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Ronald Mathers pilots flying log book. Two
Pilots flying log book for Ronald Mathers covering the period from 1 October 1944 to 24 February 1948. Detailing his flying training, instructor duties and duties with 35 squadron. He was stationed at RAF Swinderby, RAF Finningley, RAF Hullavington,…
Interview with Reg Payne. Two
Reg Payne was born in Kettering in 1923. He left school at the age of fourteen and just before he was eighteen he volunteered to join the RAF. He did his basic training at Blackpool learning Morse Code in the tram sheds. From there he did his…
Interview with June Pauline Brandon
June Brandon was born in India, returning to England when her father died. She joined the WAAF and went into the Photographic Section, loading cameras on Spitfires then carrying out development of the films. She served at several RAF stations,…
Interview with Denis Francis Cockbill
Born in Newport, Denis volunteered for the Royal Air Force as he was tired of bombing, wishing to get his own back, he joined the Air Corps at 17. Wishing to train as a wireless operator because of his interest in radio technology, he officially…
Interview with John Eric Hagherly Dean
John Dean’s childhood memory of watching a Spitfire and a German aircraft having a dogfight in the sky above him spurred him to want to become a Spitfire pilot. He didn’t achieve his aim of becoming a Spitfire pilot and instead became a…
Interview with Lawrence Henry di Placito. One
Lawrence di Placito served as a second-class coxswain on the RAF Air Sea Rescue launches during the Second World War. He was born in Chertsey and attended Egham grammar school where he was a member of the cadet force. Upon leaving school in 1936 he…
Interview with Betty Hedges
Betty Hedges grew up in South London in the final years before the war and she recalls a happy childhood. She describes a close family and community life where the children played unworried in the streets and she talks about the games they played and…
Interview with George Hextell
George Hextell joined the RAF as a flight engineer and flew operations with 51 Squadron on Halifaxes. After being shot down over Holland, he became a prisoner of war. Gives a detailed account of how his capture, imprisonment and liberation. Describes…
Interview with Harry Hodgson
Harry Hodgson was ground crew during the war. He was based with 10 Squadron, working on Halifax Bombers at RAF Melbourne. Harry said it was a very busy time patching up the holes from both anti-aircraft fire and bullets on the Halifax. He remembers…
Interview with James Lamb
James Lamb volunteered for the RAF on the first day of the Second World War. He trained as an aircraft technician and was posted to 75 New Zealand Squadron where he worked on Wellington bombers. He was then posted to 11 Squadron in Burma where he…
Interview with Leslie Grantham Lunn
Leslie Lunn joined the RAF and after his basic training did his flying training in America. In the UK he joined 129 Spitfire squadron after completing his training. The squadron later converted to Mustangs. His squadron covered the D-Day landings and…
Newspaper cuttings concerning Paddy Finucane and pilgimage to Nijmegen by Kathleen Wynn
1. Title 'To lead wing at 21'. Relates to wartime history of Wing Commander Paddy Finucane. Handwritten note explains his death and that Ian Wynn was his engineer. 2. Title 'Brought Together'. Relates the meeting of Kathleen Harvey and Kathleen Wynn…
Interview with Robert Andrew Percival
Robert Percival was the son of a Second World War pilot and so grew up with an interest in aviation. His application to join the RAF as aircrew was not successful so he chose the engineering / technician route in to the service. He was seconded to…
Interview with Ken Sleaford
Ken Sleaford was born and raised near Coningsby on the family farm. Tells of life on the farm before and during the war, when it was handed over to the Air Force, to be converted into an airfield and incorporated into RAF Coningsby. Mentions various…
Interview with Geoffrey Charles Spencer
Geoffrey Spencer grew up in Birmingham and worked with his father in tool making, carrying out fire watching as a youngster. He joined the Air Force aged 18 in August 1943. After training he served as a flight mechanic and fitter with 49 Squadron at…
R J Mitchell 1895-1937
A stamp-label printed in 1995 to commemorate the centenary of the birth of R J Mitchell. It features a side profile of his head, a colour image of a Spitfire and, behind, a blueprint of a Supermarine S.6B.
To Jessie from Harry Redgrave
A letter and envelope from Harry Redgrave to his wife Jessie. Harry writes from RAF Finningley about his life including the bad weather. He describes a recent incident where, due to the weather, a Hampden was shot at by a Spitfire by mistake and the…
Spitfire
Head on view of a Spitfire at low level taken over an airfield,
Interview with Len Harper
Len Harper registered for the air force in April 1939, influenced by the positive experience of his brother who had joined in January. Upon completing training at the Wireless Training School, RAF Yatesbury, he was posted to RAF Wittering, where he…
Young girl in front of Spitfire
Young girl wearing skirt and jacket sitting in front of a Spitfire on display at Trafalgar Square. In the background multi-storey buildings, one with Bovril and BOAC advertisement.
Flypast of Spitfire and Mosquito
Ground to air view of formation of twelve Spitfires flying towards bottom left followed by six Mosquitoes. Part of a building bottom left.
Lancaster, Spitfires and Hurricane in formation
A Lancaster (PA474 operated by the Battle of Britain Memorial flight) with squadron letters KM (44 Squadron) leads a Hurricane on nearside and three spitfires (one in photo reconnaissance camouflage) on far side. Below are town buildings and open…
Le Courrier de l'Air #15
![MBowkerDG[Ser#-DoB]-151216-080001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/473/17641/MBowkerDG[Ser -DoB]-151216-080001.jpg "MBowkerDG[Ser#-DoB]-151216-080001.jpg")
Icreased RAF operations, including 400 Spitfires in one day. Despite losses, new Lancaster bombers inflict damage in broad daylight on Augsburg factories, producing submarine diesel engines and other war equipment. Message of thanks to the aircrews…
35 Squadron Lancasters
Top - air-to-air view of six Lancasters in echelon formation with clouds in the background. All have light paint scheme.
Bottom left - ground to air view of formation of 12 Spitfires followed by one six Mosquito aircraft . Building bottom right.…
Bottom left - ground to air view of formation of 12 Spitfires followed by one six Mosquito aircraft . Building bottom right.…
World War II service History of Flight Lieutenant WH Brooker DFC
WH Brooker volunteered in June or July 1940. He was called up on 27 February 1941 and trained in Pearce, Western Australia. On transfer to UK there were delays in further training.
Initially he served on Wellingtons at Snaith. He describes…
Initially he served on Wellingtons at Snaith. He describes…