Battle of Britain Album #21: No. 264 Squadron RAF

A formation of Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron in flight, August 1940. L7026 ‘PS-V’ and N1535 ‘PS-A’ visible. Imperial War Museum photo CH 884.

 

Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron in flight, August 1940. L7026 ‘PS-V’ and N1535 ‘PS-A’ visible. Imperial War Museum photo CH 885.

 

Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron, Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, August 1940. N1536 PS-R nearest. Imperial War Museum photo CH 871.

 

Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron, Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 870.

 

Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron, Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, August 1940. N1536 PS-R nearest, with L7026 PS-V and L6967 PS-P behind. Imperial War Museum photo CH 873.

 

Ground staff work on Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron at Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, August 1940. L7006 PS-X nearest, with L7026 PS-V in the background. Imperial War Museum photo CH 880.

 

Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron, Kirton in Lindsey, July 1940. Imperial War Museum photo HU 54412.

 

The pilot of a Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I of No. 264 Squadron in his cockpit, Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 875.

 

Boulton Paul Defiant gunners of No. 264 Squadron pose for a photo, May 1940. The men were celebrating their 37 claimed enemy aircraft shot down on 29 May 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 198.

 

Three Boulton Paul Defiant air gunners of No. 264 Squadron, May 1940.The men were celebrating their 37 claimed enemy aircraft shot down on 29 May 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 188.

 

A formation of Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron in flight, August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 883.

 

Distant view of Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron in flight, August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 887.

 

Boulton Paul Defiant aircrew of No. 264 Squadron being transported in a lorry, May 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 193.

 

Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I of No. 264 Squadron being refueled by an Albion AM463 3-Point Refueller, Kirton in Lindsey, July 1940. Imperial War Museum photo HU 104453.

 

Boulton Paul Defiant of No. 264 Squadron being refueled by an Albion AM463 3-Point Refueller, Kirton in Lindsey, July 1940. Imperial War Museum photo HU 104497.

 

An airman on a step ladder examines the nose of a Boulton Paul Defiant damaged in a crash-landing at Manston, May 1940. This aircraft may be L7019, flown by Pilot Officer R W Stokes, which crash-landed on 31 May 1940, the day the squadron lost five other aircraft in combat over Dunkirk. The gunner, LAC Fairbrother, baled out. Imperial War Museum photo CH 189.

 

An airman inspects damage to the tailplane of Defiant Mk I L6957/PS-T, flown by Pilot Officer Desmond Kay, which limped back to Manston on 29 May 1940 minus its gunner, LAC Evan Jones, who baled out over the Channel and was killed. Imperial War Museum photo CH 183.

 

An airman inspects damage to the tailplane of Defiant Mk I L6957/PS-T, flown by Pilot Officer Desmond Kay, which limped back to Manston on 29 May 1940 minus its gunner, LAC Evan Jones, who baled out over the Channel and was killed. Imperial War Museum photo CH 199.

 

An air gunner in the turret of a Boulton Paul Defiant of No. 264 Squadron at Kirton in Lindsey, August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 879.

 

An air gunner of No. 264 Squadron RAF about to enter the gun turret of his Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I at at Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire, August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 874.

 

A formation of Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron in flight, August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 889.

 

Pilots and gunners of No. 264 Squadron in front of Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I N1585 PS-A, May 1940. Back row: Pilot Officer Guy L Hickman (KIA 31 May 1940); Flight Lieutenant Nicholas 'Lanky' Cooke (KIA 31 May 1940); Squadron Leader Philip Hunter (KIA 24 August 1940); Pilot Officer Michael H Young; Pilot Officer Gerald H Hackwood (KIA 20 November 1940); Pilot Officer Eric G Barwell; Pilot Officer Samuel R Thomas; Pilot Officer David Whitley (KIA 28 August 1940). Front row: Flight Sergeant Edward R Thorn; Pilot Officer Desmond H Kay (killed 19 October 1944); Sergeant Arnold J Lauder; Pilot Officer Richard W Stokes (killed 29 May 1942). Imperial War Museum photo CH 197.

