Battle of Britain Album #10: No. 64 Squadron RAF

Posed photo of a pilot of No. 64 Squadron running towards his Spitfire during a squadron 'scramble' at Kenley, 15 August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo HU 54420.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #9: No. 56 Squadron RAF

 

Journalists watch a flight of Hurricanes of No. 56 Squadron RAF taking off for a sortie over France from North Weald, Essex, May 1940. In the foreground Hurricane Mk I P2764 'US-P' stands at its dispersal point near the perimeter track on the south-western edge of the airfield. Imperial War Museum photo CH 158.

Battle of Britain Album #8: No. 43 Squadron RAF

Pilots of No. 43 Squadron ('The Fighting Cocks') at Wick, Scotland, standing in front of a Hurricane, April 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 85.

 

Flight Lieutenant Peter Townsend of No. 43 Squadron ('The Fighting Cocks') with his ground crew seated on the wing of his Hurricane at Wick, Scotland, April 1940.

 

Pilots of No. 43 Squadron ('The Fighting Cocks') at Wick, Scotland, standing in front of a Hurricane, April 1940. Left to right: Sergeants John Arbuthnot, Robert Plenderleith and Herbert Hallowes, Flying Officer John Simpson, Flight Lieutenant Peter Townsend and Pilot Officer Hamilton 'Deryk' Upton. Imperial War Museum photo CH 80.

 

Hurricane pilots of No. 43 Squadron ('The Fighting Cocks') at Wick, Scotland, with a dinghy salvaged from a shot-down Luftwaffe bomber, April 1940. Sergeant Herbert Hallowes on the left. Imperial War Museum photo CH 84.

 

Flight Lieutenants Peter Townsend and Caesar Hull, a South African, of No. 43 Squadron ('The Fighting Cocks') at Wick, Scotland, April 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 89.

 

“Uneven Odds” by Robert Taylor. In August 1940, Frank Carey let No 43 Squadrons A Flight into Schwarms of JU87s, escorted by Me109s. Though hopelessly outnumbered, Carey accounted for 4 JU87s before running out of ammunition.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #7: No. 32 Squadron RAF

Hawker Hurricane Mk I P3522 of No. 32 Squadron, flown by Pilot Officer Rupert Smythe, taxiing at Hawkinge, 29 July 1940.

 

Pilots of 'B' Flight, No. 32 Squadron relax on the grass at Hawkinge in front of Hurricane Mk I P3522, GZ-V, during the Battle of Britain. From left to right: Pilot Officer R F Smythe; Pilot Officer K R Gillman; Pilot Officer J E Procter; Flight Lieutenant P M Brothers; Pilot Officer D H Grice; Pilot Officer P M Gardner and Pilot Officer A F Eckford. All survived the war except Keith Gillman who was posted missing 25 August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo HU 54418.

 

"Tribute to Pete Brothers" by Ivan Berryman. Pete Brothers is shown here in his Hurricane P2921 GZ-L of No.32 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. In one of 8 victories claimed before September 1940, he has peppered a marauding German Dornier Do.215, its port engine now trailing smoke and flame. In this incident, he had been attacked by Me110s and had stalled while turning to meet them. Spinning out of the stall he immediately sighted, engaged and shot down the Do.215. He claimed an Me109 later the same day. Pete Brothers is credited with a total of 16 victories during World War Two. He died aged 91 in December 2008.

 

“Battle for Biggin” by Kenneth McDonough. July 1940 Hurricanes from 32 squadron RAF southbound over Kent to protect their home base, Biggin Hill.

 

Ground crew refueling a Hawker Hurricane of No. 32 Squadron from a refueling truck whilst the pilot waits in the cockpit, Biggin Hill, August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo HU 57450.

 

Ground crew in steel helmets refueling a Hawker Hurricane of No. 32 Squadron, as the pilot climbs out of the cockpit, Biggin Hill/Hawkinge, August 1940. Imperial War Museum photo HU 54513.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #6: No. 19 Squadron RAF

Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia P9368 'QV-K' of No. 19 Squadron being rearmed between sorties at Fowlmere, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1367A.

