The way it was done was this: I managed to pursuade the Navy to any moment.It was an exciting few hours.We counted 17 holes in my ship, let me become responsible for delivering 100,000 High Velocity Aerial Rockets and then we got word that the kill was confirmed. That noon I was so excited it didn't want to China. Part of the deal was that I would get to use them and I couldn't eat my lunch, I just sat there and relived the battle. But the big I became a train-buster, flying P-51 Mustangs. At the end of the war I was surprise was that I had also got the fighter, something we found out a few still putting hours in my book. I flew over the USS Missouri during the days later. I was very proud indeed. Japanese surrender ceremonies.

Notes on Aircraft flown in Combat Flying Tigers My first actual combat aircraft was to have been the B-17 Flying Fortress. I There were many who thought the American Vol was to have flown it against Tokyo on April 19, 1942, following the famous unteer Group were unruly and undisciplined. To Doolittle raid. Luckily for me the operation was cancelled. I then flew the these statements I always remarked that I wish we Curtiss P-40E Tomahawk with the Flying Tigers. Later I was in the North had ten such undisciplined groups, for then we American P-51 Mustang carrying out strafing runs. 1 flew a total of 388 combat would have destroyed some three to four thousand missions in both types, and a total of 964 hours. The P-40E was a heck of a enemy aircraft. warbird. I managed to wear one out on combat duties.

SILVER STAR with two oak leaf cluslcfl<> ��}DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS with two oak leaf cluslcfl\ AIR MEDALwilh five oak Icafcluslcf!. Cil:uion. Chid of Staff, 1942 Order of Cloud Banner (Yum Whci) Ten Slar Dragon Medal Robcn L. Scon Jr. Distinguished Flying CrOh (RAF) LIEUTENANT GENERAL

DFC

My interest in flying began at an early age when barnstorming was in its prime during the 1920s. This led to a lengthy but largely unsuccessful career as a modeller including a rather large original design that was distinguished only by its inability to fly. When war was declared, I applied for entry to the RCAP and was accepted but because of the lack of training facilities, it was a year later when I was called up on September 13, 1940. I trained on Tiger Moths and Avro Ansons and then became a flying instructor at 31 EFTS - an RAF elementary flying school near Calgary. After a year and a half I succeeded in getting posted to a Hurricane squadron which was forming at Lethbridge and which was subsequently moved to Boundary Bay near Vancouver. In May, 1943, I was posted to 412 Squadron at Redhill, where flying Spitfire V's, we were engaged on convoy patrols offthe east coast,fighter sweeps and bomber escortsover north-west Europe. The squadron was commanded by the popular and capable George Keefer who had won his spurs in the desert fighting. Our Vs were comletely out-classed by the enemy's FW 190, so we were all delighted when we were re-equipped with the splendid Spitfire IX. However, it was not until the Spring of 1944 that I shared in the destruction of an enemy aeroplane. About noon on March 23, 1944, we were escorting Maurauder bombers over France when, from 14,000 feet, I spotted a Ju 88 flying on the deck far below. Flight Lieutenant Barry Needham and I dove to the attack, we bothmade passes at the Junkers and then I closed in and got some return fire. The port engine of the Junkers burst into flames and as the pilot made a wheels-up landing in a large field, four of the crew scrambled out. Soon after D-Day we moved to Beny-sur-Mer, in Normandy, and on July 2, when escortingsome Mustangswe raninto a gaggle of enemy fighters. I got two 190s in quick succession and two more were destroyed by other Falcon pilots, but we lost Bud Bowker, an able and experienced pilot with at least five victories. Our operations during August were highlighted by the terrible destruction we inflicted,by low-level strafing,on enemy columns of trucks,staff cars, armoured cars, tanks and troop carriers as they fled from the Falaise pocket. This constant, relentless hammering by hundreds of our fighter On April 14, 1945, I was leading my squadron on an armed reconnaissance bombers reached its climax on August 18, when from firstlight to nightfall our north of Bremen. I spottedtwo trucks travelling down a dirt road andkicking up Spitfires were almost continually over the road running eastward from F a1aise a cloud of dust in the process. I commenced a strafmg attack and lined-up on the and Argentan to the Seine. rear vehicle. I noticed strikes from the four 20mm carmon and some flames. At mid-day, fighter-reconnaissance pilots reported many roads jammed with Then I pulled through to the lead vehicle and commenced firing. However,just vehicles; Dean Dover and his wingmanreported 1000-1500 vehicles, jammed as I was passing over the f1I'St truck, it exploded in a huge sheet of flame which bumper to bumper, in a large wood near Argentan. Every serviceable Spitfire engulfed my aircraft. was put into the air. No attempt was made to flylarge formations. Two, four or Apparently it was a gasoline tanker. As I came through the conflagration,I saw six Spitfrres would go out together, dive and fire until all our ammunition was that my aircraft had turnedjet black. I was able to climb to about 7000 feet but gone and then return for more. Throughout this long day Spitfrres and noticed that the coolant temperature was going otTthe clock. At that time the Typhoons blasted the enemy and destroyed thousands of transports. In my Weser River was the demarcation line between the rival forces. I could see the opinion August 18, 1944, ranks as one of the most important milestones in river in the distance and tried desperately to reach it. However my engine first World War Two. failed and then caught frre which sealed my fate. I was forced to bale out at Following Falaise we moved rapidly across France into Belgium and then above800 feet, fivemiles short of the river. After bouncing off thetailplane on Holland. In September the Second British Army made its ill-fated dash for the way out, I was soon apprehended by the German Army. Arnhem and the drama surrounding the bridge at Nijmegen unfolded. At this time the Luftwaffebecame extremely active in an attempt to destroy the bridge. Our squadron happened to be very lucky during this periodwhen, during a three day stretch, we encountered German fighters on every sortie. I was personally able to shoot down eight German fighters during this period. After Arnhem our fighter bombers attacked a great variety of targets including I was posted to 412 Squadron in July 1943 and flew bridges, junctions, railways, trains (both freight and passenger) transports, my first operational mission two weeks later. The armoured cars,barges, tugs and radar stations. On October 17, I strafed a train squadron was commanded by Squadron Leader at Dorsten and on my way home saw an aircraft below diving, I lost the enemy George Keefer and marmedby an excellent groupof in cloud but I continued down to ground level and saw two FW 190s which I experienced fighter pilots, including, a short time chased across the Ruhr. As one of them was aboutto land near Krefeld I closed later, George Buerling. I was thus able to learn my in and forced him to crash-land, the nose of the 190 gauging into the groundand craft from a talented group of teachers. I completed much smoke coming from the wreckage. Then I attacked the other which dove my first tour with 412 and all of my aerial victories into the ground and exploded. These victories brought my score to 15 of which were obtained with the squadron. When I finallyleft 14, and one shared, were afterD-Day and they marked the end of my frrst tour. the squadron, at the end of 1944, I was OC 'B' Flight and had been awarded the DFC and Bar. Following the short rest in Canada I returned to Europe in the Spring of 1945 and was delighted to command 402 Squadron in 126 Wing. We were based at Rheine airfield in Germany but my second tour was short-lived for on April 14, my aircraft was damaged, I had to bale out and became a POW. I remained in the RCAP following the war and retired in September, 1972, in the rank of Lieutenant General. I continued flying up to my retirement including I flew Spitfires Vs, IXs, and XlVs, on operations and while I thoroughly three years when I led the RCAP aerobatic team. Thus ended the most enjoyed all of them, and was very impressed with the power, speed and interesting and exciting 32 years of my life. frrepower of the XIV, I believe the IX was the nicest Spitfire of all.