 

Boulton Paul Defiant pilots and gunners of No. 264 Squadron play a game of draughts while waiting at readiness outside their dispersal tent at Kirton in Lindsey, August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 868.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #20: No. 257 Squadron RAF

Three Hurricanes of No. 257 Squadron landing at Martlesham Heath, November 1940. The aircraft in the center is being flown by the CO, Squadron Leader Roland Robert 'Bob' Stanford Tuck. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1673.

 

Flight Lieutenant Howard Peter 'Cowboy' Blatchford of No. 257 Squadron who rammed the upper wing of an Italian CR.42 biplane fighter during an attack by the 'Corpo Aereo Italiano' on 11 November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1676.

 

Squadron Leader Robert Stanford Tuck (standing center) poses with pilots of No. 257 Squadron under the nose of Tuck's Hawker Hurricane at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, November 1940. They are displaying helmets and other equipment salvaged from Italian aircraft shot down on 11 November. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1674.

 

A pilot of No. 257 Squadron poses with trophies taken from shot-down Italian aircraft during an attack by the 'Corpo Aereo Italiano' on 11 November 1940. In the background is Squadron Leader Robert Stanford Tuck's Hurricane. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1678.

 

Hurricane pilots of No. 257 Squadron at Martlesham Heath, November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1671.

 

Squadron Leader R R 'Bob' Stanford Tuck, commanding No. 257 Squadron, in the cockpit of his Hawker Hurricane at Martlesham Heath, November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1680.

 

Flight Lieutenant Howard Peter 'Cowboy' Blatchford of No. 257 Squadron who rammed the upper wing of an Italian CR.42 biplane fighter during an attack by the 'Corpo Aereo Italiano' on 11 November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1679.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #19: No. 245 Squadron RAF

+Hurricane Mk Is of No. 245 Squadron, in flight from Aldergrove, near Belfast, November 1940. The lead aircraft is P3101 DX-?, the mount of the CO, Squadron Leader J W C Simpson. Imperial War Museum photo HU 104454.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #18: No. 242 Squadron RAF

Squadron Leader Douglas Bader (front center) with pilots of No. 242 Squadron grouped around his Hurricane at Duxford, September 1940. CH 1413. During the Second World War, the squadron was notable for (firstly) having many pilots who were either Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) personnel or Canadians serving in the RAF – to the extent that it was sometimes known, unofficially, as "242 Canadian Squadron" – and (secondly) for being the first squadron to be commanded by Douglas Bader.

 

Squadron Leader Douglas Bader of No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron, standing by the cockpit of his Hurricane at Duxford, 26 September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1405.

 

Flight Lieutenant Eric Ball, Squadron Leader Douglas Bader and Pilot Officer William 'Willie' McKnight of No. 242 Squadron admire the nose art on Bader's Hurricane at Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1412.

 

Three pilots of No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron standing outside the Officers' Mess at Duxford, 20 September 1940. They are (left to right): Pilot Officer William 'Willie' McKnight, Squadron Leader Douglas Bader and Flight Lieutenant George Ball. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1342.

 

Three decorated fighter pilots of No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron RAF, standing outside the Officers' Mess at Duxford, Cambridgeshire. They are (left to right): Pilot Officer W L McKnight, Acting Squadron Leader D R S Bader (Commanding Officer), and Acting Flight Lieutenant G E Ball. By the date this photograph was taken these pilots had, between them, shot down over thirty enemy aircraft. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1342.

 

Pilot Officer William 'Willie' McKnight of No. 242 Squadron outside the Officer's Mess at Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1339.

 

Pilot Officer William 'Willie' McKnight of No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron, Duxford, September 1940 Between May and November 1940, McKnight achieved 16.5 victories in combats over France and England. He was shot down and killed during a low level intruder sortie ('Rhubarb') over France, on 12 January 1941. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1321.

 

Flying Officer Marvin K 'Ben' Brown of No. 242 Squadron at Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1408.

