Aviation Historian

For Valour: Sergeant John Hannah
For Valour: Sergeant John Hannah

15 September 2024

When: 15 September 1940 , over Belgium Sergeant John Hannah VC (652918) Royal Air Force: 27 November 1921 – 9 June 1947 The Battle of Britain normally […]

Find out more

The Royal Air Force and Operation Market Garden: Chapter 2
The Royal Air Force and Operation Market Garden: Chapter 2

10 September 2024

Planning and preparation: 10 – 16 September 1944 On the narrow corridor that would carry the armoured drive, there were five major bridges to take. They had […]

Find out more

The Royal Air Force and Operation Market Garden: Chapter 1
The Royal Air Force and Operation Market Garden: Chapter 1

3 September 2024

This is the story of the Royal Air Force’s role in Operation Market Garden, the attempted capture of the bridge over the Lower Rhine at Arnhem. But […]

Find out more

D-Day Memories:  Lieutenant David Hamlyn Thomas and the 591 Antrim Airborne Squadron Royal Engineers
D-Day Memories: Lieutenant David Hamlyn Thomas and the 591 Antrim Airborne Squadron Royal Engineers

20 August 2024

Lieutenant DH Thomas and his Troop of Sapper Engineers in 1944. Lieutenant DH Thomas is standing at the rear of the group. This blog tells the D-Day […]

Find out more

For Valour: Acting Flight Sergeant Arthur Louis Aaron
For Valour: Acting Flight Sergeant Arthur Louis Aaron

12 August 2024

Location: 12 August 1943, over Italy Who: Acting Flight Sergeant Arthur Louis Aaron VC DFM, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 5 March 1922 – 13 August 1943 As […]

Find out more

For Valour: Acting Flight Lieutenant Roderick Alastair Brook Learoyd
For Valour: Acting Flight Lieutenant Roderick Alastair Brook Learoyd

12 August 2024

Location: 12 August 1940, over Germany Who: Acting Flight Lieutenant Roderick Alastair Brook Learoyd (37860) VC RAF, 5 February 1913 – 24 January 1966 The Battle of […]

Find out more

For Valour: Lieutenant (Acting Captain) Ferdinand Maurice Felix West VC, MC Royal Air Force
For Valour: Lieutenant (Acting Captain) Ferdinand Maurice Felix West VC, MC Royal Air Force

9 August 2024

Location: 10 August 1918, over France Who: Lieutenant (Acting Captain) Ferdinand Maurice Felix West VC, MC, Royal Air Force, 29 January 1896 – 7 July 1988 After […]

Find out more

For Valour: Flying Officer Lloyd Allan Trigg
For Valour: Flying Officer Lloyd Allan Trigg

9 August 2024

Location: 11 August 1943, over North Atlantic, west of  The Gambia Who: Flying Officer Lloyd Allan Trigg (N.Z.4I35I5) VC DFC Royal New Zealand Air Force, 5 June […]

Find out more

For Valour: Acting Squadron Leader Ian Willoughby Bazalgette
For Valour: Acting Squadron Leader Ian Willoughby Bazalgette

2 August 2024

Location: 4 August 1944, over France Who: Acting Squadron Leader Ian Willoughby Bazalgette (118131) VC, DFC, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 19 October 1918 – 4 August […]

Find out more

For Valour: Captain Edward Corringham (‘Mick’) Mannock VC
For Valour: Captain Edward Corringham (‘Mick’) Mannock VC

25 July 2024

Location: June-July 1918, over France Who: Captain (Acting Major) Edward Corringham (‘Mick’) Mannock VC DSO** MC* Royal Air Force 24 May 1897 – 26 July 1918 After […]

Find out more

For Valour: Sergeant James Allen Ward (NZ/401793) VC Royal New Zealand Air Force
For Valour: Sergeant James Allen Ward (NZ/401793) VC Royal New Zealand Air Force

7 July 2024

Location: 7 July 1941, over Germany and Holland Who: Sergeant James Allen Ward (NZ/401793) VC Royal New Zealand Air Force 14 June 1919 – 13 September 1941 […]

Find out more

For Valour: Wing Commander Hughie Idwal Edwards (39005) VC DFC
For Valour: Wing Commander Hughie Idwal Edwards (39005) VC DFC

4 July 2024

Location: 4 July 1941, over Germany Who: Wing Commander Hughie Idwal Edwards (39005) VC DFC Royal Air Force 1 August 1914 – 5 August 1982 On Sunday […]

Find out more

For Valour: Flight Lieutenant David Ernest Hornell (Can/J.7594) VC
For Valour: Flight Lieutenant David Ernest Hornell (Can/J.7594) VC

24 June 2024

Location: 24 June 1944, over  North Atlantic Who: Flight Lieutenant David Ernest Hornell (Can/J.7594) VC Royal Canadian Air Force 26 January 1910 – 24 June 1944 During […]

Find out more

From Sierra Leone to the Short Stirling: the Story of Johnny Smythe
From Sierra Leone to the Short Stirling: the Story of Johnny Smythe

13 June 2024

Johnny Smythe in military unform, image courtesy of Eddy Smythe. Jonny Smythe’s life story has all the makings of a movie script. One of the first black […]

Find out more

For Valour: Pilot Officer Andrew Charles Mynarski VC
For Valour: Pilot Officer Andrew Charles Mynarski VC

12 June 2024

Location: 12 June 1944, over France Who: Pilot Officer Andrew Charles Mynarski (Can./J.87544) VC Royal Canadian Air Force 14 October 1916 – 12 June 1944 Pilot Officer […]

Find out more

For Valour: Flying Officer Leslie Thomas Manser (66542) VC
For Valour: Flying Officer Leslie Thomas Manser (66542) VC

30 May 2024

Location: 31 May 1942, over Germany Who: Flying Officer Leslie Thomas Manser (66542) VC, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 11 May 1922 – 31 May 1942 On […]

Find out more

For Valour: Flight Lieutenant Cruickshank VC
For Valour: Flight Lieutenant Cruickshank VC

20 May 2024

Image: photograph by 210 Squadron, RAF Coastal Command, of Flt Lt John Alexander Cruickshank (RAF Museum X004-7598/011; CH 137/44). Location: July 17 1943, over the Norwegian Sea […]

Find out more

For Valour: Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson VC
For Valour: Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson VC

17 May 2024

Location: 17 May 1943, over Germany Who: Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson (39438 ) VC, DSO*, DFC* , Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 12 August 1918 – […]

Find out more

For Valour: Sergeant Thomas Gray and Flying Officer Donald Garland’s Victoria Crosses
For Valour: Sergeant Thomas Gray and Flying Officer Donald Garland’s Victoria Crosses

9 May 2024

In our seventh Victoria Cross blog, we bring you the story of two men who both earnt the Victoria Cross whilst trying to destroy bridges using the Fairey […]

Find out more

For Valour: Squadron Leader Leonard Henry Trent VC
For Valour: Squadron Leader Leonard Henry Trent VC

30 April 2024

On 3 May 1943, Squadron Leader Leonard Trent was B Flight Commander, 487 (RNZAF) Squadron based at RAF Feltwell, Norfolk, equipped with Lockheed Ventura light bombers. That […]

Find out more