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The Few
- Thread starter Smithy
- Start date
Smithy
Well-Known Member
About time for the most famous South African to fly in the BoB, Adolph "Sailor" Malan. A legendary fighter leader who developed the "Ten of My Rules for Air Fighting" which became gospel in the RAF during WWII for fighter pilots and was a popular poster in dispersals and messes across RAF aerodromes.
Here he is at Hornchurch, probably last week of July, first week of August, and probably only a matter of days before he assumed command of 74 Sqn.
Of special note in regards to his Spit, note the straight pole type radio mast which shows the aircraft is still carrying the TR.9D HF radio set. Also the newly installed external, armoured windscreen.
Here he is at Hornchurch, probably last week of July, first week of August, and probably only a matter of days before he assumed command of 74 Sqn.
Of special note in regards to his Spit, note the straight pole type radio mast which shows the aircraft is still carrying the TR.9D HF radio set. Also the newly installed external, armoured windscreen.
Last edited:
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Tim
Good post !
Have you ever come across his “Ten Rules’?
Just looked them up.
TEN OF MY RULES FOR AIR FIGHTING
Good post !
Have you ever come across his “Ten Rules’?
Just looked them up.
TEN OF MY RULES FOR AIR FIGHTING
- Wait until you see the whites of his eyes. Fire short bursts of one to two seconds only when your sights are definitely "ON".
- Whilst shooting think of nothing else, brace the whole of your body: have both hands on the stick: concentrate on your ring sight.
- Always keep a sharp lookout. "Keep your finger out".
- Height gives you the initiative.
- Always turn and face the attack.
- Make your decisions promptly. It is better to act quickly even though your tactics are not the best.
- Never fly straight and level for more than 30 seconds in the combat area.
- When diving to attack always leave a proportion of your formation above to act as a top guard.
- INITIATIVE, AGGRESSION, AIR DISCIPLINE, and TEAMWORKare words that MEAN something in Air Fighting.
- Go in quickly – Punch hard – Get out!
Smithy
Well-Known Member
Yup as I wrote above Burt they became hugely popular in the RAF and were even produced as a poster for RAF aerodromes:
In essence they were really a sequel to Mick Mannock's "15 Rules" from WWI which were still being told to RAF fighter pilots at the beginning of WWII.
Robert Shaw's character in the film, "Battle of Britain" is heavily based on Malan.
Smithy
Well-Known Member
I posted another photo from this series earlier but this is good because it shows the different reactions to combat. The fellow sitting left foreground, mentally pensive about what has happened and what could have, the chap in the middle's physical reaction of complete physical and emotion exhaustion, the other chaps standing around and trying to relieve their experienced tension by animatedly retelling it. A great photo...
610 Sqn, July 1940, Hawkinge
610 Sqn, July 1940, Hawkinge
Paul Glover
Well-Known Member
Thanks for taking the trouble to upload all the great photos and sharing your knowledge, I am sure that many others (including myself) have enjoyed this post, a fitting tribute !.
ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
The Few and then The Few
The Holy Grail, some might say.... Never had one..... hmmm.
....
Smithy
Well-Known Member
I started this thread a couple of years ago and shame on me as I'd let it die in the arse which is odd as the BoB is my first love when it comes to anything to do with air warfare. So to remedy that I thought I'd do what I do in my 4th FG thread with the "Dude of the Day" thingy and do a similar thing here by posting a photo and a little bio of one of The Few from time to time.
I thought I'd start it off with Geoff "Boy" Wellum from 92 Sqn and author of the now classic pilot memoir "First Light". From Essex, Geoff went to Forrest School and captained the 1st XI. He was the second youngest combat pilot during the Battle. He later served in Malta before ending the war as a gunnery instructor. If you haven't read his book, do so as it is one of the greatest and most atmospheric pilot memoirs.
