Battle of Britain Album #27: No. 609 Squadron RAF

A lucky Andy Mamedoff shows off damage to his 609 Sq. Spitfire after his encounter with an Bf 110.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #26: No. 602 Squadron RAF

X4382, a late production Spitfire Mk I of 602 Squadron flown by P/O Osgood Hanbury, Westhampnett, September 1940.

 

 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I (X4382) coded LO-G of No. 602 Squadron RAF flown by P/O Osgood "Pedro" Hanbury, Westhampnett, August 1940. This aircraft was camouflaged in Dark Green/Dark Earth in "A" pattern on the upper surfaces with Sky on the underside. The spinner was black and th3e code letters were gray. The lower wing roundels in small size. P/O Hanbury also fought over Africa and his final victory tally stood at 11, including two scored on this machine. 

Battle of Britain Album #25: No. 601 Squadron RAF

Armorers re-arming a Hurricane of No. 601 (City of London) Squadron, Exeter, November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1634.

 

A Hurricane pilot of No. 601 (City of London) Squadron, Exeter, November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1630.

 

Ground staff replenish the oxygen supply in a Hurricane of No. 601 (City of London) Squadron, Exeter, November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1635.

 

Radio mechanics testing the VHF transmitter/receiver in a Hawker Hurricane Mk I of No. 601 Squadron RAF at Exeter, Devon, November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1636.

 

Flying Officer Thomas Grier of No. 601 (City of London) Squadron standing on the wing of his Hurricane at Exeter, November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1626.

 

Hurricane pilot Flying Officer Thomas Grier of No. 601 (City of London) Squadron, Exeter, November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1627.

 

A Hurricane pilot of No. 601 (City of London) Squadron, Exeter, November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1632.

 

Hurricane pilots of No. 601 (City of London) Squadron, Exeter, November 1940. Flying Officer T Grier, Squadron Leader Sir Archibald Hope, and Flight Lieutenant W P Clyde. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1625.

 

Hurricane pilot of No. 601 (City of London) Squadron, Exeter, November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1628.

 

Pilots of No. 601 Squadron cluster around the tail of one of their Hurricanes, Exeter, November 1940. The squadron's flying sword emblem is painted on the fin flash. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1633.

 

Pilots of No. 601 (City of London) Squadron line up along the wing of a Hurricane at Exeter, November 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1624.

 

Pilots of No. 601 (County of London) Squadron run to their Hawker Hurricanes at Northolt, 9 January 1941. This posed 'scramble' photo was staged for visiting General 'Hap' Arnold, USAAF, but is often used to illustrate the Battle of Britain. Imperial War Museum photo HU 2408.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #24: No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF

Armorers preparing belts of .303-inch ammunition for Hawker Hurricane Mk I L1926 DU-J of No. 312 (Czech) Squadron, Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1434.

 

Armorers of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron quickly re-arming one of the squadron's Hurricane for further action at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1538.

 

An armorer tightening up the panels covering the gun bays on a Hurricane of No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron at Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1435.

 

Ground staff working on a Hurricane of No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron at Duxford, September 1940. Clearly visible in this photograph is the reserve fuel tank immediately in front of the cockpit, which was the cause of terrible cockpit fires if ignited during combat. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1433.

 

Flight Lieutenant John A Kent "Kentowski", commanding 'A' Flight of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron, standing by Hurricane Mk I RF-F, V6684 at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Note the Squadron's badge on the left. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1530.

 

A group of pilots of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron standing by the tail of one of their Hurricanes at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Left to right: Pilot Officer Mirosław "Ox" Ferić, Flying Officer Bogdan Grzeszczak, Pilot Officer Jan "Donald Duck" Zumbach, Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg and Flight Lieutenant John A Kent "Kentowski", a Canadian who commanded 'A' Flight. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1533.

 

Sergeants Eugeniusz Szaposznikow, Stanisław Karubin and Kazimierz Wünsche of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron share a joke by one of the squadron's Hurricanes at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1539.

 

Pilots of No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron in front of a Hurricane at Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1437.

 

Posed photograph of pilots of No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron in flying kit 'sprinting' to their Hurricanes at Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1436.

 

Formal group portrait of RAF and Czech pilots of No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron at Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1438.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #23: No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF

Hurricane pilots of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron at Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1290.

