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Hurricane
Manufacturer : Hawker
Royal Air Force Fighter, the Hawker Hurricane had a top speed of 320mph, at 18,200 feet and 340mph at 17,500, ceiling of 34,200 and a range of 935 miles. The Hurricane was armed with eight fixed wing mounted .303 browning machine guns in the Mark I and twelve .303 browning's in the MKIIB in the Hurricane MKIIC it had four 20mm cannon. All time classic fighter the Hurricane was designed in 1933-1934, the first prototype flew in June 1936 and a contract for 600 for the Royal Air Force was placed. The first production model flew ion the 12th October 1937 and 111 squadron of the Royal Air Force received the first Hurricanes in January 1938. By the outbreak of World war two the Royal Air Force had 18 operational squadrons of Hurricanes. During the Battle of Britain a total of 1715 Hurricanes took part, (which was more than the rest of the aircraft of the Royal air force put together) and almost 75% of the Victories during the Battle of Britain went to hurricane pilots. The Hawker Hurricane was used in all theatres during World war two, and in many roles. in total 14,533 Hurricanes were built. |
Hurricane
Hurricane Artwork Collection |
Hawker Hurricane MkI P2725 TM-B. by M A Kinnear. | Hawker Hurricane Mk I P2544 YK (T) by M A Kinnear. | Salute the Few by Anthony Saunders. (APB) |
One to One by Ivan Berryman. | Holding the Fort by Ivan Berryman. | Ground Force by Ivan Berryman. |
Hurricanes at the Ready by Graeme Lothian. (P) | Hawker Hurricane - War Horse by Graeme Lothian. (P) | Billy Drake - First of Many by Ivan Berryman. |
Hurricane Mk.IIC by Ivan Berryman. | Tribute to F/Lt Owen Tracey by Ivan Berryman. | Revenge of the Raider by Ivan Berryman. |
One on the Run by Ivan Berryman. | 501 Sqn Scramble by Ivan Berryman. | 501 Squadron Hurricanes by Ivan Berryman. |
Straggler's End by Ivan Berryman. | A Welcome Shore by Ivan Berryman. | Down and Out by Ivan Berryman. |
32 Squadron Hurricanes - Battle of Britain by Graeme Lothian. (P) | Battle of Britain Hurricanes by Graeme Lothian. (P) | Hurricanes - 85 Squadron by Graeme Lothian. (P) |
Standing Guard by Graeme Lothian. (P) | Battle of Britain - 85 Squadron Hurricanes by Graeme Lothian. (P) | The Stuka Myth by Jason Askew. (P) |
Desperate Measures by Ivan Berryman. | Victory over Africa by Ivan Berryman. | Tribute to Squadron Leader Derek Ward by Ivan Berryman. |
Tribute to Flt Lt Ian R Gleed by Ivan Berryman. | Tribute to Fl Off Tom Neil by Ivan Berryman. | Tribute to Flying Officer Count Manfred Beckett Czernin by Ivan Berryman. |
No.615 Sqn Hurricane over Burma by Brian Bateman. (P) | Byron Duckenfield by Brian Bateman. (P) | A Pickle for Pickering by Brian Bateman. (P) |
Burma - Arrival of 615 Squadron by Brian Bateman. (P) | Into the Silence by Ivan Berryman. | Clipped Signature - Tom Dalton Morgan. |
Clipped Signature - Dennis David. | Clipped Signature - Billy Drake. | Clipped Signature - Wilfred Sizer. |
Clipped Signature - 'Tommy' Thompson. | Clipped Signature - Geoffrey Page. | Clipped Signature - Jocelyn Millard. |
Clipped Signature - Micky Mount. | Clipped Signature - Peter Olver. | Clipped Signature - Roland Beamont. |
Clipped Signature - Laurence Thorogood. | Clipped Signature - James Pickering. | Clipped Signature - Keith Lawrence. |
Clipped Signature - Kenneth Lee. | Clipped Signature - Vivian Snell. | Clipped Signature - Percival Leggett. |
Clipped Signature - Harry Moon. | Clipped Signature - Doug Nicholls. | Clipped Signature - Tony Pickering. |
Clipped Signature - Ken Mackenzie. | Clipped Signature - Eric Parkin. | Clipped Signature - William J Green. |
Clipped Signature - John Golley. | Clipped Signature - H G 'Pat' Pattison. | Clipped Signature - Sir Kenneth Cross. |
Clipped Signature - Ronnie Sheward. | Clipped Signature - John Unwin-Mann. | Clipped Signature - Robert Innes. |
Clipped Signature - Alan Gear. | Clipped Signature - Sir John Lapsley. | Clipped Signature - Cyril Hampshire. |
Clipped Signature - Ralph Roberts. | Clipped Signature - Marcel Comeau. | Clipped Signature - Sir Humphrey Edwardes-Jones. |
