In News

Hispano Buchón flies Page 7

Lysander fires up Page 8

Italian Vampire Page 10

Grumman Avenger Page12

FMA Pucará

Page 14

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established 1911

Aeroplane traces its lineage back to the weekly The Aeroplane, founded by the legendary C.G. Grey in 1911 and published until 1968. It was relaunched as a monthly magazine in 1973 by Richard T. Riding (Editor for 25 years until 1998)

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Battle of Britain

Battle of Britain

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70th A IVERSARY

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Features

16 Setting the scene . . . Johnny de Uphaugh introduces our 55-page Battle of Britain Special Section with a situation report on Britain’s position in the desperate days following the fall of France in June 1940

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20 Undaunted by Odds Using the logbooks of South African Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot Flt Lt Brian Van Mentz, Eric Benjaminson provides a fascinating insight into what it was like to be one of “The Few”

28 How The West WasWon The Director General of the RAF Museum, Air Vice-Marshal Peter Dye OBE, takes an in-depth look at the logistical aspects of the Battle — with some surprising conclusions

56 The Forgotten Few Michael J.F. Bowyer details Coastal Command’s vital contribution to the RAF’s “finest hour” in an excerpt from his splendid new book from Crécy Publishing on the Battle of Britain

66 Their Finest Words Aviation literature connoisseur Johnny de Uphaugh concludes our Battle of Britain coverage with a look at a handful of the best books written by those who were there — on both sides

DATABASE 37 The Messerschmit Bf 109 German wartime aviation specialist Dr Alfred Price traces the genesis of Willy Messerschmitt’s innovative Bf 109 and its development up to and including the Bf 109E “Emil” variant, as pitted against the RAF’s Spitfires and Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain. Includes scale drawings and artwork by Juanita Franzi and cutaway illustration by J.H. Clark

Regulars

6 News All the latest preservation news, compiled by Tony Harmsworth

26 Aircrew The Dornier Do 17 pilot — with illustration by Ian Bott

65 From the Archives News and issues of 70 years ago — 1940

70 Reader Offer

72 Q&A Your questions asked, and answered

91 Picture of the Month Armstrong Whitworth Argosy G-APRN

103 Book Reviews

107 Events

109 Flying Visit Chairman of the Vintage Aircraft Club John Broad on his aviation career

111 Moving On . . . Registration updates with Mike Hooks

112 Competition

113 Services, Next Month

116 Readers’ Album David O’Byrne’s photographs from his time as an engine fitter at Gatwick

118 Skywriters A selection of readers’ letters on a wide range of topics

122 Hairy Moment Our regular spot for your historicaviation close calls

COVER IMAGE

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, GARETH HECTOR was specially commissioned by Aeroplane to illustrate Flt Lt Ian “Widge” Gleed of No 87 Sqn flying his Hawker Hurricane in combat with a Bf 109E of JG26 during the Battle, our coverage of which starts on page 16 . . .