Channel Dash – The Bravest of the Brave
12th February 2022 marks the 80th anniversary of the Channel Dash in 1942. Three of Germany’s largest battleships were to run the gauntlet of the Dover Strait from their location...
Category: On this day
F/Lt Baron Jean de Selys Longchamps’ Attack on Gestapo HQ and a hectic day for No.609 Sqn – January 20 1943
Baron Jean Michel P.M.G. de Sélys-Longchamps was born 31 May, 1912 in Brussels as the son of Baron Raymond Charles Michel Ghislain de Sélys-Longchamps and Emilie de Theux de Meylandt...
Loss of F/O Henry “Harry” Hector MacKenzie (RCAF) – 3rd January 1944
No.198 Sqn Typhoon JR523 piloted by F/O Henry “Harry” Hector MacKenzie (RCAF) took off from Manston at 1143hrs as “Blue 3” in a formation of four Typhoons with F/Lt R.O....
A New Year’s Day present to the Germans of a Handley Page O/100 – 1st January 1917
A Handley Page O/100, #1463 flown by Flt Lt Henry Connell Vereker accompanied by HP 1462 of Sub Lt Sands left for France on a foggy, wintery day. Two attempts...
Messerschmitt Bf109 “Black 12” crash lands at Manston, 27th November 1940
Messerschmitt Bf109E ‘4101 / Black 12’ of 21 year old Leutnant Wolfgang Teumer from 2/JG51 based at Wissant near Calais, was attacked by the Spitfire of 66 Squadron’s Flt Lt...
Air Speed Record set at Reculver, 7th November 1945
On 7th November 1945, Group Captain Hugh Joseph Wilson, CBE, AFC, Royal Air Force, Commandant of the Empire Test Pilots’ School, Cranfield, set the first world speed record with a...
