A Sergeant Rear Gunner shot down a German Bf-109 D over the French - German border during the 1939 "Phoney War" period about 6 months before the Blitz Kreig started.
The Fairey Battle was the RAFs first all metal aircraft, was the first aircraft to fly with the Rolls Royce Merlin engine (unsupercharged) and was the first RAF aircraft to carry a 0.50" Calibre HMG (right wing mounted). It also had its bomb bays in the wings.
Top speed was 247 MPH.
Number still flying today is one example in Canada.
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