Hot Rods 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain

Today is the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain 1940-2015

Today July 10th 2015, commemorates the 75th Anniversary of The Battle of Britain. This was an air battle for England and in the end the RAF prevented Germany from gaining air superiority.

“A few young American pilots decided not to remain on the sidelines. That summer and fall, eight American pilots fought against the Nazis in the Battle of Britain. This remarkable bunch of rogue flyers included ex-barnstormers, a Minnesota farm boy, and the greatest bobsled champion in American Olympic history. All had defied strict neutrality laws—thereby risking loss of their citizenship and imprisonment if they dared return home—in order to join what they regarded as the best flying club in the world: Britain’s Royal Air Force.

With only minimal training, they dueled with some of the Luftwaffe’s finest aces in the greatest man-on-man contest in the history of aviation and, by October 1940, had helped save England from Nazi invasion. Dozens more Americans soon joined them, enough to fill three squadrons—all of this months before Pearl Harbor marked America’s belated entry into the Second World War.” –by Alex Kershaw

These young Americans became The Eagle Squadron and eventually 244 had signed up and the average age was 21. In the end, over 40 percent lost their lives in WWII and some ended up in prisoner of war camps. In 2008, I decided to build a 1932 Ford Roadster dedicated to the Eagle Squadron of WWII. The complete story of my Roadster was told by Tim Bernsau in the January, 2010, Edition of Street Rodder Magazine. Let us never forget those Eagles…the few of the few!



32 Spitfire
High Noon Speed Shop

 

A friends father flew during the Battle of Britain,
Flew Spitfires for a couple of months until they found out he was 16, he then got grounded

 

A fine tribute indeed.

 

Thanks Texas Webb.....a special salute to all the brave young pilots. I have a book called "Under The Wire" by William Ash who I have corresponded with and sent him a copy of Street Rodder Magazine that my Roadster was in. An exciting but sad book as William got shot down in his Spitfire over France but somehow survived in the prisoner of war camps.


32 Spitfire
High Noon Speed Shop

 

"Never have so few given so much for so many."
Winston Churchill

Going from memory, but that's close.

 

You were close...Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few...Winston Churchill

Bill

 

Thanks! It is a great tribute to their skill and bravery.