Nov 21 2020
Sergent-chef René Billotet, born on 18 April 1925 in Dôle (France) and last survivor of the Royal Air Force’s No 342 (Free French) Squadron passed away at his home aged 95. Better known in France as the Groupe de Bombardement Lorraine, the squadron played an essential and unusual role during the D-Day landings. On the …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/11/21/rene-billotet-last-survivor-of-no-342-free-french-squadron-has-passed-away/
Jan 31 2020
Wing Commander Paul Caswell Powe Farnes, the last surviving ace of the Battle of Britain, passed away on 28 January 2020 aged 101. His death takes place only a few weeks after that of Maurice Mounsdon, and there are now only two surviving Royal Air Force pilots of the Battle of Britain: F/L William Clark …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/01/31/w-c-paul-farnes-last-surviving-battle-of-britain-ace-has-passed-away/
Feb 22 2018
Squadron Leader Miroslav “Tony” Liškutín DFC died on 19 February 2018. Born on 23 August 1919 in Czechoslovakia, he fled to France at the time of the German invasion. After serving with the French Foreign Legion, he joined the RAF, becoming operational as a fighter pilot in September 1941. Serving with several RAF units, he …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2018/02/22/miroslav-tony-liskutin-dfc-%e2%80%a0/
Feb 22 2016
The Library and Archives Canada video channel posted this 42 minutes-ong footage a few months ago. It shows Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft in full colour and in exceptional quality. Despite the title, it appears part of the footage was shot in Canada, but this does not diminish in the least …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/02/22/video-royal-air-force-in-burma/
Feb 13 2016
Air Commodore John Mitchell, who has died aged 97, was the navigator of Winston Churchill’s personal aircraft during the Second World War. A veteran of a bomber tour and a specialist navigator, Mitchell was selected for the crew flying Churchill’s VVIP aircraft in late 1942. Earlier, the prime minister had flown in RAF and civil …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/02/13/air-commodore-john-mitchell-%e2%80%a0/
Aug 05 2015
Squadron Leader John Leslie “Les” Munro, CNZM, DSO, QSO, DFC, JP, the last surviving pilot of the “Dambuster raid”, passed away on 4 August 2015 in New Zealand, aged 96. Munro was born in 1919 and joined the RNZAF in 1941. He made a first tour of operations with No 97 Squadron flying the Manchester …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2015/08/05/last-dambusters-pilot-les-munro-passes-away/
Jan 08 2015
Squadron Leader John Rowland, who has died aged 94, was awarded the DFC twice in three days in 1943; later, on completion of 50 bombing operations, he received the DSO. Read his obituary on The Telegraph.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2015/01/08/squadron-leader-john-rowland-%e2%9c%9d/
Oct 03 2014
Wing Commander Bob Bray, who has died aged 93, was a bomber pilot with the RAF who lit up targets in the Ruhr and during the lead-up to D-Day. He flew 94 missions over Europe and was twice awarded the DFC. Read his obituary on The Telegraph.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2014/10/03/wing-commander-bob-bray-%e2%80%a0/
Sep 22 2014
Jimmy Dodds, one of the Royal Air Force’s most successful fighter pilots, has passed away aged 92. Flying outclassed Hurricane fighters in North Africa in 1941 and 1942, he shot down many Italian and German fighters. Read his obituary on The Telegraph.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2014/09/22/jimmy-dodds-%e2%80%a0/
Feb 08 2013
Squadron Leader Tom Bennett, who has died aged 93, flew as a navigator in one of the specialist crews on No 617 (Dambusters) Squadron. After the war, he remained with the RAF until 1955 and then worked at the Port of London authority. He stayed close to 617 Squadron and is the author of an …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2013/02/08/squadron-leader-tom-bennett-%e2%80%a0/
Nov 24 2011
Flight Lieutenant Charles Palliser, who has died aged 92, shot down four enemy aircraft and shared in the destruction of seven others while flying Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain and, a year later, over Malta. Read his obituary on the Telegraph.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/11/24/flight-lieutenant-charles-palliser-%e2%80%a0/
Oct 25 2011
Tadeusz Sawicz died on October 19, 2011. Born in 1914 in Warsaw, he joined the Polish air force in 1934 and fought the German invaders in 1939, flying P.11c fighters. After the fall of Poland, he joined France and began flying with Groupe de Chasse III/10 but had to flee to North Africa after the …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/10/25/tadeusz-sawicz-%e2%80%a0/
Oct 12 2011
That is what James Cutler, a British historian, claims to have discovered. For years, it was presumed that Gibson had run out of fuel or crashed while flying at low altitude. On the night he was killed, he was flying a de Havilland Mosquito, acting as a pathfinder for heavy bombers raiding Germany. The date …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/10/12/was-guy-gibson-killed-by-friendly-fire/
Oct 11 2011
Flight Lieutenant Wallace Cunningham, who has died aged 94, flew Spitfires during the Battle of Britain, when he was awarded the DFC. Read his obituary on the Telegraph.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/10/11/flight-lieutenant-wallace-cunningham-%e2%80%a0/
Sep 08 2011
Air Commodore ‘Dim’ Strong, who died on August 21 aged 97, had to ditch his Wellington bomber in the North Sea; after being rescued by fishermen, he and his crew were given “a hell of a party” by officers of the Luftwaffe before being sent to a PoW camp. Read the obituary on the Telegraph.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/09/08/air-commodore-dim%e2%80%99-strong-%e2%80%a0/
Recent Comments