Lifetime seconds & A typical return

Lifetime seconds – The longest period of time that I spent in a Spitfire was actually only in seconds. These seconds lead up to the opportune time. The opportune time was awaited while a buddy, across the way in a wide, line abreast formation, was telling me to sit tight as there was a ME 109 coming down on my tail and the buddy would tell me when to break at the opportune time or second; Break too soon and the ME 109 could break inside and put his sights out in front of me and on the other hand break too late, and well ........ . Those seconds were longgggggg.

Right idea, wrong formation

Right idea, wrong formation – Bullfrog always insisted that if one were caught alone over France and high in the sky, such as after a beehive, then one should try to join up with any friendly stray aircraft on the way home. I did this one time and as I was approaching the aircraft up and in front of me I was extremely busy keeping a watch behind me. I eventually joined formation with a snarly looking ME 109 going in my direction. The Nazi pilot’s eyes were as large as saucers as, indeed, mine probably were. We both grinned with our eyes and waved. Neither broke away, of course, until we finally agreed by hand signal count to break. On the count, I broke from the yellow-nose (the spinner of the ME 109 was painted yellow) and headed full-bore for the deck and came screaming back across the Channel at nought feet and up over the cliffs of England like a dog with its tall between its legs. I was watching the pilot’s eyes every second and I didn’t even notice the identification markings of his aircraft. I have often thought about him, and how I would have liked to have met him on peaceful ground. He was, of course, very lucky to be alive as he didn’t see me approaching from behind. I never said anything to the guys when I got back, but I found out later that some of them had been in such a situation.

The Squadron’s signature

The Squadron’s signature – 610 was noted for its ability to fly close formation and Bullfrog insisted upon maintaining this standard. On numerous occasions, the Squadron flew as a body, generally from nine to twelve aircraft, either up or down through thousands of feet of clouds. It was a cocky and dangerous feat and I remember that the aeroplane and its tail-wheel in front of me, upon which I was closely formatting by three or four feet just below the slipstream, was usually a dull shadow within the wet clouds of stratus or strata cumulus formations. At a time when the air was clear and heavy, it was a great feeling to see, at a quick glance, all the Spitfires of the Squadron gently riding an unseen swell. When we sometimes came back from over France as a whole, Bullfrog used to ask us to tuck in and then he would, for instance, cut across the City of Brighton so low that I could feel my rear end grazing and cleaning the steeple tips and chimney pots.