John A. Hemingway, Last Survivor of the Battle of Britain, Dies at 105 (1 Viewer)

[jazzeum]

John A. Hemingway, Last Survivor of the Battle of Britain, Dies at 105​

A fighter pilot in a vastly outnumbered Royal Air Force — one of the “few” hailed by Churchill — he took to the skies to help stave off a Nazi land invasion of Britain.

No paywall.

John “Paddy” Hemingway, Last Surviving Pilot of the Battle of Britain, Dies at 105

A fighter pilot in a vastly outnumbered Royal Air Force — one of the “few” hailed by Churchill — he took to the skies to help stave off a Nazi land invasion of Britain.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Combat]

Those guys were undoubtedly heroes but the myth that they were vastly outnumbered is not accurate. The Luftwaffe was a tactical arm of the Wehrmacht. It was not designed for a strategic bombing campaign and all of the tactical advantages were on the side of the Brits. There was no chance of the Luftwaffe prevailing in that situation. When a German plane was shot down, the pilot became a POW. When a British plane was shot down, the pilot just got into another Hurricane or Spitfire. The ME 109 had a fuel capacity that allowed it only a few minutes over England.

 

[Horus]

Those guys were undoubtedly heroes but the myth that they were vastly outnumbered is not accurate. The Luftwaffe was a tactical arm of the Wehrmacht. It was not designed for a strategic bombing campaign and all of the tactical advantages were on the side of the Brits. There was no chance of the Luftwaffe prevailing in that situation. When a German plane was shot down, the pilot became a POW. When a British plane was shot down, the pilot just got into another Hurricane or Spitfire. The ME 109 had a fuel capacity that allowed it only a few minutes over England

They were and are a Legend.

They were outnumbered and defending their Country and whatever reasoning you may have for defending them, the Germans were the aggressors.

Still that was 1940. Today the RAF is nothing like it was, with Woke DEI, etc, and would not stand the same punishment, even if technological world of today could keep up.
I'm sure the pilots of the USAAF of WW2 would have different ideas to yours of today as they were of that time and not of Now !
Times change, and yesterdays enemies, are todays friends, though perhaps moral compasses still point true all the same, though of course that only applies from ones own standpoint !

 

[BHogan]

They were and are a Legend.

They were outnumbered and defending their Country and whatever reasoning you may have for defending them, the Germans were the aggressors.

Still that was 1940. Today the RAF is nothing like it was, with Woke DEI, etc, and would not stand the same punishment, even if technological world of today could keep up.
I'm sure the pilots of the USAAF of WW2 would have different ideas to yours of today as they were of that time and not of Now !
Times change, and yesterdays enemies, are todays friends, though perhaps moral compasses still point true all the same, though of course that only applies from ones own standpoint !

I couldn't agree more, and Churchill's skillful oratory perfectly described the feats of The Few and the debt owed to them.

Brendan

 

[Combat]

They were and are a Legend.

They were outnumbered and defending their Country and whatever reasoning you may have for defending them, the Germans were the aggressors.

Still that was 1940. Today the RAF is nothing like it was, with Woke DEI, etc, and would not stand the same punishment, even if technological world of today could keep up.
I'm sure the pilots of the USAAF of WW2 would have different ideas to yours of today as they were of that time and not of Now !
Times change, and yesterdays enemies, are todays friends, though perhaps moral compasses still point true all the same, though of course that only applies from ones own standpoint !

Of course the Germans were the aggressor but it's a myth that the RAF was vastly outnumbered. When you factor in all the tactical advantages of the RAF it was a battle that the Germans had almost no chance to win. The Luftwaffe was not designed to be a strategic air force like that of the US. It was designed to provide support to the Army. Much like a mobile artillery unit. That in no way is intended to denigrate from the bravery of the pilots but to simply put it into an accurate historical context.

 

[Terp152]

John A. Hemingway, Last Survivor of the Battle of Britain, Dies at 105​

A fighter pilot in a vastly outnumbered Royal Air Force — one of the “few” hailed by Churchill — he took to the skies to help stave off a Nazi land invasion of Britain.

No paywall.

John “Paddy” Hemingway, Last Surviving Pilot of the Battle of Britain, Dies at 105

A fighter pilot in a vastly outnumbered Royal Air Force — one of the “few” hailed by Churchill — he took to the skies to help stave off a Nazi land invasion of Britain.

www.nytimes.com

Fascinating story, shot down four times! Remarkable courage. Thanks for posting Brad.