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Im looking for information on Black RAF pilots during the war.


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Ive found this Article and it made me wonder. There was a Bomber command pilot and other crew members, but were there any fighter pilots ? Say in the Battle of Britain, maybe North Africa or Malta, or SEAC ? 
 

https://www.historyhit.com/was-the-raf-especially-receptive-to-black-servicemen-in-world-war-two/

 

Im asking as Id like to do a build along side of a Tuskegee P-51 ? I wont discount small twins but cant build heavy bomber currently. 
 

Dennis

Edited by Corsairfoxfouruncle
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There are a couple of books on Blacks in the RAF and there is a Trinidadian pilot who scores victories flying Mustang III's , will see what i can find. 

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Two Trinidadian Spitfire pilots in 1944: James Hyde was shot down over Germany and Collin A. Joseph was killed by friendly fire. 

Fighter pilot Arthur O. Weekes from Barbados, and Spitfire pilot Vincent Bunting from Jamaica were each credited with shooting down Luftwaffe FW-190 fighters in aerial combat near Lübeck, Germany in 1945.

 

from https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/smythe-john-henry-1915-1996/

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Two books have a lot of info, "The Motherland Calls" and "Caribbean Volunteers at War" have a lot of detail, one Jamaican who should be more famous than he is is Arthur Wint, from Jamaica, flew Spitfires over Germany late 44 /45, became a Doctor after the war and won Gold in the 400 m at the 48 and 52 Olympics and silver in 800 at 48 and 52, the original Usain Bolt,went on to be the Jamaican High commissioner to the UK and ambassador to Sweden and Denmark, also became a renown surgeon.

Another Jamaican Vincent Bunting flew Spitfires with Sailor Malon.

Edited by Sydhuey
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4 minutes ago, Sydhuey said:

one Jamaican who should be more famous than he is is Arthur Wint, from Jamaica, flew Spitfires over Germany late 44 /45,

Thanks for the leads on the books, got to see if i can track them down. Does it say which squadron, possibly a mark of spitfire ? I can go with it from there by scrounging for decals. 

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There is also a website "Caribbean aircrew in the RAF during WW2", lots of info there.

If you want a really interesting subject , Britain's first Black pilot , Robbie Clarke of Jamaica , flew RE8's with 4 Sqn over France . 

Edited by Sydhuey
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Can I also offer an RAAF subject?

 

A P-40N flown by Sgt Leonard Victor Waters, 78 Squadron, coded HU-E, named 'Black Magic'. Len was from Aboriginal heritage. The aircraft was named by its former pilot. A qick Google search will give you some good photos of the plane.

 

Red Roo have decals for this in both 1/72 scale and 1/48 scale. Might be a nice addition to the other subjects?

 

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Yes but i have a horrible record with Bi-planes. Otherwise id say yes. 

2 minutes ago, Peter Roberts said:

A P-40N flown by Sgt Leonard Victor Waters, 78 Squadron, coded HU-E, named 'Black Magic'. Len was from Aboriginal heritage.

Excellent another one to do, actually I had read about him while doing research on P-40N’s a couple of years ago. I sadly forgot about it but probably have the info in my files. I never get rid of good leads for interesting subjects. 

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There’s also the flying prime minister, E. W. Barrow of Barbados. He was a navigator on 88 squadron RAF.

information is here:https://www.bajanthings.com/flying-officer-errol-walton-barrow-navigator-raf-world-war-ii-and-prime-minister-of-barbados/

 

TW

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53 minutes ago, Rafwaffe said:

I’ve found Lots of useful info in the Caribbean aircrew page on coloured Raf/Rcaf aircrew:

https://www.caribbeanaircrew-ww2.com
 

There was also the Talalla brothers:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205211623

Ive dug through the Caribbean aircrew site its very informative. Never knew about the Talalla brothers but now i need a Mustang or spitfire for them as well. 

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3 hours ago, fubar57 said:

 

1 hour ago, Rafwaffe said:

 

Isikeli Doviverata Komaisavai 234 Sqn.

From Fiji. Died of Pleurisy in 1944 in the Uk

https://www.fijitimes.com/britain-hails-fijian-hero/

 

Also Bert Wipiti (NZ)-Maori Pilot

243, 67 and 485 Squadrons

https://collection.pukeariki.com/objects/87984

Thanks those help quite a bit a Beaufighter and Spitfire Vb also sound good. 

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The RAF also had Indian pilots flying within fighter units based in the UK,.....  as well as Malaysian`s (onE of whom flew the Typhoon and maybe the Whirlwind before that?) , Singapore (Spitfire) Hong Kong Chinese, Fiji and men from most other Empire nations too. 

Good luck,

               Tony

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22 hours ago, Sydhuey said:

one Jamaican who should be more famous than he is is Arthur Wint, from Jamaica, flew Spitfires over Germany late 44 /45, became a Doctor after the war and won Gold in the 400 m at the 48 and 52 Olympics and silver in 800 at 48 and 52, the original Usain Bolt,went on to be the Jamaican High commissioner to the UK and ambassador to Sweden and Denmark, also became a renown surgeon.

That is one hell of a life

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For more info on the RAAF side of things (some of who flew in the RAF) here is a presentation given at the AWM during NAIDOC week about indigenous Australian aircrew. Hope this link works, first time I've posted one.

 

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Hi Dennis, I've just ordered some Red Tailed Angels decals for a P-51D that's in my stash, and your question has got me thinking.  It'll be interesting to see what you come up with, model-wise.

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2 hours ago, jackroadkill said:

Hi Dennis, I've just ordered some Red Tailed Angels decals for a P-51D that's in my stash, and your question has got me thinking.  It'll be interesting to see what you come up with, model-wise.

Im planning on a Tuskegee build and my brain went click💡 thats why I asked. Id like to build them side by side sometime in September or October

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A little OT, but not very far indeed. I hope it can be interesting for all who like to know WW2 history in all details. Imagine, that there was a black... Polish soldier in Warsaw Uprising in 1944!  His name was August Agbola O'Browne

In civil life before it he was a Nigerian origing jazz musician playing in clubs of Warsaw...

More info here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Agbola_O'Browne :)

Regards

J-W

 

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