KITS 09/2021

B7190, Capt. Walter G. R. Hinchliffe, C Flight, No. 10(N) Sqn RNAS, Téteghem, France, March 1918

"Hinch", as Walter Hinchliffe was called, scored six kills during World War I, all when at controls of a Camel. He shot down his second and third victims on the

one of serial number B7190. Hinchliffe served with the artillery at the start of the Great War, only joining the ranks of the RNAS (Royal Navy Air Service) in 1916.

He completed his pilot training and served as an instructor at the RNAS base at Cranwell afterwards. There he clocked an incredible 1,250 flight hours in thirteen

months. It was not until January 1918 that he joined No. 10 Sqn RNAS. He scored his first kill on February 3 when he shot down an Albatros D.V., his last one

occured on May 19. On June 3 he suffered serious head and facial injuries after a crash and lost his left eye. After the War he flew as an airline pilot. In 1928 he

attempted to fly across the Atlantic. He took off from Cranwell Airport on March 13 with co-pilot Elsie Mackay. They have not been seen since... "Hinch's" Camel

bore a striking livery with blue and white stripes on the nose and a blue fuselage spine. There was a drawing of a devil on the wheel discs, the German word

DONNERWETTER behind the cockpit, possibly on both sides, and a symbol, which was, according to the only known photo of this part of the aircraft, probably

stylized combination of the letters W and H on the ridge of the aft fuselage. Upper and sides were probably in PC10 color. Camel B7190 was built by the

Clayton & Shuttleworth company and was powered by a Bentley B.R.1 engine.

B3893, Capt. Arthur R. Brown, No. 9(N) Sqn RNAS, Leffrinckoucke, France, September 1917

Canadian Arthur R. Brown became one of the most famous fighters of the Entente Powers, although he achieved "only" ten kills. The reason

is his victory over Manfred von Richthofen. Brown achieved three kills flying this Camel during September and October 1917 (3rd to 5th kills).

Brown became an RNAS pilot on November 24, 1915, but on May 2, 1916, he suffered a back injury in a crash and spent three months recovering.

Further health issues prevented him from combat until April 1917, when he was assigned to No. 9(N) Sqn RNAF and changed No. 11 and No. 4

subsequently. When back at No. 11 Sqn, he achieved his first kill on July 17. In September he returned to No. 9 Sqn. By the end of October, he

scored five times and, after rest, returned to the unit in February 1918, adding three more victories before spotting a red “Dreidecker” attacking

Camel of Lt. May on April 21. He shot the enemy down. As it turned out his victim was the famous "Red Baron". Brown later served as an

instructor. On July 15 he fainted during flight, crashed, and suffered serious head injuries. It took five years for him to make a full recovery.

Brown died of a heart attack on March 9, 1944. His Camel B3893 was a Sopwith production and had the face of comedian George Robey from

the musical "Zig Zag!" drawn on the horizontal stabilizer. Upper and side surfaces were probably in PC12.

N6377, Capt. Harold F. Beamish, No. 3(N) Sqn RNAS, Furnes, Belgium, September 1917

New Zealander H. F. Beamish, nicknamed "Kiwi", scored eleven kills in World War I, five of them in cooperation. He joined the RNAS in June 1916 and served with

No. 3 Sqn and No. 203 Sqn RAF (when the unit was renamed after a reorganization on April 1) from January 9, 1917, until August 17, 1918. He scored his first kill

on April 23, 1917 (Albatros D.III) flying a Sopwith Pup and scored four more ones with this Camel. In the autumn of 1918, he went home on leave to New Zealand

and there too the end of the War found him. After the War he farmed, living to the age of 90 years. He died on October 26, 1986. This Camel N6377 was a Sopwith

production, powered by a Bentley engine. It bore a drawing of a green tree on its white back, the main color was probably PC12. The aircraft was later shot down

on March 6, 1918, but its pilot, S/Cdr R. S. Dallas, was unhurt and the aircraft was also repaired. It was finally lost on April 22, 1918, when 2/Lt W. H. Easty was

shot down with it and killed.

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INFO Eduard - September 2021