Strana 31
AL194 (1087), WO2 S. R. J. McLeod, No. 111(F) Squadron (RCAF), Kodiak Island, Alaska, April 1943
ET790, Sqn. Ldr. Billy Drake, CO of No. 112 Squadron (RAF), LG91, Egypt, July 1942
No. 111 Squadron was formed in 1932 as the
Coastal Artillery Cooperation Squadron. With
the outbreak of World War II in September 1939,
it was redesignated from No. 111 (CAC) Sqn. to
No. 111 (F) Sqn. which signified the change to
a fighter squadron. In January 1941 the unit
was disbanded, and a new squadron of the
same designation was subsequently formed.
On November 3, 1941, the unit received its
first P-40Es. These were then dismantled and
transported to Vancouver Island. In March 1942,
the unit was presented with a thunder totem
from the Chief of the Saanich First Nation,
which became its emblem. The unit also used,
unofficially, the name Thunderbird Squadron.
Due to the assumption of a Japanese attack
on the U.S. base at Dutch Harbor on Unalaska
Island (which indeed occurred on June 3),
an airfield was built at Umnak. From there,
No. 111(F) Sqn. moved in June 1942 to Elmendorf
Base, Anchorage, where it remained until
October 30 of that year. At the same time in
June an X Wing was formed from this unit and
No. 8 (BR) Sqn. flying with the Bristol
Bolingbrokes. In October 1942, No. 111 (F) Sqn
was moved to Kodiak Island, where it remained
until August of that year. The aircraft shown
here was damaged on belly landing due to
a landing gear malfunction. The nose bore the
unit’s emblem, the thunder totem, which is often
drawn in white only. However, it is likely that
it was colored to match the unit’s emblem.
The cockade on the fuselage had overpainted
yellow part, while the cockades on the upper
wing had an unusually small red center and
a thicker blue border.
Billy Drake was born on December 20, 1917,
and ranked among Britain’s most successful
fighters with 20 confirmed and six probable
kills. In addition, he damaged nine more enemy
aircraft. He fought successively in France,
England, Africa and Malta and became the
most successful British pilot with the P-40
(13 kills) and second in the Commonwealth after
Clive Caldwell (20 kills). He was sent to Africa
in December 1941 with the task of forming
No. 128 Squadron, armed with Hurricanes. At the
end of May 1942, he took over the command of
No. 112 Sqn. From Clive Caldwell. In November
1943 he returned to the UK and flew Typhoons.
After the war he became deputy commander of
Biggin Hill base. Billy Drake died in August 2011
at the age of 94. His P-40E bore the distinctive
No. 112 Sqn. emblem, a shark’s mouth on the
nose. Drake chose a question mark instead of
a code letter as his personal marking, and his
machine bore the name Christine on the left
side under the cockpit.
KITS 02/2025
INFO Eduard
31
February 2025