 

Armorers replenish the ammunition in Hawker Hurricane Mk I P3143 'NN-D' of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron at Duxford, September 1940. Left to right: Jindrich Prokop, an unidentified British corporal and Vladimir Masek. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1297.

 

Sergeant Bohumil Furst of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron climbs out of his Hurricane at Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1294.

 

Sergeant Bohumil Furst of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron climbs out of his Hurricane at Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1295.

 

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

 

Czechoslovak pilots of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF and their British flight commanders grouped in front of Hawker Hurricane Mark I, P3143 'NN-D', at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, 7 September 1940. They are (standing, left to right); Pilot Officer S Janduch, Sergeant J Vopalecuy, Sergeant R Puda, Sergeant K Seda, Sergeant B Furst and Sergeant R Zima: (sitting, left to right); Pilot Officer W Goth, Flight Lieutenant J Maly, Flight Lieutenant G L Sinclair, Flying Officer J E Boulton, Flight Lieutenant J Jeffries (who commanded the Squadron in January-June 1941, having changed his name by deed poll to Latimer), Pilot Officer S Zimprich, Sergeant J Kaucky, Flight Lieutenant F Rypl, Pilot Officer E Fechtner and Pilot Officer V Bergman. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1299.

 

Hurricane pilots of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron at Duxford, September 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1292.

 

President Benes of Czechoslovakia inspecting WAAFs at Duxford during his visit to decorate airmen of No 310 (Czech) Squadron, Royal Air Force, 1940 Imperial War Museum photo HU 52349.

 

 

Battle of Britain Album #22: No. No. 303 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF

-+A group of pilots of No 303 Polish Fighter Squadron RAF walking toward the camera from a Hawker Hurricane after, purportedly, returning from a fighter sortie. Left to right, in the front row are; Pilot Officer Mirosław Ferić, Flight Lieutenant John A Kent (Commander of 'A' Flight), Flying Officer Bogdan Grzeszczak, Pilot Officer Jerzy Radomski, Pilot Officer Witold Łokuciewski, Pilot Officer Bogusław Mierzwa (obscured by Łokuciewski), Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg, Sergeant Jan Rogowski and Sergeant Eugeniusz Szaposznikow. In the centre, to the rear of this group, wearing helmet and goggles is Flying Officer Jan Zumbach. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1535.

 

Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg, Flight Lieutenant John A Kent "Kentowski" and Flying Officer Marian Pisarek, all from No. 303 (Polish) Squadron, standing by Hurricane Mk I V6684 RF-F at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1531.

 

Pilots of No. 303 (Polish) 'City of Warsaw' Squadron at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Pilot Officers Jan "Donald Duck" Zumbach (left) and Mirosław "Ox" Ferić, two of its aces, playing with the squadron's puppy mascot. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1537.

 

A group of pilots of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Left to right: Pilot Officer Bogusław Mierzwa, Pilot Officer Witold "Tolo" Łokuciewski, Pilot Officer Mirosław "Ox" Ferić, Flight Lieutenant John A Kent "Kentowski", Flying Officer Bogdan Grzeszczak, Pilot Officer Jan "Donald Duck" Zumbach, Pilot Officer Jerzy Radomski, Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg, Sergeant Eugeniusz Szaposznikow. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1534.

 

Josef František was a gifted fighter pilot who achieved a remarkable record of thirty-one confirmed victories and one probable victory in aerial combat during the Second World War. This made him the top Allied fighter ace of the first year of the war. Three of these confirmed victories came over Poland, eleven over France and seventeen during a six week period of the Battle of Britain. Although an ethnic Czech, František served with the highly successful 303 'Kosciuszko' Polish Fighter Squadron of the RAF. He died in a flying accident on 8 October 1940, three weeks after the drawing was made. Artist: Cuthbert Julian Orde, 19 Sep 1940. Imperial War Museum photo Art.IWM ART LD 421.

 

A score of 126 destroyed enemy aircraft, accounted by No. 303 (Polish) Squadron during the Battle of Britain, chalked on the fuselage of a Hurricane at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1536.

 

The first four Polish recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross of No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron wearing their awards after a presentation ceremony by Air Marshal Sholto Douglas at RAF Leconfield, 15 December 1940. Left to right: Squadron Leader Witold Urbanowicz, Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg, Pilot Officer Jan "Donald Duck" Zumbach and Pilot Officer Mirosław "Ox" Ferić. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1839.

 

 

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.