Fairey Battle Mk I
Fairey Battle Mk I LS-Y P2177 15 Squadron A.A.S.F.
Vraux,
Wg. Cdr. Hugh George, France, September 1939.
Scale 1:144 Wingspan 4.49" (114 mm)
Base size 4.84" (123 mm) square (No. 3)
Weight not including base 3 ozs (81 grams)
Total number of models produced 226
This aircraft called 'Sytveste' was flown by amongst others Wg. Cdr. Hugh
George once Chairman of the Blenheim Society. One of the ground crew / engineers
for 15 Sqn. was aviation author Victor Bingham. The Battie carried four
250lb bombs had one 0.303 machine gun in the starboard wing and a Vickers
K gun in the rear cockpit. On May 12th 1940 Flying Officer D E Garland (pilot)
and Sergeant T Gray (observer) flying a Battle of 12 Sqn. were shot down
in a desperate attack to destroy bridges over the Albert Canal, both were
awarded posthumous V.C's the first to be awarded to the RAF in the Second
World War; for reasons unknown the rear gunner who was also killed received
no recognition.
The Battle was loved by its crews but was too slow and poorly armed. Even
though it was obsolete, in 1939 it formed the equipment of 1 Group Bomber
Command and the major part of the A.A.S.F. This force suffered huge losses
culminating in raids against pontoon bridges at Sedan when 40 aircraft were
lost out of a force of 71.