 

Armorer Fred Roberts re-arms Spitfire Mk Ia X4474 QV-I of No. 19 Squadron at Fowlmere, September 1940. The pilot, seated in his cockpit, is Sergeant Bernard Jennings. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1458.

 

Spitfire Mk Ia of No. 19 Squadron taxiing at Fowlmere, with ground staff steadying each wing tip, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1448.

 

Spitfire Mark IA, X4474 ‘QV-I’, of No. 19 Squadron RAF, taking off from Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire, with Sergeant B J Jennings at the controls. During the battle 19 Squadron was part of the Duxford Wing. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1451.

 

Spitfire Mk 1a X4474 QV-I of No. 19 Squadron in flight, and banking to port. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1453.

 

Supermarine Spitfire Mk Is of No. 19 Squadron RAF at Fowlmere near Duxford, 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1452,

 

Flight Sergeant George "Grumpy" Unwin of No. 19 Squadron RAF climbs out of his Supermarine Spitfire Mk I at Fowlmere, near Duxford in Cambridgeshire after a sortie, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1355.

 

Squadron Leader Brian 'Sandy' Lane, CO of No. 19 Squadron and Flight Lieutenant Wilfrid Clouston with Czech pilot Flying Officer Frantisek 'Dolly' Dolezal, Fowlmere, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1324.

 

Pilots of No. 19 Squadron at Fowlmere, August 1940. From left: Flight Lieutenant Brian 'Sandy' Lane; Sergeant Jack Potter; Sergeant Bernard 'Jimmy' Jennings; Pilot Officer Raymond Aeberhardt; Flight Sergeants George 'Grumpy' Unwin and Harry Steere; Pilot Officer Frank 'Fanny' Brinsden; Flying Officer Jack 'Farmer' Lawson; Flying Officer Leonard Haines; Pilot Officer Arthur Vokes; Flight Lieutenant Wilf Clouston; Flying Officer Eric Thomas. Behind them is the operations hut mounted on a trailer. Note that some of the pilots are wearing Canadian khaki drill overall blouses. Also, Clouston has a Luftwaffe lifejacket. Imperial War Museum photo HU 27861.

 

Spitfire pilots of No. 19 Squadron relax between sorties outside their crew room at Manor Farm, Fowlmere, September 1940. Left to right: Pilot Officer Wallace 'Jock' Cunningham, Sub-Lieutenant Arthur 'Admiral' Blake of the Fleet Air Arm and Flying Officer Frank Brinsden, with pet spaniel.

 

Pilots of No. 19 Squadron standing in the back of a lorry at Fowlmere, September 1940. The pilots are, from left to right, P/O Arthur Vokes, Sgt David Cox, F/Sgt George Unwin, P/O Richard Jones, Sgt Bernard Jennings, P/O Dennis Parrott, unknown, unknown. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1397.

 

Pilots of No. 19 Squadron RAF stage a mock 'scramble' from the back of a truck at Fowlmere near Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1398.

 

Flight Sergeant Harry Steere DFM of No. 19 Squadron at Fowlmere, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1323.

 

Flight Lieutenant Wilfrid Clouston (right) and Squadron Leader BJE 'Sandy' Lane of No. 19 Squadron in front of a Supermarine Spitfire at Fowlmere airfield near Cambridge, September 1940. Wilfrid Greville Clouston was one of the first New Zealand air aces of the Second World War. He survived the Battle of Britain only to spend the majority of the war in a Japanese prisoner of war camp.

 

Pilots of No. 19 and No. 616 Squadrons pose alongside a Spitfire at Fowlmere, 21 September 1940. Sitting on wing (left to right) are Squadron Leader Brian 'Sandy' Lane (CO 19 Sqn), Flight Sergeant George 'Grumpy' Unwin and Francis Brinsden (with 'Flash' the Alsatian and 'Rangy' the Spaniel). Front row (left to right) are Sergeant Bernard 'Jimmy' Jennings, Flight Lieutenant Colin MacFie (616 Sqn), Squadron Leader Howard Burton (CO 616 Squadron) and Pilot Officer Philip Leckrone (616 Sqn).

