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The following transcript is lightly edited for length and clarity.
Dan Patterson: We are at the end of the 80th anniversary of World War II.
The passing of Group Captain John Allman 'Paddy' Hemingway in March is a poignant reminder of the earliest days of the war and the desperate struggle to stand in the way of Adolf Hitler and his fascist plans to dominate Europe.
Hitler invaded France in May of 1940 and rapidly overran the country, which was still reeling from the grim realities of the Great War (World War I) just over 20 years before.
France signed an armistice with Germany on June 22, 1940, and on June 23, Hitler toured his latest conquest, Paris. As the Nazi forces occupied France, Great Britain stood alone.
The Nazi successes proved the stunning advantages of air power. The German Luftwaffe led the offensive called Lightning War or Blitzkrieg. Fast, modern aircraft preceded the army in the sweep across France,
Soon, the German Air Force was gathered along the French coast, aiming to attack England, preceding an intended evasion across the English Channel.
Winston Churchill, at the insistence of the Royal Air Force, withdrew the aerial forces opposing the Nazis to save the remaining aircraft and prepare for what they knew was coming. Hitler was coming.
The commander of the Luftwaffe promised Hitler total air supremacy in a matter of weeks. Royal Air Force fighter command had another outcome in mind.
The Nazis had an air force that outnumbered the Royal air force by five to one. However, the British were well aware of their advantages. They were fighting over their homeland. They had radar, a new tactical invention we take for granted now. They had aircraft and pilots equal to the Germans. They had established a network of aircraft repair that was beyond the range of the German air forces. The German's damaged planes had to be hauled back to Germany for repairs. The German fighters only had enough fuel to fly in combat over London for 10 minutes. Royal Air Force pilots often flew combat, landed for fuel, rearmed, and took off to fight the same attacking forces again.
Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by many to so few.Winston Churchill on the pilots who fought during the Battle of Britain
Paddy Hemingway was one of the pilots who whittled away at the huge numbers advantage of the attacking Nazis. During the battle, he was shot down twice, bailed out, and returned to the conflict.
The Royal Air Force said on Hemingway's death:
"Mr. Hemingway's passing marked the end of an era and a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom during World War II. His courage in the face of overwhelming odds demonstrated his sense of duty and the importance of British resilience."
This quiet, composed, thoughtful, and mischievous individual may not have wanted to be the last of the few, but he embodied the spirit of all those who flew sorties over this green and pleasant land.
The invasion and Hitler never came.
Blue Skies and Tailwinds is presented by SNC, a global aerospace and defense firm, with support from the Wright State University Aviation Science and Technology Program. The series is produced at the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices at WYSO.