Clipped Signature - Sir John Grandy. | Clipped Signature - John Vivian Stanbury. | Merlin Roar by Anthony Saunders. |
Malta Relief by Tim Fisher. | Can Openers by David Pentland. | Night Reaper, 4th May 1942 by David Pentland. |
Hurricane Patrol by Graeme Lothian. | Hurricanes over the Houses of Parliament by John Young. (AP) | Hurricanes Over the Needles by Graeme Lothian. |
Return From Combat by Simon Smith. | Battle for Biggin by Kenneth McDonough. | Open Assault by Robert Taylor. |
Defence of the Capital by Gerald Coulson. | Height and Sun by Robert Taylor. | Merlins over Malta by Gerald Coulson. |
Close Combat by Ivan Berryman. | Guardian Angel by Gerald Coulson. | A Day for Heroes by Ivan Berryman. |
Fear Nothing by Anthony Saunders. | High Patrol by Ivan Berryman. | Into the Fray by Richard Taylor. |
An Early Bath by Ivan Berryman. | Late Arrival by Robert Taylor. | Bob Stanford-Tuck Tribute Folio by Nicolas Trudgian. |
Holding the Line - The Battle of Britain by Nicolas Trudgian. | Fastest Victory by Robert Taylor | Uneven Odds by Robert Taylor |
Assault on the Capital by Robert Taylor | Defence of the Realm by Robert Taylor. | Front Line Hurricanes by Robert Taylor. |
Steinhoff Tribute by Robert Taylor. | First of Many by Robert Taylor. | Hawker Hurricane Mk I by Philip West. |
The Guardians by Philip West. | Moment of Truth by Keith Woodcock. | Dawn Scramble by Keith Woodcock. |
Hawker Hurricane MkI by Keith Woodcock. | Hurricane Heroes by Nicolas Trudgian. | Squadron Scramble by Nicolas Trudgian. |
Glorious Summer by Robert Taylor | Hurricane Country by Nicolas Trudgian. | At the Setting of the Sun by Simon Atack. |
Fury of Assault by Robert Taylor. | Tommy Leader by Robert Taylor. | Tangmere Hurricanes by Nicolas Trudgian. |
Vital Force by Richard Taylor. | Undaunted by Odds by Robert Taylor. | Moonlight Hunter by Gerald Coulson. |
Winter's Day at Coltishall by John Young. | Sea Hurricane by Robert Tomlin. | Ace of Burma - Tribute to Wing Commander Frank Carey by Ivan Berryman. |
Arctic Hurricanes by Richard Taylor. | Winter Combat by Richard Taylor. | Maple Leaf Scramble by Robert Taylor. (GS) |
Hurricane Attack by Robert Taylor. (GS) | Response to Call by Robert Taylor. | We All Stand Together by Robert Taylor. |
The Greatest Day by Robert Taylor. | Battle Over Bembridge by Ivan Berryman. (PC) | Tribute to Bob Stanford Tuck by Ivan Berryman. |
Tribute to Frank Carey by Ivan Berryman. | Tribute to Edgar 'Cobber' Kain by Ivan Berryman. | Tribute to Pete Brothers by Ivan Berryman. |
Tribute to Tom Dalton-Morgan by Ivan Berryman. | Tribute to Ken Mackenzie by Ivan Berryman. | RAF Henlow, MU13 Being Bombed by David Rowlands (GL) |
Breaking the Ring by David Pentland. | Doe's Griffin by David Pentland. (AP) | Operation Jubilee by David Pentland. (P) |
Taxi Service by David Pentland. | Strafing Run by David Pentland. | Danger Over Dieppe by David Pentland. |
Enemy Approaching by David Pentland. (P) | Unsung Hero by Adrian Rigby. | Hurricanes from Kenley by Michael Turner |
Hurricane Scramble by Michael Turner. | Hurricane of No.501 Sqn by Ivan Berryman. | 3 Squadron Hurricanes by Ivan Berryman. |
The Last of the Many by Keith Woodcock. | London Guard by Adrian Rigby. | Battle Above Dover by Adrian Rigby. |
Hurricane MK11C Night Fighters by Barry Price. | Hurricanes - July 1940 by Barry Price. | Relief Hurricane by Graham Cooke. |
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight by Trevor Mitchell. | Hurricane over Windmill by Tony Sargeant. | Hurricane Aces 1939-40. |
Hurricane Aces 1941-45. | The Story of the Hurricane. | The Fly Past by Robin Smith. |
Battle of Britain VC by Robert Taylor. | Hurricane Force by Robert Taylor. | Hurricane Scramble by Robert Taylor. |
Moral Support by Robert Taylor. | The Other Few by Roy Cross. | Hurricane on my Tail by Stan Stokes. |
Forgotten Hero by Stan Stokes. | Hurricane Poster by P Oliver. | Hawker Hurricane Mk I L1856 of 1 Sqn RAF by Keith Woodcock. |
Hurricane Squadron details |
No.1 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , JX, NA, | No.1 Sqn RAF In Omnibus Princeps - First in all things |
No.238 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 4th October 1948 Known Codes : , VK, FM, KC, WF, | No.238 Sqn RAF Ad finem - To the end |
