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John Quin | all galleries >> Photo and Stereo Scans >> Photo Albums >> Military >> misc_military > 53 Operational Training Unit
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01-Sep-2021

53 Operational Training Unit

Scanned from a photograph from 12 June 1941
A group photo of members of No. 5 course, 53 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Heston.
53 OTU was responsible for the training of Spitfire pilots, the aircraft in the background is possibly a Douglas Havoc of No. 1422 Flight
53 OTU was command by Gp Capt J I T "Taffy" Jones DSO, MC, DFC & Bar, MM (1896 - 1960)
Jones was considered too old for combat flying during WW2 (37 victories during WW1) thought he unofficially participated in a few fighter sweeps over France
One of his noted incidents was that he attacked a German Ju 88 while flying an unarmed Hawker Henley, he drove it off by firing his very pistol at it.


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