H.A.C. BIRD-WILSON DSO DFC AFC 17 SQN Debden 1940
(Signatures)	Battle of Britain Royal Air Force Flying Officer Harold.A.C.Bird-Wilson DSO DFC AFC 17 Squadron RAF Debden 1940.
(Dimensions)	4" x 6" approx  Signed Reproduction Photograph
Price	£50.00

Description

Battle of Britain Legendary Royal Air Force Flying Officer Harold.A.C.Bird-Wilson DSO DFC AFC 17 Squadron RAF Debden 1940...In April 1940 he was on active service flying Hurricanes for the British retreat from France. As an already accomplished pilot, he was one of the elite selected for one of Cuthbert Orde's iconic charcoal portraits, which was drawn on 11 September 1940. On the morning of 24 September, flying Hurricane P3878 near Chatham, he became the 40th kill of Luftwaffe ace Adolf Galland of JG 26. Baling out on fire, he landed in the Thames and was picked up by a navy boat. Yet again he was hospitalised. In 1941 he went back into service as an instructor at No. 56 Operational Training Unit (OTU) before seeing action flying Spitfires with No. 254 Squadron RAF, participating in raids over northern France. He returned for a spell commanding a unit at No. 56 OTU later in the year. In 1942 he commanded No. 152 Squadron RAF and No. 66 Squadron RAF as they led fighter escorts for bombing raids to the northern European coast, moving on to lead Wings in 1943. In 1944 he attended command training in the USA at Fort Leavenworth, before returning to action over the Normandy Invasion. He ended the war commanding No. 1335 Jet Conversion Unit, the first jet unit in the RAF. For many years after the war Bird-Wilson held a variety of posts in the Central Flying Establishment. In 1946 he was given command of the air fighting development squadron. In 1948 he moved to Middle East operations, becoming personal staff officer to Air Chief Marshal Sir John Baker, Middle East Air Force Commander-in-Chief in 1949. In 1954, Bird-Wilson joined the British Joint Services Mission in Washington. He returned to be Station Commander at RAF Coltishall from June 1959 to November 1961, then held a post at the Air Ministry from 1961 to 1963, before two years commanding the Central Flying School, followed by a post as air officer commanding Hong Kong in 1965. After two years, Bird-Wilson took up a post at the Ministry of Technology in 1967. From 1970 — 1974, his final years of service were spent commanding a training group. He died in 2000...priced @ £75.00...To complement the purchase of your signed picture/photo , we are now able to offer a professional Picture Framing service. For further details please contact us by phone or email.