No.247 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 31st December 1963 Known Codes : , HP, ZY, | No.247 Sqn RAF China-British Rise from the east |
No.28 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , BF, US, | No.28 Sqn RAF Quicquid agas age - Whatwsoever you may do |
No.6 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , JV, NI, XE, ZD, | No.6 Sqn RAF Oculi exercitus - The eyes of the army |
No.80 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 28th September 1960 Known Codes : , W2, AP, EY, GK, YK, | No.80 Sqn RAF Nil nobis obstare potest - Nothing can stop us |
No.87 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 3rd January 1961 Known Codes : , LK, PD, | No.87 Sqn RAF United Provinces Maximus me metuit - The most powerful fear me |
Hurricane Pilot and aircrew signature details |
Wing Commander Roland Bee Beamont CBE DSO DFC DL Our estimated value of this signature : £65 Died : 2001 | Wing Commander Roland Bee Beamont CBE DSO DFC DL One of World War IIs great characters, Bee flew Hurricanes with 87 Squadron, later leading a Tempest Wing. He had 8 victories plus a further 32 VIs destroyed. After the war he became a highly respected Chief Test Pilot.Wing Commander Roland Beamont, one of the RAFs top buzz bomb interceptors, was born in Enfield England on August 10, 1920. Educated at Eastborne College, Beamont accepted a short service commission with the Royal Air Force in 1938. He commenced flying in 1939 at the the No. 13 Reserve Flying School at White Waltham. His initial duty was with the Group Fighter Pool at St. Athan where he learned to fly the Hurricane. Beamont was soon posted with the No. 87 Squadron which was part of the Advanced Air Striking Force in France. Seeing action in both France and Belgium prior to the Allied withdrawl, Beamont rejoined 87 Squadron in England during the Battle of Britain. In the spring of 1941 Beamont was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross after destroying five enemy aircraft. As Commanding Officer of 609 Squadron, Beamont pioneered both day and night ground attack missions utilizing the Typhoon. Beamont was credited with destroying 25 trains in a three month period. He was then made responsible for organizing and commanding the first Tempest Wing at Newchurch. Three days after D-Day Bearnont shot down an Me-109, marking the first aerial combat victory for the Hawker Tempest. In the summer of 1944 Beamont destroyed 32 buzz bombs prior to leading his wing to a Dutch Airfield at Volkel on the Continent. In October of 1944 Beamont was shot down during a ground attack mission over Germany, and he remained a prisoner of war until wars end. Following repatriation Beamont became an experimental test pilot with the Gloster Aircraft Company, which had developed the RAFs first jet aircraft. Turning down a permanent commission with the RAF, Beamont then joined English Electric Company in Wharton as the Chief Test Pilot for the B3/45 (Canberra) jet bomber program. He managed all prototype testing on the Canberra, and in the process set two Atlantic speed records. Later Beamont was involved with the supersonic P1/Lightning program, and became the first British pilot to fly at twice the speed of sound. From 1965 until 1970 he was a founding member of Britains highly succesful Saudi Arabian export program. For several years prior to his retirement in 1979, Beamont was Director of Operations for British Aerospace and Panavia where he was in charge of flight testing for the Tornado. Since his retirement Beamont has authored nine books, and published numerous magazine articles. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Scociety and an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots in America. He died 19th November 2001. |
Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* Our estimated value of this signature : £65 Died : 2008 | Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* Learnt to fly at the age of 16 and joined the RAF two years later in 1936. He first saw action in 1940 when as a Flight Commander in 32 Squadron, based at Biggin Hill, he flew his Hurricane against the fighters and bombers of the Luftwaffe. He recalls this as an intensely busy period, during which he shot down an Me109 - his first enemy aircraft; by the end of August that same year his tally of enemy aircraft shot down increased to eight. Awarded the DFC, he was transferred to 257 Squadron where he joined Bob-Stanford Tuck as a Flight Commander. Promoted in 1941 to Squadron Leader, Pete Brothers then took command of 457 Squadron RAAF, equipped with Spitfires. A year later when 457 Squadron returned to Australia, Pete took command of 602 Squadron. In the early autumn of 1942 he went on to become Wing Leader of the Tangmere Wing, succeeding his old friend, Douglas Bader. By the end of the war Pete Brothers had amassed 875 operational hours over a 44-month period. He was credited with having personally shot down 16 enemy aircraft and damaged many more. He later went on to command 57 Squadron during the Malaya campaign. Upon return to the UK Pete Brothers joined the V-Force, flying Valiant-4 jet bombers. He retired in 1973. Sadly, Pete Brothers died 18th December 2008. |
Flight Lieutenant Roy Daines DFM Our estimated value of this signature : £45 | Flight Lieutenant Roy Daines DFM Roy Daines joined the RAF as soon as he was able, and after completing his hurried training as a pilot, was posted to join 247 Squadron in the autumn of 1940. Here he flew Gladiators and Hurricanes on coastal patrols, 247 being the only squadron to fly Gladiators during the Battle of Britain, before converting to nightfighting Hurricanes. Later, in 1943, he flew Typhoons with 247 before being posted to join 65 Squadron flying Spitfires and Mustangs. |
Wing Commander Bob Doe, DSO, DFC* Our estimated value of this signature : £60 Died : 2010 | Wing Commander Bob Doe, DSO, DFC* In 1939 he joined the R.A.F. and upon completion of his training was posted to 234 squadron. During the Battle of Britain he achieved great success. He was one of the very few pilots to successfully fly both Hurricanes and Spitfires and was one of the top scorers of the Battle with 14 and two shared victories. He was awarded the DFC in October and a BAR in November. He joined 66 squadron as a Flight Commander then moving to 130 squadron in August 1943 saw him in 613 squadron flying Mustangs. October 1943 he was posted out to the Far-East, forming 10 squadron, Indian Air Force, which he led on the Burma front. Awarded the DSO in 1945. He stayed on in the R.A.F. after the war, retirement in 1966 was followed by opening a Garage business which proved successful. Sadly, we have learned of the passing of Bob Doe on 21st February 2010. |
Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2010 | Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC Byron Duckenfield started at Flying Training School on 25th November 1935 in a Blackburn B2 at Brough. As a Sergeant, he joined No.32 Sqn at Biggin Hill on 8th August 1936 and flew Gauntlets and Hurricanes. He joined 74 Squadron at Hornchurch on 11th April 1940, flying Spitfires, and on 5th May was posted to 501 Squadron flying Hurricanes at Tangmere. On the 11th of May at Betheniville, he survived a crash in a passenger transport Bombay aircraft in an aircraft in which he was a passenger, While comin ginto land the aircraft at 200 feet the aircraft stalled and the aircrfat fell backwards just levelly out as it histhe ground. 5 of th epassengers were killed when the centre section collapsed and crushed them. Duckenfield was fortunate as he had moved position during the flight. as the two passengers sitting each side of where he was sitting had died in the crash. (it was found later that the Bombay had beeb loaded with to much weight in the aft sectiion. ) recovering in hospital in Roehampton. On 23rd July 1940, he rejoined No.501 Sqn at Middle Wallop, then moved to to Gravesend two days later, scoring his first victory, a Ju87, on the 29th of July 1940. During August and September he scored three more victories. After a spell as a test pilot from 14th September 1940, he was posted to command 66 Squadron on 20th December 1941, flying Spitfires. On 26th February 1942 he took command of 615 Squadron flying Hurricanes from Fairwood