RAF Spitfire Pilot Interview Brian Bird Royal Air Force Second World War | LegaseeWarFilms

RAF Spitfire Pilot Interview Brian Bird Royal Air Force Second World War by LegaseeWarFilms. #RAF #SPITFIRE pilot, Brian Bird relives his high-flying action-packed adventures of the 1940s as he first took the skies as a Spitfire fighter pilot and engaged in many fierce air battles across Northern Africa during the Second World War #WW2. CHECK OUT THE CHAPTERS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE See the FULL interview here: See More FULL Interviews from #UKMILITARY #VETERANS Here: SUBSCRIBE TODAY FOR MORE AMAZING INTERVIEWS! NEW! BE FIRST TO SEE OUR NEW BREATHTAKING INTERVIEWS FROM UK ARMED FORCES VETERANS FROM THE FALKLANDS WAR. #FALKLANDS #WAR When fighting commenced in North Africa in June 1940, the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Air Headquarters Egypt immediately mounted bombing missions against Italian targets in Libya and helped repel the Italian offensive into Egypt. The RAF was initially under-strength and equipped with the obsolete Gladiator and Blenheim aircraft until modern aircraft began to arrive in Egypt. In 1941, as Greece came under attack from #Germany, units were diverted to #Greece and, in #Libya, German air and ground forces pushed the weakened British back. During the Desert Campaigns of 1941-1942, the RAF provided essential battlefield support to the often-beleaguered ground forces, attacking enemy armor and supply lines despite extremely difficult operating conditions. In October 1941, to achieve closer air-ground co-operation, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, commanding RAF Middle East, oversaw the formation of the Western Desert Air Force (WDAF). Its Commander, Air Vice-Marshal Arthur Coningham, developed a mobile, highly effective tactical air force, which in August 1942 began to receive modern fighters capable of competing with the German air force for air superiority. By November, the WDAF comprised 29 British, Australian, and South African squadrons which, augmented by other Allied units, were able to offer overwhelming air support to the 8th Army’s offensive at El Alamein. (Credit to ) FOLLOW US FOR MORE HEROIC STORIES AND INTERVIEWS FACEBOOK // TWITTER // INSTAGRAM // LINKEDIN // FULL ARCHIVE // Spitfire: Top 5 Facts 1) The Spitfire was the main front-line fighter in World War 2. It was so good, that after the war it was used for a couple of decades. 2) The spitfire was used for short-range, quick attacks on other planes or bases. It had 8 Browning machine guns so was mainly used in dog fights. 3) The plane’s engines are Rolls Royce Merlins or Griffons which made the plane super quick reaching its highest speeds of 606 miles per hour. 4) There are now 47 airworthy Spitfires left, although they buried crates of the planes unassembled after the war in order to get rid of the waste of overproduced planes. 5) Due to the shape of the spitfires’ wings it was able to reach higher speeds than most planes including the Hurricane. SEE MORE FULL LENGTH PERSONAL ACCOUNTS HERE: The RAF underwent rapid expansion prior to and during the Second World War. Under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan of December 1939, the air forces of British Commonwealth countries trained and formed “Article XV squadrons“ for service with RAF formations. Many individual personnel from these countries, and exiles from occupied Europe, also served with RAF squadrons. By the end of the war, the #RoyalCanadianAirForce had contributed more than 30 squadrons to serve in RAF formations, similarly, approximately a quarter of Bomber Command’s personnel were Canadian. Additionally, the Royal Australian Air Force represented around nine percent of all RAF personnel who served in the European and Mediterranean theatres.[20] During the #BattleofBritain in 1940, the #RAF defended the skies over Britain against the numerically superior German Luftwaffe. TimeStamp: 00:00 INTRO 00:23 Where Were RAF Recruits Sent During The War 01:02 ITW RAF Initial Training Wing 01:40 Joining The RAF 02:50 RAF Pilot Or Air Gunner Selection 03:11 Tigermoth Pilot Training 04:10 Trainee Pilot WW2 04:16 How Many Hours Training Did It Take To Fly A Tigermoth 06:18 German Spies WW2 With thanks to #YOUTUBE for the opportunity to share our #RAF #SpitfirePilot #YouTubevideos #WW2 #RAF #SPITFIRE #NORTHAFRICA #SUPERMARINE #ROYALAIRFORCE #HURRICANE #BRITISH #ARMEDFORCES #MILITARY #UKMILITARY #INTERVIEWS #LEGASEE #LEGASEEWARFILMS #FIGHTERPILOT #BLITZ #BRITISHARMY