ww2 Tomahawk/Spitfire pilot

Originally Posted by biltongbru

In my quest to find surviving ww2 fighter pilots I came across Cecil Golding and did this interview at his house during November 2011.

Animation is done with IL-2

Cecil did service in the SAAF during ww2 from 1942- 1945.
He flew Curtiss Tomahawks in North Africa and was shot down claimed by Joachim Marseille. (Very much disputed rightfully by Cecil and South African historians!)

He later flew Spitfires in Malta, Sicily and Italy until the end of the war.
Cecil ended the war as a squadron leader and a DFC recipient.

Your questions to Cecil are welcome!

Edit: I traced the stuka pilot in Austria and he is also still alive. He sent me the photographs of himself that was shown in the video. An Internet connection was organised and the two gentleman had a good conversation on Sunday.
It is amazing after 70 years the amount of detail these gentlemen still remember; I suppose the happenings of that day of 3 June 1942 is fixed in their memory as they were both so close to death and lucky to have survived. (Deibl's gunner was shot dead behind him and his stuka was on fire; Cecil crash landed his plane with no controls except the trims)

Cecil being commissioned and got his wings in 1941





Cecil with his Spit in Italy




On leave in South Africa


1945

The pictures of Cecil are speaking louder than words. Just see how much more aged he looks in 1945 compared to 1941!

Where is the hood of the Spit? Did they fly capriolet?