Common, taking the squadron to the Far East. In late December 1942 he was shot down in Burma and captured by the Japanese. He remained a POW until release in May 1945. After a refresher course at the Flying Training School in November 1949, he took command of No.19 Squadron flying Hornets and Meteors from Chruch Fenton. After a series of staff positions, he retired from the RAF as a Group Captain on 28th May 1969. Duckenfield would write later his details : Burma At first light, 12 Hurricanes IIC aircraft of 615 Squadron, myself in the lead, took off from Chittagong for central Burma to attack the Japanese air base at Magwe, 300 miles away on the banks of the River Irrawaddy. Arriving at Yenangyaung, we turned downstream at minimum height for Magwe, 30 miles to the South and jettisoned drop tanks. Just before sighting the enemy base, the squadron climbed to 1200 feet and positioned to attack from up sun. On the ramp at the base, in front of the hangers, were 10 or 12 Nakajima KI - 43 Oscars in a rough line up (not dispersed) perhaps readying for take. These aircraft and the hangars behind them were attacked in a single pass, before withdrawing westward at low level and maximum speed. A few minutes later perhaps 20 miles away form Magwe, I was following the line of a cheung (small creek), height about 250 feet, speed aboput 280 mph, when the aircraft gave a violent shudder, accompanied by a very lound, unusual noise. The cause was instantly apparent: the airscrew has disappeared completely, leaving only the spinning hub. My immediate reaction was to throttle back fully and switch off to stop the violently overspeeding engine. Further action was obvious: I was committed to staying with the aircraft because, with a high initial speed, not enough height to eject could be gained without the help of an airscrew. So I jettisoned the canopy and acknowledged gratefully the fact that I was following a creek; the banks of either side were hillocky ground, hostile to a forced landing aircraft. Flying the course of the creek, I soon found the aircraft to be near the stall (luckily, a lower than normal figure without an airscrew) extended the flaps and touched down wheels-up with minimum impact ( I have done worse landings on a smooth runway!) My luck was holding, if one can talk of luck in such a situation. December is the height of the dry season in that area and the creek had little water, it was shallow and narrow at the point where I came down: shallow enough to support the fusalage and narrow enough to support wing tips. So I released the harness, pushed the IFF Destruct switch, climed out and walked the wing ashore, dryshod. The question may occur -Why did not others in the squadron see their leader go down? - the answer is simple, the usual tatctic of withdrawal from an enemy target was to fly single at high speed and low level on parallel courses until a safe distance from target was attained. Then, the formation would climb to re-assemble. Having left the aircraft, I now faced a formidable escape problem? I was 300 miles from friendly territory: my desired route would be westward but 80% of that 300 miles was covered by steep north-south ridges impenetrably clothed in virgin jungle; these were natural impediments, there was also the enemy to consider. Having thought over my predicament, I decided the best I could do - having heard reports of mean herted plainspeope - was to get as far into the hills as possible and then find a (hopefully sympathetic) village. I suppose I may have covered about 15 miles by nightfall when I came upon this small hill village and walked into the village square. Nobody seemed surprised to see me (I suspect I had been followed for some time) I wa given a quiet welcome, seated at a table in the open and given food. Then exhaustion took over, I fell asleep in the chair and woke later to find myself tied up in it. Next day I was handed over to a Japanese sergeant and escort who took me back to Magwe and, soon after that, 2.5 years captivity in Rangoon jail. Sadly we have learned that Byron Duckenfield passed away on 19th November 2010. |
