What Was It Like To Fight In The Most Active RAF Unit Of WW2?

[@rodpettet2819]

Thanks guys for giving your all. Thanks also to the Poles and other foreign pilots too. You were all magnificent heroes. I was born in Kent but later in 1944. My grandparents used to take me out in their car around 1948 onwards and I was fascinated by what I now know to be the chain radar towers on the south Downs. They were most impressive to a young kid. I enlisted into the RAF at 16 in 1960.

[@DataWaveTaGo]

Battle of Britain Note This says a lot: It was not until the Luftwaffe radio monitoring service and the German Post office set up their listening stations on the coast of France in July 1940 that the Luftwaffe realized it was up against something new and of vital importance. First the operators discovered that the ether on the 12 meter band was alive with signals radiating out across the channel from the tall and seemingly silent radar masts along the English coast. The second shock came as the Channel convoy battles developed. British voices could be heard on H.F. accurately directing formations of fighters towards unseen German raiders. The air was full of voices, calmly and systematically placing fighters here and there and guiding others back to base. It dawned on the listeners that this was part of a complex and smooth-running organization of great size. - Chapter 10 "The System" from "The Narrow Margin - The Battle of Britain and the Rise of Air Power" LCC 61-15451 Derek Wood and Derek Dempster (c) 1961

[@pauljohnson5570]

The comments are great I always cruise them on these videos. You get some people’s families stories and other perspectives.

[@marksneddon3709]

😢 So sad that most of these old boys will have passed now 😞 RIP lads Men! ❤

[@tomref4001]

Their passing is a fact of life,; the sadder thing is that their experiences and values of duty are 'lost' in the present generation-especially in parliament which over the last several decades has become a disgrace to their sacrifices and efforts. I know they weren't all saints but they deserve a better legacy which they were hopeful of when the war ended.

[@thomasnewton8997]

Hi highest respect to these men of 501 squadren

[@bartekbiniszewski5756]

Fun fact on the thumbnail of this video are Spitfires from Polish 303 Squadron not 501

[@nicholacousins8563]

Well done 👏 I noticed that I live in Hawkinge on the old airfield

[@harryjohnson9215]

I too noticed 303 was why i clicked on the video

[@tonysadler5290]

I'm not sure, but didn't 303Sqn initially fly Hurricanes? They may well have moved on to Spitfires later - but I think they were given Hurricanes for the Battle of Britain.

[@bartekbiniszewski5756]

@@tonysadler5290 You are absolutely right about them using Hurricanes during battle of Britain. Well it's kinda obvious that later they received newer Spitfire models as the war progressed. And bear in mind that after the war British government gave a bill to its former defenders from Poland for using their equipment and told them to get lost...

[@tonysadler5290]

@bartekbiniszewski5756 I know - my father was a Sgt Pilot joined in '36 (could have been '38) - he said the Poles were very shabby treated by the authorities and weren't allowed to march in the victory parade at war's end either. He always felt very bad about it. I met Bader a couple of times - didn't like him one bit - nor did many of his contemporaries. Thank you for your reply and conformation

[@lisathomas627]

Respect to them all.Such brave and contagious men. Thankyou

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

It was an informative documentary about airforces challenged over Britain 🇬🇧 between Luftwafa and Royal airforces. Documentary focused on 501 fighter's squadron pilot survivals

[@thomasnewton8997]

My uncle worked at the spitfire factory

[@stevecook8214]

My grandfather also worked at the spitfire factory

[@silverlink2002]

imagine the difference in only having a few hrs on slow but nimble gladiators harts and furys etc straight into hurricanes with upper retracts that the crews never had before and going straight up into battle including limited wartime experience before terrifying rip guys n girls for those involved 😕

[@BackwardsMarathonPSU]

“I’ve just arrived! I’m green!” “Yes, you’re ‘Green 3’ , now cmon”. Lol, classic British.

[@jimreilly9749]

Back to you Rod. One of 452/7 squadron maintenance mates of my Dad at Red Hill and later Darwin, visited me about 18 years ago after my Dad had died. His and my family went out to Pedro's fish restaurant in Ulverstone Tasmania. Never forgotten were Jim Grant's words as he was sitting opposite me and put his hand over mine. "Jim, ...they were heady days".. Jim Grant wrote a wartime history of 452/7 Australian Spitfire Squadrons I have a copy myself but I'll see if I can give a link to it. I'll try (on this channel). JR

[@berthalloway8182]

May they rest in peace

[@mike9347]

If it wasn't for the Spitfire, (and Hurricane), Australia would have been finished.

[@maryholder3795]

It doesn't matter about the comment Britian stood alone. The importance fact is that the Battle over the Island of Britain was the first time Germany air force did not totally succeed in its to main aims, destroy the RAF to pave the way for the invasion of UK.

[@fenerbahcehaberleri9433]

great war content I really like it

[@robertdelacruz2951]

Quite good documentary!

[@willbodine9544]

I’ve subscribed to “History Hit” and “War Stories” is no where to be seen? What am I doing wrong?

[@hotrod9873]

So am i to assume that war stories got the squadron wrong? Seem unlikely but 🤷‍♂️ Either way, mad respect!!!

[@MEMORIESOFSOLDIERS]

I really like war content

[@debbiemarler8722]

Very good!

[@GaleHunt-v5e]

The Polish 303 Squadron had a higher kill ratio.

[@orwellboy1958]

So?🤨Thats not what the title claims.

[@VincentComet-l8e]

Why didn't you also mention that they were far more experienced pilots, having had many more hours of training than their RAF colleagues whilst they were back in Poland...

[@TerryHickey-xt4mf]

also they had a personal opportunity to pay back the Germans for what they had done to their country, this meant a lot to them.

[@michaeldevlin-clovering9776]

All right all right .calm down but if england hadent fought on . All those other countrys ...dust.

[@jmcw9632]

cool

[@patrickrichards2577]

✨🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿✨🥰✨👍✨♥️✨🤗✨.

[@boysofwexford]

Hitlers greatest desire was to defeat Soviet Russia... not invade england 😂😂😂😂

[@TerryHickey-xt4mf]

he failed at both.

[@davidclarke7122]

Miserably!

[@maryholder3795]

Well if that was his wish, he got it. You should be careful what you wish for. He lost badly in Russia.

[@KyleLarsen-bw5hw]

Ahahahaha I’ve never had the first comment first view on something this is pure dopamine

[@KyleLarsen-bw5hw]

Why do you like old British propaganda so much huh??

[@MangoTroubles-007]

Some other guy was first kid

[@Howard_Hunter_]

Click on Newest and you'll see you're 2nd. 😅

[@samb7652]

Congratulations!

[@redranger67]

First!

[@TerryHickey-xt4mf]

what would you like, a chocolate frog or a mickey mouse badge.

[@redranger67]

@@TerryHickey-xt4mf just chocolate plzz..

[@brianford8493]

Ratatatatatat take that Fritz