27 April 1940

Lifted from Manston in a Spit 1 and patrolled around off the coast for 50 mins at around 15,000 feet. Had a report of 110's bombing the hangars so dropped down to have a look, the only thing I saw was Blenheims! Bounced a couple but managed to avoid shooting any friendlies.

Caught a flash of perspex over the sea, and ran into two 109s beating up a Blen that had just taken off. Got behind one and was just about to give him a squirt when streaks of tracer flew over my canopy, and I heard the thud thud of bullets hitting my rear. Managed to break off and return to Manston, landed with flaps up as I had taken some damaged to the hydraulics.

Lifted again and climbed up to 18,000, reports came in from 'Luton' that bombers had been spotted off the coast. Searched around off Dover and saw a flight of three or four bombers being harrased by a couple of Spitfires, and thought I'd join in the fun, so popped my Spit on it's back and pulled a Split-S to engage. Unfortunately my Spit was going too fast and decided to lose a wing at around 10,000 feet into the dive, so I had to bail out and have a little swim back to the coast! I'll be more careful with my engine settings next time!

Bad luck Skip, must be have been dodgy workmanship on that Spit wing. Bound to happen when they let women work in the factories.

Hard luck, Skipper

Skip19 wrote:reports came in from 'Luton' that bombers had been spotted off the coast.

Serves you right for talking to yourself.