BUILT

MW835, W/Cdr Charles H. Dyson, Wing Commander Flying Southern Sector, RAF Middle Wallop, Hamshire, United Kingdom, April 1946

Charles Harold Dyson was born in Jhansi, India (July 8, 1913) and began his RAF career in 1937. After training he became a member of No. 33

Sqn and carried out attacks on Arab insurgents in Palestine (from Ramla base). His part in these operations earned him a DFC. He remained

in the Middle East after the outbreak of WWII and on December 11, 1940, he encountered a group of six Italian Cr.42s and reportedly shot them

all down. However, he had to make an emergency landing himself, returning to the unit six days later. Dyson received a Bar to his DFC for this

achievement to which he added two more Cr.42 kills. The No. 33 Sqn moved to Greece and Dyson was shot down there by an Italian G.50 on

March 23 and then by AA fire on April 5. He managed to bail out in both cases. After the fall of Greece, Dyson served as a fighter pilot in Egypt

but was not involved in any further combat action. Following his return to the UK he had short spells with the CGS and AFD and then spent the

rest of the war instructing and commanding Armament Practice Camps

and squadrons within Tactical Exercise Units.

After the war he remained in the service until

October 1963. By the time he became Wing

Commander of the Southern Sector of Fighter

Command, he had taken over the aircraft of R.

P. Beamont and added stylized lightning bolt

on the fuselage - a most unusual marking on

RAF aircraft at that time. The colors of it were

probably yellow and red and the personal code

was white. After a short period of time, the

lightning bolt was removed, leaving only a red

wedge with no trim; the spinner was now half

black/half white whereas it is thought it may

previously have been yellow. For unknown

reasons, the main undercarriage covers were

replaced, thereby disrupting the serial number

on the lower wing surfaces.

INFO Eduard - December 2021

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