P-40 pilot

That does sound like a good read!

I don't think the RAF put victory marks on their aircraft.  It would be easy enough to find the squadron code but the aircraft letter would be a bigger challenge, if he had his own assigned aircraft.  Camouflage would be to a standard pattern.

Seems to be rather famous!

Good call!  I suspected, but didn't make the connection.  Here's a source for markings, if you don't have them:

http://www.canmilair.com/products.asp?cat=33&pg=2

Cdn Colin

 

I don't think the RAF put victory marks on their aircraft.  

 

 

RAF fighters with kill marks were not common, but not too rare either.

Any idea about the identity of the last pilot Stik?  I noticed he has kill markings for all three of the Axis Powers.  Impressive career...

Gary

Texgunner

Any idea about the identity of the last pilot Stik?  I noticed he has kill markings for all three of the Axis Powers.  Impressive career...

Gary

 

Sure do my friend. That would be Clive "Killer" Caldwell. Highest scoring ace in the RAAF.

stikpusher

 

 

Texgunner

Any idea about the identity of the last pilot Stik?  I noticed he has kill markings for all three of the Axis Powers.  Impressive career...

Gary

 

 

 

 

 

Sure do my friend. That would be Clive "Killer" Caldwell. Highest scoring ace in the RAAF.

 

Ah, that's good to know!  An Aussie flyer, eh?  "Bloody struth mate!"  He's got a mighty impressive billboard goin' on that ship.  Thanks for the info!!

Hell of a pilot.

http://www.starduststudios.com/clive-killer-caldwell.html

Thanks for the article.  A bittersweet read.                              gk

Fermis....thank you so much for the pics. 

From the book it sounds like he ranked as one of the high ranked aces to come out of Africa. But he dose mention the top guys seems he flew with them all at 1 time or a other. even has afew story's about flying with the Americans when they got involved.

That one 70 yr old p-40 is a  unique find indeed. That would make a nice build but it would be beyond my skills to do it any Justice.

Thank you all for the response.

All those guys just seem to have loved to fly. Most of them seem to say the same thing you just had to have luck on your side.

I can only wonder what a new pilot would think walking up and looking at scores like on those planes. Mighty impressive.

Is killer Caldwell the pilot that flew with the wooden leg ?

There is a few more pics, I just picked a coulpe.

I just googled "260 squadron P-40" and went to "images".

blackdog62

 

Is killer Caldwell the pilot that flew with the wooden leg ?

 

Not as far as I know. The only Allied/RAF ace pilot that I am aware of with artificial legs was Douglas Bader. He flew in the early part of the war and was shot down over France and captured in 1941, sitting out the rest of the war in German POW camps.

Fermis... thank you for researchering and posting. I thought I did that but I used his name must had did something wrong. When it comes to me and the Web who knows what I did.  

Stick pusher...I remember that story know the German Luftwaffe even set up a new wood leg for for him hrough the red cross because lost his after he baild out.

I can't remember the details I think the RAF smuggled something to him in them.

Or he tried to escape after he got the leg. Need to hit the books on that one.

blackdog62

Fermis... thank you for researchering and posting. I thought I did that but I used his name must had did something wrong. When it comes to me and the Web who knows what I did.  

Stick pusher...I remember that story know the German Luftwaffe even set up a new wood leg for for him hrough the red cross because lost his after he baild out.

I can't remember the details I think the RAF smuggled something to him in them.

Or he tried to escape after he got the leg. Need to hit the books on that one.

 

 

 

...He cut off his other leg and sent it home...then his left arm...then the Germans shot him because they thought he was trying to escape!!!

Lol he almost made it.

I've read Bader's autobiography.  When he bailed out he had to leave one of his legs in the cockpit.  Goering himself took pity on him laying in hospital with no legs and arranged for one RAF plane to fly over one Luftwaffe base at a specified time and drop him some spare legs.  As soon as he had them, Bader tied bed sheets together and escaped from the hospital.  When the recaptured him they took his legs away as a punishment.

That's a amazing man...never give up.

JRD Braham wrote in his book "Nightfighter" that Bader once placed pingpong balls in the cavitys of his legs. He feared that if he bailed out over water they would drag him down.

Braham said he could not imagine Bader's surprise when, at altitude, they began to pop due to the drop in air pressure.  

I found that amazing.

I never heard that i believe it.  It was something a!ot of pilots feard going in the drink.

It seems most had a item or something they wouldn't fly without.

So he had 2 false legs?

Yes, he had both amputated after a flying accident.  One above and one below the knee, if I remember.  He had one leg of one set shortened to improve his golf swing.

That is some strong will. Makes my chronic ailment seem minute.

LOL got to love the golf angle. Anything for a better score.