Remembering the Few with Wing Commander Tom Neil
World War Two • 1h 58m
Last summer, we were lucky enough to interview Wing Commander Tom Neil, one of the last of 'the Few' who fought in the Battle of Britain. During the Battle he shot down at least 13 enemy aircraft; he saw over half his squadron shot down within 5 minutes; he is also credited with the longest flight ever recorded in a Hurricane (5 hours and 45 minutes). Tom continued to serve in the RAF throughout the rest of the war. In this interview, the Wing Commander talks through his remarkable experience of the Second World War and what it was like to battle in the skies. Tom passed away on 11 July 2018.
Up Next in World War Two
-
The Spitfire
The Spitfire remains one of the most iconic aircraft of the Second World War. Although their turnaround time was longer than the Hurricane (29 minutes), they were faster. This made them a good match for the Messerschmitt bf 109s. In an attack on a German formation, the Hurricanes would focus thei...
-
Snow in a Spitfire
The Spitfire is the most famous piston engine fighter plane. It played a vital part in the summer of 1940, keeping the Luftwaffe from gaining air superiority over Britain. Now Dan Snow, whose lifelong dream is has been to fly in this beautiful plane, gets the chance to go up in a two-seater versi...
-
The Battle of Okinawa
On 1 April 1945, as the Second World War in Europe was reaching its end, one of the bloodiest battles in the whole conflict commenced on a small island south of mainland Japan. It was the Battle of Okinawa. Saul David comes on the show to provide a fascinating run down of this truly horrific battle.
