KITS 05/2022

EN500, F/O Irving F. Kennedy, No. 249 Squadron, Qrendi, Malta, July 1943

Irving Farmer Kennedy, an ace with 10 aerial victories complemented by five shared and one probable,

was born in Cumberland, Ontario on February 4, 1922.

He joined the RCAF in October 1940 and on completion

of training, he was posted to the UK as a sergeant in

August 1941. After training with No. 55 OTU, he became

a member of No. 263 Sqn, flying Whirlwinds. On June

14, he was posted to No. 421 Sqn but left for Malta on

October 22, 1942. He joined No. 249 Squadron there on

December 15, 1942. His first victim was a Ju 52/3m,

shot down on February 7, 1943. He continued to see

success against Ju 88s and Ju 52/3ms. His first victory over an enemy fighter came on June 10, 1943,

when he shot down a Bf 109G and shared one C.202.

He was posted to No. 111 Sqn on July 30, 1943, based in

Sicily. “Hap” Kennedy´s first tour of duty ended in January 1944, and his second started on June 15, of the

same year, when he was posted to No. 401 Sqn. He

became its commanding officer on July 3, achieving

his last two victories, before being shot down by Flak

near Dreux on July 28. He bailed out, avoided capture, and reached Allied lines on August 24 but he did

not return to combat. Instead, he returned to Canada,

where he joined No. 124 Sqn RCAF. He was discharged

in February 1945 and resumed his education. He graduated in medicine and practiced for 37 years. “Hap”

Kennedy passed away on January 6, 2011. His Spitfire

EN500 was among those finished in Dark Mediterranean Blue and Medium Sea Grey colors, which were

better suited to fighting over water.

BS240, W/Cdr Richard Milne, CO of Biggin Hill Wing, Biggin Hill,

United Kingdom, January - March 1943

A pre-war pilot, “Dickie” Milne achieved the status

of ace during the Battle of Britain, while with No.

151 Sqn. In mid-1941, Milne was transferred to No. 92

Squadron at Biggin Hill, first as A Flight Leader, later

taking command of the entire squadron. On January 19, 1942, he took over command of No. 222 Sqn at

North Weald, holding the post until the completion of

his tour of duty in May. At the beginning of January

1943, he was given leadership over the elite unit at

Biggen Hill. He was given use of Spitfire BS240 as his

personal aircraft, which briefly served with No. 340

(French) Squadron, coded GW-G. As a reminder of this

service, the Spitfire retained the Cross of Lorraine

below the windscreen, while the Wing Commander

marking was carried on the main fuel tank cover.

Although BS240 had not served very long, it carried

signs of non-standard repair and touch-up, such as

the natural metal replacement canopy. Milne fell into

his role function admirably, and he had claimed the

destruction of an Fw 190 and an Bf 109 by January 20.

He regularly led his Biggin Hill Wing in BS240 until

March 14, when, after having downed an Fw 190 (his

15th victory), “Dickie” was shot down by an II./JG 26

Fw 190A-4 over Berck-sur-Mer and was taken prisoner. After being freed in May 1945, he was released by

the RAF in 1946 as Wing Commander. During his military career, Milne shot down a total of fifteen enemy

aircraft, one probable and eleven damaged.

BS152, F/O Lorne M. Cameron, No. 402 Squadron RCAF, RAF Kenley, Surrey, United Kingdom, February 1943

Lorne Maxwell Cameron enlisted in the RCAF in January 1941 and after completion of training was stationed

to the UK in September 1941. Prior to joining No. 402

Sqn in January 1942, he attended No. 53 OTU for combat

training. On February 27, the day of his 21st birthday,

Cameron scored his first victory, shooting down a Fw

190A-4 of JG 26. He flew this Spitfire serialled BS152

during that sortie and added one damaged aircraft on

March 13. After being injured on July 22, he spent some

time recuperating, returning to the unit in September

May 2022

1943. After a period with No. 53 OTU, where he served

as an instructor, he returned to action with No. 401 Sqn

and took over the unit‘s commander responsibilities.

Cameron and his “boys” were tasked with numerous

anti-ground assignments and the leader really showed the others the way to do things, being credited

with some 75 vehicles and five rail locomotives destroyed. He also added five more aerial victories plus

one damaged. He was shot down by Flak over France

on July 3, 1944. He was able to hide himself for two

months before being captured but managed to escape and returned back to the UK in September 1944.

At the end of the war, he left the RCAF and served with

Auxiliary Air Force No. 402 “City of Winnipeg” Squadron, where he was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander. His Spitfire BS152 was decorated with nose

art depicting a skull in a red circle and also featured

the rather unusual deletion of the outer cannon aerodynamic fairing.

INFO Eduard

43