Squadron Leader Jocelyn G P Millard Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2010 | Squadron Leader Jocelyn G P Millard Volunteering for the RAFVR in August 1939, J G Millard was called up for full time service the following month. Converting to Hurricanes, he was posted to 1 Squadron at Wittering in October 1940, and shortly after transferred to Dougla Baders 242 Squadron at Coltishall. In November he moved to 615 Squadron at Northolt. After the Battle of Britain he spent time as an instructor, going to Canada. He later became Squadron Commander of 35 SFTS. Sadly, Jocelyn Millard passed away on the 10th of May 2010. |
Wing Commander Roger Morewood Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2014 | Wing Commander Roger Morewood An uncle suggested to Roger Morewood that he should join the RAF so Roger did at the age of 17. Roger said : I was going be a pilot, that was the only reason to join. Roger trained to fly in a Tiger Moth biplane before joining 56 Squadron - regarded within the RAF as an elite unit - flying open cockpit Gauntlet fighters. The squadron were then re-equipped with Gloster Gladiators - the last RAF biplane - then the Hawker Hurricanes that would join Spitfires in fighting off Hitlers Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. While serving with 56 Squadron Roger Morewood was assigned the dangerous role of long-range fighter sweeps over the coast of occupied France and Holland but left to help form 248 Sqn at Hendon with whom he served throughout the Battle of Britain flying Blenheims. Roger said: We had a few panic station alerts when we were scrambled. We wouldd be leaping into our aircraft with flying suits over our pyjamas as we tried to get into the air in a minute and a half. In July 1942 Morewood went to 9 OTU and later HQ Transport Command. After a long post-war career in the RAF he retired in 1957. Roger Morewood once said of his squadron: It was damned dodgy. We had a high loss rate on operations. And on one sortie - then aged 21 - he nearly met his maker : I flew across to Den Helder (Northern Holland) in a long-nosed Blenheim to look after this battleship at the entrance to the Zuiderzee. We flew round this thing and sure enough I saw some aircraft coming up. They were twin-engine bombers naturally - Messerschmitt 110s. That was a bit hairy. My two blokes (other pilots) shoved off in a hurry into a cloud, and there was me popping away until I ran out of ammunition. There was just me left. I realised there was no point chasing - I was not going to knock his wings off. So I started flying home. After making hardly any noise all flight the chap (navigator) in the back said you haveve got somebody on your tail now - you had better move swiftly. So I moved to left and right. We got a pretty hefty clobbering. His turret disappeared at the back. My poor navigator wore a tin hat and I dont blame him. He got a bullet half way through his armour. He was alright. I had a dreadful wound. If I shook my hand really hard I could get blood out of one finger. I was hit all over the place. We took dozens of bullets. The aircraft was ruined. That is all there was to it. We were still going home - even with the North Sea to go across. So I trundled off back and ditched the damn thing. Thank God it didnt blow up. We literally got away with it. It was the hairiest trip I ever did. On another occasion, Roger intercepted a German weather forecasting flying boat called Weary Willy : I was in a Beaufighter at this time. I flew upwind and had a shot at him downwind. Then all the guns jammed. So I pulled alongside him - not too close - and waved him good luck lad. Anyway he sank when he got back to Norway. That was that one finished. Flying from Shetland, his squadron attacked German shipping off Norway. Roger was rested and spent two years training new Beaufighter pilots but still managed to go on some operations, mainly attacking convoys off the coast of Holland. Roger Morewood said: job was to attack the flak ships, floating anti-aircraft batteries, so other Beaufighters could attack the cargo ships. It could be pretty hairy as 12 Beaufighters lined up to have a crack at the target. You wouldd see tracer shells from your mates plane whizzing