DFC + Bar GROUP CAPTAIN The DDY OBE,DFC

Ijoined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1940, and aftertraining in Rhodesia with many other young men from the Empire, I was posted to the Middle East in the following year and took part in the great air-ground battles then raging over the Western Desert. During my 16 months in the Desert I served with several squadrons and flew Hurricanes, Tomahawks, Kittyhawks and Spitfires. During this time I destroyed 15 enemy aeroplanes and shared in the destruction of another, but in June 1942 I had a very close call. I was a pilot of 260 Squadron, Kittyhawks, and with ten victories at this time was a confidentand experiencedfighter pilot. The Eighth Army were retreating from El Agheila to El Alamein; the enormous tank battle at Knightsbridge had been fought and lost, and we were dive bombing and strafing Rommel's advancing columns. I was leading my section of four Kittyhawks back to base at 3,000 feet when suddenly, without warning, I saw my wingman, about lOO yards away, going down in flames with two Messerschmitt 109's on his tail. I swung in behind the last 109, opened fire and hit him, but aftera few rounds all six machine guns jammed and I, the hunter, soon became the quarry. On my left, a few miles away was the Mediterranean. Not far inland were three escarpments about 150 feet high, running roughly parallel to the shore. I was flying abouttwenty feet above the ground with my right hand wing tucked in as far as safety permitted to the escarpment, with the leading 109 about 100 yards behind me. His wingman was about the same distance away, on top of the escarpment. Thus, the wingman could not get at me and the leader had to be very careful of my slipstream. Under the circumstances I thought I was in the safest possible position, but a continuous series of bangs and thumps made me very much aware that I was being hit. Suddenly the escarpment flattenedout and there was I at low level, no guns, two Messerschmitts on my tail and nothing but flat ground ahead. I was not afraid, but bloodyangry, and I broke to the leftin a steep climb, turning, which seemed to take both I 09's by surprise. Having gained a valuable few yards I then dived back to the deck with the 109' s following right behind to my airfield, and as I crossed it at about ten feet, they fired their last bursts. The C.O. was just getting out of his Kittyhawk when he saw me coming and a line of bullets throwing up the dust across the landing strip and coming in his direction, and I can see him now diving face first into the thick dust. On landing, I was inspecting my Kitty, which was scarred by more than 120 bullet holes, when the C.O. sent for me and gave me a good dressing down for bringing the Messerschmitts back to our airfield, but he never explained where I should have led them! After the great victory at El Alamein, which saw the turning of the tide, I returned to Australia and in 1944/45 commanded 80 Squadron RAAF and carried out many attack operations in New Guinea and Borneo. I was discharged in 1945, but retained my links with the Serviceas the Citizens t Air Force Member of the Air Board, RAAF, and on retirement was appointed On 12th May 1942, eight of our long-range Kittyhawks escorted five Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11. I am very proud that I was Beaufighters to try and intercept Ju 52's carrying reinforcements and supplies the firstOfficer of the Citizens Air Force ever to hold these two appointments. to Rommel, operating between Crete and Derna. Soon afterreaching our patrol line I saw a gaggle of Ju 52's approaching head-on. I made a complete circuit of the enemy (3 engined transports on this occasion carrying troops), but without seeing any fighter escort. Then followed a furious few minutes in which I destroyed two Ju 52's and two Me llO's and was myself hit by return fire. When I left the fight only three enemy aircraft were still flying and I counted nine aircraft burning on the sea below.

