QUIZ: The Few.

[Spitfire]

Burried 39 years after his death.

Burried with full military honours in november 1979, after the plane was located and excavated by Aviation Archaeological Group in september 1979.
Pilot was repoted missing in action in september 1940.
Who is the pilot?

 

[ethanedwards]

That part from the film is based on an incident that occurred with 303 when Ronald Kellett was CO. Sorry all my books and whathaveyou are in shipment at the mo so can't give the date, but if memory serves it was late August
Tim[/QUOTE]



Well done again Tim, I have the date of this incident being the afternoon 30th August with 303 Sq. in training and flying from Northolt - they were on an exercise escorting Blenheims. I suppose the incident in the film has been a little 'enhanced' for cinematic interest though. (Kellett was apparently no fan of the Big Wing either........)

Spitfire - is that FL/Lt. Hugh Beresford, 257 Sq.? Lost on his fourth scramble of the day........... If I'm right, a certain R.R. Stanford Tuck replaced him as c/o of 257?

In the same vein, who is the pilot that Robert Shaw's abrasive character is mostly based upon?

 

[Spitfire]

Spot on Ethanedwards! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

My guesse on Robert Shaws character is Sailor Malan.
"Never fly straight for more than...." etc.

 

[ethanedwards]

That's a correct guess Spitfire! Shaw's character is an amalgam but he did base it primarily on Sailor Malan. Now then, how can I catch you and Smithy out..............

 

[Spitfire]

Next question is also a tribute...

Polish Hurricane pilot who became Ace in a day?

 

[dhermann1]

Spit, I have no idea who your Polish ace may be, but here's one that's probably a little off topic, but maybe interesting to some.
Not an ace by any means. He was the Prime Minister's personal secretary. He trained as a fighter pilot, but then the PM would not let him go. Finally he was allowed to fly Typhoons, but was never allowed to stray beyond British air space, for fear he, and all his inside knowlegde, might be captured. He was ultimately knighted for his service to his country.

 

[rogaleo]

Polish Hurricane pilot who became Ace in a day?

The meaning of "ace" is ambiguous, but would that be witold urbanowicz who on 16th of september shot down 2 ju88, bf109 and bf110?

 

[Spitfire]

I use the meaning "Ace in a Day" as it was common back then.
Which is five enemy airplanes shot down - in one day.

A bit more help: It happened august 24 1940.

So sorry - it was not Witold Ubanowicz.

 

[Spitfire]

Dhermann1 - My guesse is Sir John Coleville - who died sept 17. 2008

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE0DE103FF931A15752C1A961948260

 

[Spitfire]

I use the meaning "Ace in a Day" as it was common back then.
Which is five enemy airplanes shot down - in one day.

A bit more help: It happened august 24 1940.

So sorry - it was not Witold Ubanowicz.

The pilot is. Sgt. A. "Toni" Glowacki, 501 RAF Sq.
He was killed later in the battle of Britain.

 

[ethanedwards]

Couldn't find that one out Spit, but I have the same understanding of 'ace' -
any pilot with 5 kills or more. This might be spurious but I believe the majority of BoB pilots would have had zero or less than 5 kills, just their presence in the right place at the right time provided a sufficient deterrent, even if they didn't get the opportunity to shoot anything down. Now I need Tim to put that into English....!

 

[rogaleo]

aha... I didn't know about the scores. thanks for the info.

 

[dhermann1]

Dhermann1 - My guesse is Sir John Coleville - who died sept 17. 2008

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE0DE103FF931A15752C1A961948260

Actually he died in 1987. But you're right, it was Jock Colville. Not an ace, but a good guy.

 

[Spitfire]

Actually he died in 1987. But you're right, it was Jock Colville. Not an ace, but a good guy.

My mistake - was a bit too fast there.
Had his name on the tip of my tounge, but googled him just to be sure.

Got the date all wrong! Should have figured it out. Died at the age of 72 in 2008!!!! Which means he was only 5-6 years old when flying the Typhoon.
:eusa_doh: :eusa_doh: :eusa_doh:

 

[rogaleo]

That's interesting:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/7606722.stm

 

[Spitfire]

One more from 85 Squadron

From the first day of action in France may 17 1940 and untill the squadron withdrew to England with only four Hurricanes left, the 85 squadron claimed a total of 50 EA destroyed - plus many more damaged.

One pilot came out as the highest scoring of that period - among other with 10 EA destoyed within a week.
Who was the pilot?

 

[rogaleo]

From the first day of action in France may 17 1940 and untill the squadron withdrew to England with only four Hurricanes left, the 85 squadron claimed a total of 50 EA destroyed - plus many more damaged.

One pilot came out as the highest scoring of that period - among other with 10 EA destoyed within a week.
Who was the pilot?

I guess Albert Gerald Lewis of South Africa it was...

 

[Spitfire]

Sorry mate - No.
Lewis was the first one in this quiz.
Allthough a fantastic pilot and personallity, we can't have him twice.

 

[Smithy]

Still separated from my books which are somewhere on the seven seas so I'm running on memory here but I think that was Sammy Allard.

 

[Spitfire]

With a memory like yours, who needs books lol
Spot on Smithy. Here he is:

As the bottle in front shows, he's propably in France on this pic!