over your head or underneath you. They were a bigger danger than the Germans Wing Commander Roger Morwood was posted to the Mediterranean where he contracted TB. He recalled: "In hospital, they treated you with whisky in milk and a pint of Guinness for breakfast, very primitive stuff." When the war ended and the RAF were scaled down, Roger continued to serve in various postings around the UK until 1947. after leaving the RAF Roger was recalled again as an instructor at the Central Flying School, but with the rank of flight lieutenant. He was posted to Edinburgh and then Glasgow University squadrons. finnaly leaving service in 1957. Wing Commander Roger Morewood notched up more than 5000 flying hours in 32 different types of aircraft. Roger Morewood died in early December 2014. |
Wing Commander Bob Stanford Tuck DSO DFC** Our estimated value of this signature : £85 Died : 1987 | Wing Commander Bob Stanford Tuck DSO DFC** Bob Stanford Tuck was a flamboyant fighter pilot, his dashing good looks, courage, and success in the air coming to epitomise the young flyers who fought and won the Battle of Britain. To the British public he was a hero in the mould of the knights of old, and today his name is legend. In the early stages of the Battle of Britain Bob fought with 92 Squadron flying Spitfires, quickly becoming one of the leading aces. Promoted to command 257 Squadron, now flying Hurricanes, Bobs dashing style of leadership inspired his pilots to great success. He went on to command the Duxford and Biggin Hill Wings, taking his personal score to 29 air victories before being shot down by ground fire over Northern France in 1942. He died on 5th May 1987. |
Group Captain Peter Townsend CVO, DSO, DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £90 Died : 1995 | Group Captain Peter Townsend CVO, DSO, DFC Peter Townsend was one of the most inspirational fighter leaders of the Battle of Britain. In February 1940, flying a Hurricane, he had shot down the first German aircraft to fall on English soil in World War II, and this was the first of a string of successes for the popular commander of 85 Squadron. Shot down twice, wounded, and flying part of the Battle when he couldnt walk, Peter Townsend survived to lead the first night-fighter squadron. He later became Equerry to King George VI, a post he held for 8 years. He died 19th June 1995. |
Flying Officer Ken Wilkinson Our estimated value of this signature : £40 Died : 2017 | Flying Officer Ken Wilkinson Battle of Britain pilot flying Hurricanes, he flew Spitfires with 611 Sqn and then 616 Sqn at Kirton-in-Lindsey and 19 Sqn at Fowlmere during 1940 and after a spell instructing returned to operations on Spitfires, with 234 and 165 Squadrons. After spending time with 53, 24 and 10 Operational Training Units, he left the RAF in November 1945 and served in the RAFVR. Ken said : From 1st September 1939 I wrote myself off. I thought, 'you've got no chance' lasting through whatever is going to be. It was quite obvious, in the way the Germans were moving, they were going to make a hell of a war out of it, so I was ready for war. I can remember saying 'we've got to stop this fellow Hitler'. When you think of all the thousands of citizens that were being killed by this absurd bombing. They had to pay for it didn't they. Yes, we lost people. Friends that didn't come back. I don't think we were the sort of people to brood over it, ever. You have to get into an attitude to make sure that you're as cold as a fish. Once someone has failed to return, that's it. Fortune smiled on me and not on some of the others. I can only say that whoever it was who popped off at me, wasn't a very good marksman. It transpired that we were doing something far more important than we thought. As far as we were concerned, it was just that there were some untidy creatures from over the other side of the channel, trying to bomb England and the United Kingdom. And we didn't want them to bomb us. After all, we never asked the Germans to start this nonsense, did we? But they did, and we had to stop them, and we did. It's our country. You die for you country. |
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