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Brookes, Robert George (Warrant Officer 1st Class)

Killed in Action 1942-November-30

Male Head

Birth Date: 1919 (age 23)

Son of George H. Brookes and Clara J. Brookes, of St. Catharines, Ontario Canada.

Home: St Catharines, Ontario

Service
RCAF
Unit
2 AACU 
Rank
Warrant Officer 1st Class
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Wireless Air Gunner
Service Numbers
R/723381
Boulton-Paul Defiant TT I aircraft DR 923 of No 2 AACU (Anti-Aircraft Unit) 'A' Flight took off from RAF Gosport to perform a target towing exercise off Nab Tower. The aircraft was piloted by F/O S Rowland (RAF) with Sgt WAG RG Brookes (RCAF) acting as TTO. The aircraft was attacked by 'hit and run' FW190's and damaged but F/O Rowland managed to successfully make a wheels up forced landing back at RAF Gosport. Both injured men were taken to Royal Naval Hospital Haslar, Gosport for treatment. Unfortunately, Sgt Brookes died following emergency surgery.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Boulton Paul Defiant

(RAF Photo) (Source Harold A Skaarup web page)
Boulton Paul P.82 Defiant, RAF (Serial No. L7026), coded PS*V, c1941.

The Boulton Paul Defiant is a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any fixed forward-firing guns, also found in the Blackburn Roc of the Royal Navy.

In combat, the Defiant was found to be reasonably effective at destroying bombers but was vulnerable to the Luftwaffe's more manoeuvrable, single-seat Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. The lack of forward-firing armament proved to be a great weakness in daylight combat and its potential was realised only when it was converted to a night fighter. It eventually equipped thirteen squadrons in this role, compared to just two squadrons as a day-fighter. In mid-1942 it was replaced by better performing night-fighters, the Bristol Beaufighter and de Havilland Mosquito.

The Defiant continued to find use in gunnery training, target towing, electronic countermeasures and air-sea rescue. Among RAF pilots it had the nickname "Daffy". Wikipedia





YouTube Defiant Fighter

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Defiant Fighter

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
Canadian Aircraft Losses (21)
last update: 2021-10-13 19:25:12

Defiant TT.Mk.I DR923

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