No 242 (Canadian) Squadron

Aircrew RAF 242Sqn Douglas Bader IWM CH1413

Squadron Leader Douglas Bader DSO (front centre) with some of the Canadian pilots of his Squadron, 242 (Canadian) Squadron, grouped around his Hurricane fighter aircraft at Duxford.

Imperial War Museum IWM CH 1413 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205195682

Aircrew RAF 242Sqn pilot PS Turner at Fowlmere Sep 1940 IWM CH1376

Flight-Lieutenant P S Turner of No. 242 Squadron RAF, rests on the tail elevator of his Hawker Hurricane Mark I, after landing at Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire, (No. 242 Squadron were based at Coltishall, Norfolk at this time). Turner, a Canadian citizen, was a successful fighter pilot over France and during the Battle of Britain in 1940, destroying ten enemy aircraft.

Imperial War Museum IWM CH 1376 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209958

Aircrew RAF 242Sqn pilot PW Townsend and CB Hull at Wick Caithness 1940 IWM CH89

Flight Lieutenants P W Townsend (left) and C B Hull of No. 43 Squadron RAF at Wick, Caithness, at the time they had shot down three enemy aircraft each. Hull became the commanding officer of the Squadron in September 1940 and was killed in action on 8 September having shot down at least 10 enemy aircraft. Townsend was to end his flying service with at least 11 victories, having commanded Nos. 85 and 605 Squadrons RAF. He then commanded RAF stations at Drem and West Malling, and No. 23 Initial Training Wing, before becoming Equerry of Honour to the King in March 1944.

Imperial War Museum IWM CH 89 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209959

Aircrew RAF 242Sqn pilots McKnight, Bader and Ball at Duxford Cambridgeshire 1940 IWM CH1342

Three decorated fighter pilots of No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron RAF, standing outside the Officers' Mess at Duxford, Cambridgeshire. They are (left to right): Pilot Officer W L McKnight, Acting Squadron Leader D R S Bader (Commanding Officer), and Acting Flight Lieutenant G E Ball. By the date this photograph was taken these pilots had, between them, shot down over thirty enemy aircraft.

Imperial War Museum IWM CH 1342 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209949

Aircrew RAF 242Sqn William Willie McKnight Sep 1940 IWM CH1321

Pilot Officer William "Willie" McKnight, serving with No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron RAF, September 1940. Pilot Officer William Lidstone "Willie" McKnight, a fighter pilot from Calgary, Canada, photographed during the Battle of Britain, when serving with No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron RAF. Between May and November 1940, McKnight achieved 16.5 victories in combats over France and England. He was shot down and killed during a low level intruder sortie ('Rhubarb') over France, on 12 January 1941.

Imperial War Museum IWM CH 1321 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205200168

Hurricane MkI RAF 242Sqn group formation 1940 IWM CH1429

Imperial War Museum IWM CH 1429 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205212601

Hawker Hurricanes RAF 242Sqn Oct 1940 IWM CH1431

Mark 1 Hawker Hurricanes of 242 (Canadian) Fighter Squadron led by Squadron Leader Douglas Bader DSO, DFC. Bader was one of the Royal Air Force's top fighter aces until he was shot down in 1941; he spent the remainder of the war in a German POW camp.

Imperial War Museum IWM CH 1431 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205193311

Profile 01: Hawker Hurricane MkI RAF 242Sqn LE-A P2961 England 1940

Profile 01: Hawker Hurricane MkI RAF 242Sqn LE-D Sqn Ldr Douglas Bader V7467 Coltishall, England 1940