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Hurricane Country by Nicolas Trudgian.
Released on the 65th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain a new limited edition
to commemorate Churchills famous few. Stalwart of the Battle of Britain, the
Hawker Hurricane equipped the majority of the RAF squadrons that defended
Britain during that epic and decisive air battle in the summer of 1940. At the
forefront of the air fighting over the southern counties of England, the young
Hurricane pilots of 501 Squadron covered themselves in glory. Nicolas Trudgians
painting sets the scene: a victim of yesterdays aerial conflicts, a crashlanded
German Ju88 of KG30 lies on the edge of a Sussex field; the attention of two
members of the local Home Guard is drawn to the Hurricanes of 501 Squadron as
the fighters race back at low-level to Gravesend for fuel and ammunition. Within
minutes they will scramble aloft again to rejoin the fray. |
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Hurricane Country by Nicolas Trudgian
- The Signatures
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Squadron Leader Kenneth Lee (deceased)
Battle of Britain pilot who volunteered for the RAF in 1937. Flying Hurricanes during the Battles of France and Britain with No.501 Sqn, he accumulated 7 victories, and was shot down three times, including a forced landin on Crete, after which he was taken prisoner of war to Stalag Luft III. He was awarded the DFC. Kenneth Lee died 15th January 2008.
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 | Wng Cmdr Ken Mackenzie (deceased)
Ken Mackenzie flew 2 ops on Hurricanes with No.43 Sqn before joining No.501 Sqn based at Kenley during the Battle of Britain, again on Hurricanes. During his time with No.501 Sqn, he claimed 7 victories, with a further 4 shared and 3 damaged. In the most remarkable of these, Ken was following what he thought was a damaged Me109 down to sea level. Realising the aircraft was not damaged, he deliberately struck the tailplane of the enemy aircraft with the wing of his Hurricane (V6799), forcing his opponent to crash. He was subsequently awarded the DFC. After this, he joined No.247 Sqn flying night fighter Hurricanes shooting down 10 aircraft in one year. He was shot down and spent until 1944 as a prisoner of war, taking up operational duties on his repatriation. Sadly, Ken Mackenzie died on 4th June 2009.
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Flt Lt Eric Parkin
After converting to Hurricanes, Parkin was posted to France to join 501 Squadron. In mid-June the squadron prepared to evacuate France. The squadron reassembled at Croydon on the 21st. In the late evening of July 31st 1940 the squadron took off from Hawkinge to return to Gravesend, but his aircraft had a starting problem and he took off late. Arriving at Gravesend in failing light he undershot the runway and touched coiled barbed wire on the boundary which caused the Hurricane to become inverted. Badly injured he was admitted to Gravesend Hospital, later transferred to Halton and did not rejoin 501 until February 5th 1941. With a non-operational category, he was posted away for an instructors course on April 16th 1941 and was instructing until the end of the war.
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Vivian Snell (deceased)
Battle of Britain Hurricane pilot with No.501 Sqn. Shot down over Cranbrook on 25th October 1940 while flying Hurricane P2903, bailing out uninjured.
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Wng Cmdr W J Green
Battle of Britain Hurricane pilot with No.501 Sqn. Baled out of his Mk.I Hurricane carrying code R4223 on the evening of 29th August 1940 off Folkestone, and was rescued.
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 | Tony Pickering AFC
With the RAFVR just before the war commenced, Tony Pickering joined 32 Squadron at Biggin Hill in July 1940, flying Hurricanes, and in August 1940 to 501 Squadron at Gravesend. In September he was shot down in Hurricane P5200, but unhurt in a duel with an Me109, destroying another 109 a few weeks later. In December he joined 601 Squadron at Northolt. After a spell instructing, he joined 131 as a Flight Commander in February 1943, and later served as a Squadron Commander in the Middle East.
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