The Darlington Spitfire
In 1985, William Kimber published “Night Hawk”, my biography of Flight Lieutenant Karel Kuttelwascher, the RAF’s greatest night intruder ace [for more information click here]. While doing picture research for this book at the Imperial War Museum in London, I came across a photograph of “The Darlington Spitfire”. Given my surname, I was naturally intrigued and began to research the record of this particular aircraft.
I found that it had spent no less than three and a half years with the wartime RAF, in that time serving with six operational squadrons and making a total of 161 recorded sorties. Its victory score was three enemy aircraft destroyed, another three and a half probable, and one damaged.
The monograph which resulted from these researches was completed in October 1986. It was too long for an article and too short for a book. Therefore, for 13 years, it rested unseen in my study. However, when I started a web site in 1999, I was able to put the full text online here.
In fact, that same year Peter Caygill – a resident of Darlington in County Durham – produced the book that I would love to have written. Entitled “The Darlington Spitfire: A Charmed Life”, it was published by Airlife Publishing Ltd.
One the RAF pilots who flew “The Darlington Spitfire” was Roy Flight. He was her regular pilot at 118 Squadron and, over a period of two months, she carried him into battle on a total of 26 operations, never failing to bring him back unharmed. You can find my account of this period in sections five to seven of my essay.
I was absolutely delighted to receive an e-mail this week from a neighbour of Roy Flight who assures me that he is still alive and well, now a retired doctor aged 86 living on the North Island of New Zealand.
July 17th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Trip to North Island coming on or have you already been to NZ (Could do with a list somewhere on this blog of countries visited already).
July 17th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Mavis, I’d love to go to New Zealand (and to Australia) – a part of the world we haven’t touched – but Vee says that we can’t visit till the cat has died (she’s 18 and we’re still waiting!).
Meanwhile you can find a list of the 53 countries I have visited here.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
I understand Vee’s position entirely. I would be the same.
I do know a person who had a cat which lived to the ripe old age of 24. I bet Honey will break that record as she has loving people around.
April 23rd, 2012 at 11:53 pm
roy flight passed away with cancer not long ago but truely an amazing and knowledgable man. I will never forget my uncle least we forget the risks and efforts they took for the future…us
March 28th, 2013 at 8:57 am
Uncle Roy was a man of essence a delightful character of overwhelming charm and knowledge, so glad to know him am most honoured to have had the privillage.
March 28th, 2013 at 9:03 am
I am sad to add his dear beloved wife Elizabeth(Lizzie) passed a couple of days ago, my aunty,the most respectable charming lady whose vibrant spirit of grace so eloquent, missed by many she knew in the Arts, Education, and Medicine. Both of them.Gareth and I hold you both dearly always.