Lancaster Legend: ‘Mickey’ Martin

Legendary bombing leader and commander of 617 Squadron, Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC, has been quoted as saying that Dambuster pilot ‘Mickey’ Martin was: “the greatest operational pilot the Air Force has produced.” The official history of the Strategic Air Offensive against Germany also described him as: “one of the greatest bomber pilots.”

Sir Harold ‘Mickey’ Martin was awarded his KCB in 1971
VIA GRAHAM PITCHFORK

Australian-born, Harold ‘Mickey’ Martin arrived in England in 1940, trained as a pilot and joined 455 Squadron to fly the Handley Page Hampden against targets in Germany. On the night of February 21, 1942, he piloted the first all-Australian crew to bomb a German target.

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