 

Flight Lieutenant P S Turner of No. 242 Squadron RAF, rests on the tail elevator of his Hawker Hurricane Mk I, after landing at Fowlmere, near Duxford in Cambridgeshire, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1376.

Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 242 Squadron RAF during the Battle of Britain, 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1430.

 

“High Patrol” by Ivan Berryman. Hawker Hurricane Mk 1s of No 242 Sqn patrol a glorious September sky as the Battle of Britain reaches its climax in the Summer of 1940. The nearest aircraft is that of Sqn Ldr Douglas Bader, flying V7467 in which he claimed four victories, plus two probables and one destroyed. P/O W L McKnight (LE-A) and P/O D W Crowley-Milling (LE-M) are in close attendance.

 

“Assault on the Capital” by Robert Taylor. Robert Taylors final painting in his 60th Anniversary trilogy features a scene from the attacks on the afternoon of September 7, 1940. Led by Herbert Ihlefeld, Me109Es of II/LG 2 dive through the bomber formation giving chase to Hurricanes of 242 Squadron as Ju88s of KG30, having unloaded their bombs, head for home. One Ju88 has been hit and is already losing height, and will not return. Following behind He111s of KG53 try to keep formation as they fly through flak. The sky is alive with action.

 

“Into the Fray” by Richard Taylor. Squadron Leader Douglas Bader leads the Hurricanes of 242 Squadron in an aggressive diving attack upon a large force of Heinkel 111s approaching the Kent coast, whilst Spitfires from 66 Squadron tangle with the escorting Bf109s of JG52. It is September 1940, and the climax of the Battle of Britain. Throughout those critical months in 1940, the RAF engaged opposing pilots of the Luftwaffe time and time again and this atmospheric new painting depicts one such frantic engagement as one of the most legendary fighter Aces of the war, Douglas Bader leads his unit into battle.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #17: No. 151 Squadron RAF

Group Captain Victor Beamish, Station Commander at North Weald (center, in forage cap), with Squadron Leader Edward 'Teddy' Donaldson, CO of No. 151 Squadron (fourth from left), and other Hurricane pilots of No. 151 Squadron in front of a Hurricane, July 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 494.

 

Squadron Leader Edward 'Teddy' Donaldson, CO of No. 151 Squadron, and Wing Commander Victor Beamish, the Station Commander at North Weald, standing in front of a Hurricane, July 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 491.

 

Group Captain Victor Beamish, Station Commander at North Weald (center, in forage cap), with Squadron Leader Edward 'Teddy' Donaldson, CO of No. 151 Squadron (fourth from right), and other Hurricane pilots of No. 151 Squadron, July 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 492.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #16: No. 111 Squadron RAF

Hurricane pilots of No. 111 Squadron relax with a pet dog outside their caravan at dispersal, Wick, Scotland, April 1940.

 

Hawker Hurricane, No. 111 Squadron, April 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 103.

 

“Holding the Line - The Battle of Britain” by Nicolas Trudgian. They came across the English Channel at wave top height, their propeller slipstreams leaving wakes on the surface of the water. Nine Dornier Do17Z bombers of 9th Staffel, KG76, detailed to attack the RAF airfield at Kenley as part of Reichsmarshal Goring's prelude to Operation Sealion - the invasion of Britain. Hitler knew that RAF Fighter Command had to be destroyed in the air and on the ground if his plans were to succeed, but the German High Command failed to take into account the resilience of the young Hurricane and Spitfire pilots, and their determination to hold this last vital line of defense. The Dorniers were spotted as they approached the English coast, and Hurricanes were scrambled to intercept. The German bombers cleared the North Downs with feet to spare and spread out into attack formation as they lined up on the hangars at Kenley. As they came in over the airfield Hurricanes of 111 Squadron came diving upon them. Suddenly all hell broke loose. Bombs rained down on to the airfield and buildings went up in flames. One Dornier was brought down and two more, badly damaged by ground fire, were finished off by the Hurricane pilots. Now the chase was on to catch the others before they could escape back to their base in Northern France. Only one of the nine Dorniers that set out would return to base on that 18th day of August, 1940.