No.242 Squadron RAF

British and Canadian pilots of No.242 Squadron posing with Squadron Commander Douglas Bader (centre of photo) at RAF Duxford (Duxford, England, Sep 1940).

 

Squadron Commander Douglas Bader (Centre),

In 1931, Bader was involved in an aircraft crash that resulted in both legs being amputated from the knee. Prosthetic limbs and rehabilitation allowed him to return to flying in June 1932. Bader was involved in the battles over Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain and the Canal Battles. On August 1941 after engaging six German BF-109s alone, shooting down two during the dogfight, he was shot down over France and captured. After a number of failed escape attempts at a German "Stammlager Luft" (Main-camp Air), he was later imprisonment at the 'Offizierslager IV-C' (Schloss Colditz) where Bader spent the rest of the war. He was freed from captivity in April 1945 by Allied forces. He was credited with 20 air victories.

 

Pilot Officer William "Willie" McKnight (Left)

McKnight was a Canadian Hawker Hurricane fighter pilot during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. McKnight was killed-in-action on January 1941 over France. 17 air victories are credited to McKnight.

 

Flight Lieutenant Eric Ball (Right).

Ball fought during the battles over Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain and in North Africa. During a sandstorm in North Africa, Ball was forced to land in German held lines where he was captured. At the end of the war Ball was released by the Allies forces. He had 6 air victories. Ball was killed in a Gloster Meteor F3 jet fighter accident in January 1946.

 

 

Original Image Source: External link

Crop, repair, upscale, colorize: RyanN81

Bader Information Source: External link

McKnight Information Source: External link

 

 

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