250 (Sudan) Squadron is my choice. It was my first operational unit and commanded by Squadron Leader E. J. Morris, DSO, from South Africa. He A ft OW 39-45 was a very brave and fearless leader who gave every encouragement to all his pilots, both in the air and on Hurricane I; Hurricane IIC; Tomahawk; Kittyhawk; Spitfire. the ground, and he commanded the unquestioned My favourite fighter was the Spitfire because after flying Tomahawks and loyalty and respect of the whole squadron. Thus, I Kittyhawks it was a great thrill to fly a Spitfire and to see the enemy aeroplanes learned my skills in the company of fighter pilots below us for the first time. The Spitfire was steady, magnificent and from all parts of the Empire - Australia, Canada, manoeuvrable, and was such a delight to fly. South Africa and New Zealand. Later on I flew most American fighters, and also a captured Me 109, but I am convinced that there was never a sweeter aircraft to fly than the Spitfire.

DFC Air Medal (U.S.)

John Waddy Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the following people who have made it possible to compile and publish the WWII Fighter Pilots Memoirs.

The Pilots

Foremost, I acknowledge the cooperation of the pilots who contributed their memoirs to this series, each one of whom flew and fought with distinction in many different theatres during WWII. Because of their natural modesty, most had to be cajoled into writing about themselves, and because each memoir was written without prompting or aid from professional author, journalist, historian or other individual with no experience of front-line air combat, these personal recollections are all the more poignant. Their memoirs have been reproduced completely un-edited, exactly as they were written by each pilot in 1982. I had the honour and pleasure of knowing them all.

Group Captain, the late Sir Douglas Bader

Sir Douglas Bader whose enthusiasm for the concept encouraged so many other leading fighter pilots to contribute to the series. Though he wrote the Introduction to the Battle of Britain Pilots’ Memoirs, Sir Douglas sadly died before completing his own personal contribution. The memory of this great fighter pilot and inspirational leader, and the tireless work he did for the disable during his lifetime - for which he was knighted – is perpetuated through the Douglas Bader Foundation.

Air Vice Marshal, the late Johnnie Johnson

Johnnie was a valued friend for more than twenty years. A highly decorated Spitfire pilot who flew almost continually throughout the war to become the Allies’ top-scoring fighter ace in WWII. After retiring from the RAF Johnnie became a best-selling author, and I am grateful to him for contributing the specially written account of RAF Fighter Command included in this book.

David Bickers, Chairman of the Douglas Bader Foundation

David is Douglas Bader’s step-son-in-law and current chairman of the Foundation. I acknowledge David’s help, together with that of the other good people at the Foundation, and compliment them on the magnificent work they do for the disabled, in particular their work with children. The Foundation website is: www.douglasbaderfoundation.co.uk

And my thanks to the others…..

Particular appreciation goes to Rhys Thomas of RT Design for his computer skills, Zed of Image Centre, Bath, for helping put the book together, Universal Promotions Ltd who own the copyright to all the individually written memoirs in the series, and the small design team at www.arttofly.org whose idea it was to make this fascinating collection of memoirs available in E-Publishing format.

Pat Barnard DOUGLAS BADER FOUNDATION'S

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