 

Pilots of No. 19 Squadron RAF eat lunch in the Officers' Mess at Fowlmere, the satellite airfield to Duxford in Cambridgeshire, September 1940.

 

A group of pilots of No. 19 Squadron discuss a recent sortie by Manor Farm at Fowlmere, September 1940. Left to right: Sergeant David E Lloyd, Flight Sergeant George 'Grumpy' Unwin, Flight Lieutenant Cyril Arthur Jones, Flying Officer Hugh 'Cocky' Dundas (of No. 616 Squadron RAF), Flight Sergeant Harold Steere, and Squadron Leader Brian 'Sandy' Lane, the Squadron's CO. Flight Sergeant Unwin's pet German Shepherd 'Flash' can be seen to the left.

 

Pilots of 19 Squadron and 616 Squadron relaxing in the crew room at Manor Farm, Fowlmere, September 1940. From left to right, the pilots are: Flight Lieutenant Colin MacFie (616 Sqn); Squadron Leader Howard Burton (616 Sqn); Squadron Leader Brian 'Sandy' Lane (19 Sqn); Flying Officer Hugh 'Cocky' Dundas (616 Sqn); unidentified; Flight Lieutenant Cyril Arthur Jones (616 Sqn); unidentified; unidentified. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1461.

 

Flying Officer Frank Brinsden of No. 19 Squadron, Fowlmere, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1463.

 

Flying Officer Frantisek 'Dolly' Dolezal, a Czech pilot with No. 19 Squadron, poses in front of his Spitfire at Fowlmere, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1464.

 

Flight Lieutenant Richard Jones of No. 19 Squadron at Fowlmere, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1393.

 

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.

 

Flight Lieutenant W Jack 'Farmer' Lawson, one of No. 19 Squadron's flight commanders at Fowlmere, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1361.

 

Pilots of Nos. 19 and 616 Squadrons gather around a table to consult a map at Fowlmere, September 1940. Left to right: Flying Officer Frank Brinsden; Sergeant Charnock; Flying Officer Leonard Haines; Squadron Leader Brian Lane; Pilot Officer Leckrone (616 Sqn); Sergeant Cox; Flight Sergeant George Unwin; Pilot Officer Richard Jones; Sergeant Bernard Jennings; Flight Lieutenant Holden (616 Sqn). Imperial War Museum photo CH 1445.

 

Flight Sergeant George 'Grumpy' Unwin of No. 19 Squadron with 'Flash' the squadron mascot on the wing of his Spitfire at Fowlmere, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1343.

 

Pilots of No. 19 Squadron report to the intelligence officer (back to the camera) at Fowlmere, September 1940. The pilots are (left to right): Squadron Leader Brian 'Sandy' Lane (CO), Flight Lieutenant Walter 'Farmer' Lawson and Sergeant David Lloyd. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1371.

 

Flying Officer Leonard Haines of No. 19 Squadron with pet dog sitting on the rear bumper of a car at Fowlmere, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1356.

 

Pilot Officer Wallace 'Jock' Cunningham of No. 19 Squadron sits on the wing of his Spitfire at Fowlmere, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1374.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #5: No. 17 Squadron RAF

Hawker Hurricanes of No. 17 Squadron taxiing at Debden, July 1940. The foreground aircraft (YB-C) was flown by the CO, Squadron Leader Harold 'Birdy' Bird-Wilson, who was shot down on 24 September, flying P3878 YB-W.

 

Hawker Hurricanes of No. 17 Squadron on the ground at Debden, while another comes in to land, July 1940. Imperial War Museum photo HU 54414.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #4: No. 1 Squadron RAF

Pilot Officer A V "Taffy" Clowes of No. 1 Squadron RAF, climbing into his Hawker Hurricane Mark I, P3395 'JX-B, in a revetment at Wittering, Huntingdonshire. Note Clowes' personal 'wasp ' emblem under the engine exhausts. Imperial War Museum photo CH 17331.

 

Hawker Hurricanes of No 1 Squadron, Royal Air Force, based at Wittering, Cambridgeshire, followed by a similar formation of Supermarine Spitfires of No 266 Squadron, during a flying display for aircraft factory workers, October 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1561.