Group Captain A G "Sailor" Malan, Officer Commanding No. 145 Wing based at Merston, climbing in to the cockpit of his Supermarine Spitfire before taking off from Appledram, Sussex.
A Spitfire LF IX of No 313 Squadron undergoing an oil change at Appledram ALG (advanced landing ground), near Tangmere, 19 April 1944. Many fight squadrons were operating from temporary strips in southern England, their pilots and attached servicing echelons getting used to 'roughing it' in the open as preparation for future deployment on the Continent. The three Czech-manned Spitfire squadrons flying escort operations from Appledram at this time (Nos 310, 312 and 313) formed part of No 84 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force.
A Czech Spitfire pilot of No 313 Squadron in conversation with his rigger and fitter at Hornchurch, 8 April 1942. His aircraft is BL581 Moesi-llir, a Mk VB presented by the Netherlands East Indies Fund.
Flight Sergeant Georges Nadon of No 122 Squadron was the focus of a photo-story taken at Hornchurch in May 1942. The Photographer's brief was to record the movements of a single pilot over the course of a day. The 27-year-old French-Canadian, seens striking a pose in the cockpit of his Spitfire, was asked to list his hobbies. Somewhat predictably, the response was 'girlfriends and beer'!
A flight of Supermarine Spitfire Mark VBs of No. 122 Squadron RAF takes off from Hornchurch, Essex, for a fighter sweep over France, viewed from the watch tower.
A flight of Supermarine Spitfire Mark VBs of No. 122 Squadron RAF takes off from Hornchurch, Essex, for a fighter sweep over France, viewed from the watch tower.
Spitfire Mark IX, BS546 ‘MT-J’ “O Guarany”, of No. 122 Squadron RAF, seen with its Free French pilot, Pilot Officer G le Gall at Hornchurch, Essex, on the evening of 29 December 1942. BS546 was presented to the RAF by the Fellowship of the Bellows Fund of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Converted from a Mark V, it served solely with 122 Squadron from 27 October 1942 to 28 February 1943, when it was shot down by Focke Wulf Fw 190s over Cassel, France.
Squadron Leader D O Finlay, the former British Olympic hurdler and Commanding Officer of No. 41 Squadron RAF, standing by a Supermarine Spitfire Mark IIA with four of his pilots at Hornchurch, Essex. They are (left to right): Flying Officer John MacKenzie, Flight-Lieutenant A D J Lovell, Squadron Leader Finlay, Fligh-Lieutenant N Ryder and Pilot Officer R Ford.