KITS 02/2022

P3878, F/O Harold A. C. Bird-Wilson, No. 17 Squadron,

RAF Debden, Great Britain, July 1940

Harold Bird-Wilson, a native of Prestatyn, Wales,

joined the RAF on November 30, 1937. After training

he was transferred to No. 17 Squadron in August

1938, the unit flying with Gloster Gauntlets at the

time. The unit was rearmed with Hurricanes in June

1939, and ten weeks later "Birdy" Bird-Wilson was

badly injured in a flying accident. After his recovery, he rejoined the unit and took part with it in the

Battle of France and subsequently in the Battle of

Britain. He scored eight confirmed kills during that

period. On September 24, 1940, "Birdy" was shot

down by Adolf Galland, for whom it was his 40th

kill. "Birdy" later became commander of the Spitfire

equipped No. 122 Wing and later he led the Perranporth/Harrowbeer Wing flying Mustangs. He shot

down a total of nine aircraft (3 solo and 6 shared)

and also recorded three probable kills and three

damaged. During his military career he received

the high military awards including CBE, DSO, DFC &

Bar and AFC & Bar. Retired on June 1, 1974, with the

rank of Air Vice Marshal. The Hurricane P3878 sported camouflage of Dark Green, Dark Earth and Sky.

The right side of the fuselage below the cockpit was

marked with three kills scored during the Battle of

France in May 1940.

P3143, No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron, RAF Duxford,

Cambridgeshire, Great Britain, September 1940

The Hawker Hurricane Mk.I, serial number P3143

was codenamed NN-D and served with No. 310

(Czechoslovak) Squadron from July 24, 1940, until

October 16 of the same year, when it was destroyed by an engine fire during a training flight near

Ely. Its pilot, Sgt Jan Chalupa, bailed out but died. It

was the unit's most successful aircraft of the Battle

of Britain. Pilots F/Lt Gordon Leonard Sinclair, Sgt

Bohumil Fürst, Sgt Eduard Prchal and P/O Stanislav

Fejfar scored a total of six confirmed kills flying it

(two each of Bf 110 and Do 17 plus one each of Bf 109

and He 111). P3143 wore the "A" pattern camouflage

consisting of standard colors, i.e., Dark Green, Dark

Earth and Sky. In its appearance from mid-September, it sported four kill marks under the cockpit.

P3675, F/Lt Michael L. Robinson, No. 601 Squadron,

RAF Tangmere, West Sussex, Great Britain,

September 1940

During September days of the Battle of Britain,

"Mike" Robinson shot down one Bf 109E and two

more Bf 110s probably flying this Hurricane. At the

time he was a Flight Commander of No. 601 Squadron. His Hurricane sported an unusual marking of a

red and white-striped lightning bolt and a red, whi-

INFO Eduard - FEBRUARY 2022

te and blue spinner. The upper camouflage of the

"B" pattern was done in standard colors. Robinson

was appointed commander of No. 609 Squadron in

October and took over command of Biggin Hill Wing

from "Sailor" Malan in August 1941. In January 1942

he took command of Tangmere Wing. Unfortunately,

on April 10, 1942, he and his wingman, Maurice P. C.

Choron, did not return from a combat flight. They

fell victims to the fighters of II./JG 26. "Mike" Robinson shot down a total of 16 aircraft, probably shot

down five others and damaged nine.

eduard

23