Douglas Bader was one of the Royal Air Force's best-known aces in World War II. Having lost both his legs in a flying accident prior to the war, he managed to return to flying status and was credited with 20 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damaged before he was shot down and captured in... Douglas Bader was one of the Royal...
F/L James Nicolson was the only Fighter Command pilot to receive the Victoria Cross during World War II. On 16 August 1940, his aircraft was hit by enemy cannon fire and began to burn. As Nicolson was about to bail out, he realized his opponent had overshot him. He climbed back in the burning cockpit and shot him down, receiving grievous burn injuries in... F/L James Nicolson was the only...
The successful Operation Taxable was designed to create the illusion that a large invasion force was headed for the beaches of the Seine Maritime, thus distracting German forces from the actual landing in Normandy. Heavy bombers were required to fly a very precise pattern at low altitude near the French coast, dropping chaff at regular intervals to... The successful Operation Taxable was...
Walter Cook was the first 56th FG pilot to score an aerial victory and later became an ace with 6 kills to his credit. Walter Cook was the first 56th FG...
S/L Michael Robinson DFC became an ace during the Battle of Britain. He was killed in action on 10 April 1942, with the rank of Wing Commander and 16 confirmed aerial victories. S/L Michael Robinson DFC became an...
F/L Geoffrey "Sammy" Allard was credited with 19 aerial victories, 5 shared victories and two probables, all achieved during the Battle of France and the first weeks of the Battle of Britain. F/L Geoffrey "Sammy" Allard was...
Luftwaffe ace Rudi Linz (14 February 1917 – 9 February 1945) was credited with 70 enemy aircraft shot down. He was shot down and killed during the "Black Friday" aerial battle over Norway on 9 February 1945 and was posthulously awarded the The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Luftwaffe ace Rudi Linz (14 February...
F/L Arthur Clowes was credited with 11 aerial victories in 1939 and 1940, and was awarded the DFC and DFM for his actions. F/L Arthur Clowes was credited with...
American ace David Lee “Tex” Hill returns to the American Volunteer Group headquarters in Kunming, China with his Curtiss H81-A2 “Tomahawk”. American ace David Lee “Tex” Hill...
At the controls of his Yakolev Yak-3 bearing the colours of the Normandie-Niémen fighter group, Roland de la Poype obtains his fifteenth aerial victory by downing a Focke-Wulf W 190 on 23 October 1944. It was the group's 182nd aerial victory on the Eastern Front. At the controls of his Yakolev Yak-3...
Planned and led by Lt. Col. "Jimmy" Doolittle, the Doolittle Raid was an air raid by the United States on mainland Japan on 18 April 1942, the first air raid to strike the Japanese Home Islands. The raid was executed by sixteen B-25 Mitchell medium bombers that were launched from the USS Hornet aircraft carrier. Planned and led by Lt. Col. "Jimmy"...
Operation Chastise took place during the night of 16-17 May 1943 and was meant to destroy dams in the industrial Rühr region. Bouncing bombs designed by Barnes Wallis were dropped by specially-modified Lancasters led by Guy Gibson, and succeeded in breaching two of the three dams. Gibson was awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in the raid. Operation Chastise took place during...
Operation Chastise took place during the night of 16-17 May 1943 and was meant to destroy dams in the industrial Rühr region. Bouncing bombs designed by Barnes Wallis were dropped by specially-modified Lancasters led by Guy Gibson, and succeeded in breaching two of the three dams. Gibson was awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in the raid. Operation Chastise took place during...
Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson VC DSO* DFC* (1918-1944), was the first CO of the RAF's 617 Squadron, which he led in the Dam Busters raid (Operation Chastise) in 1943, resulting in the destruction of two large dams in the Ruhr area. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, but lost his life later in the war. He had completed over 170 operations at the age of... Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson VC...