Blog Archive

Squadron Leader Leslie Clark, who has died aged 91, was credited with destroying a U-boat and seriously damaging two others at the height of the Battle of the Atlantic. Read his obituary on the Telegraph.

The aircraft of the late Howard Pardue, who was killed on April 4 in his F8F Bearcat, have been put up for sale by Ezell Aviation. The collection notably includes a FM-2 Wildcat and a Sea Fury.

Wing Commander Oliver Wells, who has died aged 90, had a miraculous escape when his Lancaster was shot down over Germany; in later life he managed the family brewing business. Read his obituary on the Telegraph.

F/O Derek Allen, who was shot down and killed on 18 May 1940 while flying a Hurricane in defence of France, was buried as an “unknown airman” by locals. Research by the Air Historical Branch established the identity of the young pilot and a ceremony was held last week in Northern France, to honour his …

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American Aero Services has postedpictures of the Collings Foundation A-36 Apache with its final paint scheme. Source

Wing Commander Gordon Hughes, who has died aged 94, was one of the RAF’s outstanding photographic reconnaissance pilots, flying unarmed Spitfires and Mosquitos deep into enemy territory. Read his obituary on the Telegraph.

Air Commodore Arthur Steele, who has died aged 88, was captain of a Valiant bomber during Operation Grapple, the testing of Britain’s first thermonuclear weapon (the H-bomb) in the South Pacific in 1957. Read his obituary on the Telegraph.

Commander George ‘Mac’ Rutherford, who has died aged 91, flew night-time missions over the English Channel and founded the Fleet Air Arm Officers’ Association. Read his obituary on the Telegraph.

An SNJ-5 flipped over attempting to land in a field west of Delmar, DE, on June 11, 2012.  The pilot & passenger refused treatment.  The aircraft’s propeller was bent as a result of the crash, and there was probably some damage to vertical stabilizer as well.  Newspaper photo shows BuNo43709 visible on tail, corresponding to …

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Włodzimierz Gedymin,one of the few surviving Polish pilots of the 1939 invasion, died on 17 June 2012 a few days before his 97th birthday. Gedymin shot down three German bombers while flying the outdated P.11 but was wounded before the end of the campaign. After unsuccessfully attempting to rejoin his comrades flying within the RAF, …

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Squadron Leader Phil Lamason, who has died in New Zealand aged 93, was the leader of a group of Allied airmen sent to Buchenwald concentration camp by the Gestapo. Read his obituary on The Telegraph.

Squadron Leader Norman Crookes, who has died aged 91, was an outstanding night fighter navigator of the Second World War, winning the Distinguished Flying Cross on three occasions as well as an American DFC. Read his obituary on the Telegraph.

Half a century after it as withdrawn from the Australian register, Percival Vega Gull VH-ACA will be restored and returned to the UK. This aircraft is one of only two survivors of the type. Source: Aeroplane Monthly

Flight Lieutenant John Younie, who has died aged 91, was twice awarded the DFC for flying fighter reconnaissance and ground attack sorties over North Africa and the Balkans. Read his obituary on the Telegraph.

A Hawker Hunter operated by ATAC USA crashed last Friday in California, killing its pilot. ATAC USA is a civilian company that provides various services to US armed forces, and particularly to the navy. Sources: Wavy.com