As soon as you said it I knew it was "where eagles dare" one more schnapps and I'll show you to your room 😂

As a Yank, I would argue that the RAF fighter pilots, in their blue suits and slippers had their own special panache.  On the allied side at least, they were the true originals.  And they stopped the Luftwaffe cold in their tracks (with a lot of help) while most of the rest of the civilized world watched. Our guys were good, but they had big shoes to fill (and Thunderbolts and Mustangs.)  The thing I'm most proud of is that most of our boys should've been home playing ball and chasing girls. In that remarkable photo of Col. Blakeslee talking to his men, behind all the swagger, I wonder how many of those young men were absolutely scared out of their minds. I bet most of them were but they did it anyway. That's real courage. Imagine what you were doing at age 21. At that age, my mother was still doing my laundry and calling me home for dinner.

Not a fighter pilot, but l knew an old gentleman from Pennsylvania who went to Canada, joined the RCAF and was shot down in a Lancaster over Germany.   He spent the last two years of the war as a POW.

"Hilts. Just, Hilts."

One of the original Dambuster pilots was a Texan who headed north to Canada to enlist in the RCAF. He was awarded a medal and was pinned by the King.

I remember watching an old documentary about ww2 Fighters, and James goodson was interviewed about his time in the RAF..very funny. He talked about being told when enlisting, there is a matter of money and it would be 3 and 6 a week or something like that, to which he replied I'm sorry I don't have any money, the RAF man looked at him and said no we pay you!!  To which he remembered thinking,  you loveable fools!! You're going to let me fly a spifire and you're going to pay me!! 😂

This double act is geting better and better...addictive and so professional...thanks lads

The depressing thing about the rhubarbs of 1941 was that it showed how Leigh-Mallory, Bader and Sholto Douglas had learned nothing of the mistakes the Luftwaffe had made in 1940: flying short-range fighters over enemy territory where the enemy had the advantage!

My Grandad was an 18 year old airman and part of a groundcrew during the Battle of Britain and throughout the war. Worked on Hurricanes in 12 Group in the North East, move onto bombers later in the war and ended up finishing the war as part of the occupying force in Germany.

Great episode guys.   Remarkable men and Remarkable story.    Thanks to all of them

Listening to you two speaking with an American accent is absolutely hilarious.  You are both as bad as I am speaking with an English accent.   Great video! Please keep them coming.  Cheers

As soon as it was said the patch wasn't Canada or the US, I knew immediately, Texas! ROFL. you don't have to ask a Texan where they're from, they'll tell you!

Excellent episode

Very great episode

Jim Goodson.....you got it wrong. His Mum was English, his Dad American, hence he had dual citizenship. His grandfather was Vicar of Eastry, near Sandwich.

My father was a military aviator for 30 yrs. I have a framed foto of his squadron In Hawaii in 1935, Sambrowne belts, Jodphurs, riding boots, the whole bit, I swear he looked like Gary Cooper.

It's worth reading Len Deighton's  ' Good bye Mickey Mouse ' , about a P51 squadron flying out of east anglia in WW2 . Excellent book and sums up the yanks in England.

Informative and entertaining as usual.  Thanks you

Research Brian Lane RAF and the photo of him during the Battle Of Britain. He looks exhausted. Awarded the DFC and unfortunately killed in action - body not recovered. He didn’t have luxury of looking dashing.

I had the privilege of corresponding with Ervin Miller 133/336 sqs in the early 2000's, though primarily about his time commanding the 495 Fighter Training Group. A very warm and generous man, and extremely helpful with my research.