I thought I'd start it off with Geoff "Boy" Wellum from 92 Sqn and author of the now classic pilot memoir "First Light". From Essex, Geoff went to Forrest School and captained the 1st XI. He was the second youngest combat pilot during the Battle. He later served in Malta before ending the war as a gunnery instructor. If you haven't read his book, do so as it is one of the greatest and most atmospheric pilot memoirs.
Smithy
Well-Known Member
Thought I'd do another one to keep the ball rolling...
F/Lt Richard "Dickie" Lee of 85 Sqn. Dickie was a supremely gifted pilot, he flew a Hurricane at full chat through a hangar for which he both got in shit for but also received admiration. The son of an RFC veteran of WWI he was a Cranwell graduate before finding himself with 85 Sqn at the start of hostilities. He fought in the Battle of France and then the BoB. By the time of his death he was an ace. He was last seen chasing an enemy formation on the 18th August over the sea but was never seen again. He was just 23 years old.
F/Lt Richard "Dickie" Lee of 85 Sqn. Dickie was a supremely gifted pilot, he flew a Hurricane at full chat through a hangar for which he both got in shit for but also received admiration. The son of an RFC veteran of WWI he was a Cranwell graduate before finding himself with 85 Sqn at the start of hostilities. He fought in the Battle of France and then the BoB. By the time of his death he was an ace. He was last seen chasing an enemy formation on the 18th August over the sea but was never seen again. He was just 23 years old.
johnwayne
Well-Known Member
Not sure why I’ve never jumped in on this thread as like you Smithy my favourite WWII topic. Wrote my History thesis on the matter for my GCSE exams at school and always thought it would be my specialist subject on BBCs Mastermind but I’m clearly not in your league. Got a lot books on the period too and really have had to curb myself from not buying more.
Think I wrote elsewhere on this forum how absolutely appalled I was to see the RAF Museum at Hendon break up the BOB Hall and downgrade what to me is the RAF’s proudest period, to 4 airframes in the main hall with nothing like the amount of info it deserves!! I even emailed them but got no response. Duxford now gives more attention to that period if our history than the service’s own flag bearer.
Great thread though Smithy, thank you.
Think I wrote elsewhere on this forum how absolutely appalled I was to see the RAF Museum at Hendon break up the BOB Hall and downgrade what to me is the RAF’s proudest period, to 4 airframes in the main hall with nothing like the amount of info it deserves!! I even emailed them but got no response. Duxford now gives more attention to that period if our history than the service’s own flag bearer.
Great thread though Smithy, thank you.
Smithy
Well-Known Member
Wayne if you haven't got it, may I recommend the BoB Combat Archive series by WingLeader Publishing?
Not cheap and already up to volume 13 but an absolute must have for any BoB enthusiast. If you don't already have it, I promise that you would absolutely love it.
Here's a few sample pages...
https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5a3134b40672a700015a5d31/617f9add5d93846d9aec4bd8_BofBCAV11sample pages.pdf
Micawber
Well-Known Member
The RAF Museum at Hendon appears to have fallen victim to the trendy new breed of curatorial mindset. The loss of the BoB Hall is an own goal, the new direction appears more interested in being PC, "inclusive" and providing interpretations for the lowest common denominator....and kids play areas. The ASR service is overlooked and it is disgraceful that the two ASR launches are still left outside in a decaying state.
Smithy
Well-Known Member
Britain seems to be losing the plot about celebrating its amazing contribution to WWII. There's was a thing a few years back where apparently the majority of British kids have no idea about the BoB which is truly sad.
If the RAF hadn't have thwarted the Luftwaffe and Hitler had been able to either make it so Britain had to sue for peace or successfully undertake Sealion, then the world we live in now would be a very different place, and there's every reason to belief that Moscow would have fallen a year or two later, thereby ensuring the Third Reich's unassailable dominance over Europe.
Sad to think that the bean counters and PC crowd think it's not really important to celebrate the fact that The Few didn't just save Britain but very probably Europe.
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