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Allied Air Forces Losses and Incidents Database.

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Data derived from many sources. Incorporates 125,000 entries from Aircrew Deaths 39-47 Database. Corrections/Additions welcomed via Helpdesk

NOTE ON DATES: IMPORTANT: For consistency, the Date is given as the date the mission TOOK OFF since the precise time of a loss is not always certain. Take Off date is unambigous and fixed in the official records, but obviously in those cases where the incident occurred before midnight UK time, then the Take Off Date will be the same as the Incident Date. Of course, most Bomber Command missions flew through midnight, therefore a Luftwaffe claim against a plane - or a locally generated crash report - may record the incident as occurring on the day following our Take Off Date. Bear this in mind when cross-referencing to our Luftwaffe Victories by Name/Date Database and other Luftwaffe sources. In some cases other sources may quote the date following our date, using locally generated reports as their source. To add to the potential for confusion, remember to take into account a Luftwaffe recorded date will be in local time, 1 hour ahead of UK time. When we discover a validated Incident Date we change our record if necessary.



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Thanks to Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain for supplementary data and images (marked with a chequerboard device) related to the Polish Air Force, and many images courtesy of our respected colleagues Wojtek Matusiak and Robert Gretzyngier. Other images from our own archives.
Responding to requests that respects may be paid in this database to a loved one or friend, or someone you want to recognize, an In Memoriam plaque may now be placed next to any entry. See our Donate Page for details. Search for In Memoriam in this database to see examples of plaques which have been placed.

Polish Air Force personnel have a supplementary database containing more information and many more entries. Check the following:
Personel Polskich Sił Powietrznych posiada dodatkową bazę danych zawierającą więcej informacji i wiele innych wpisów. Sprawdź następujące elementy:
Archiwum: PSP 1939 -1947 Database 17,000+ Polish Air Force Entries
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You searched for: “pyne and gawlick”

#Name* SORT (↑)First NamesTitleRankRAF Equivalent RankService No.BornNationalityRoleAwardsAir ForceCommandUnitDateofIncident *See Note SORT (↑)AircraftTypeSerialCodeVictories (Fighters)BaseTimeMission                        Incident                        FateCommemoratedPhoto (Click to Expand)Referring Database                        Notes                        Links/Archive Reports
1 PyneThomas Basil George 'Titch'Sergeant565921PilotFighter73Sqn
1940-05-14HurricaneP2812PatrolShot down near NamurKilledCholoy War Cemetery FranceSgt ‘Titch’ Pyne flew his first mission on the 26th of March 1940 as part of Green Section, Flight B. Soon after crossing the German border (despite express orders not to), Sgt Pyne, his mate Flg Off J. G. ‘Tub’ Perry, and their section leader, a Kiwi by the name of James ‘Cobber’ Cain, spotted nine Bf 109Es of III./JG53 ‘Pik As’. Although outnumbered 3 to 1, ‘Cobber’ Cain took advantage of his higher altitude to jump the German aircrafts and soon enough one of the two Bf109 he shot during that action fell away trailing smoke and flames. Pyne and Perry had also chosen their targets and followed their leader into the fray, but being inexperienced, both quickly expended their ammo and were forced to return home. Perry was later credited with a Bf109E destroyed while Pyne’s claim was rated as only a probable. Although being shot down himself, the two confirmed kills that day made of James ‘Cobber’ Cain the first allied ace of the war. J. G. ‘Tub’ Perry was shot down and killed three days later. As for Sgt Pyne, he was shot down the first time on April 23rd 1940 when his squadron was surprised by Bf109s of III./JG53 west of Merzig. Wounded in a shoulder and with his Hurricane (N2391) badly damaged by the BF109 of Fw Gawlick, Sgt Pyne made a force-landing near Sierck-les-Bains at 10.30 a.m. Minutes before, at 10.14 a.m., one of his squadron mates had been shot down by a soon to be famous Hptmn Mölders of III./JG53 in what was Mölders’ 9th WW2 victory. After recovering from his injuries, Sgt Pyne went back to flying combat missions until the 14th of May 1940, when his Hurricane (N2856) was shot down by Bf110s of III./ZG26 and crashed in the Bois de Voncq, north of Vouziers at 12.25 p.m. It is believed that Sgt Pyne managed to bail out but was killed (unspecified causes). He now rests at Choloy War Cemetery.

Pyne watches re-arming
2 PyneThomas Basil George 'Titch'Sergeant565921PilotFighter73Sqn
1940-04-23HurricaneIP2576PatrolForce landed W of MerzigWounded As for Sgt Pyne, he was shot down the first time on April 23rd 1940 when his squadron was surprised by Bf109s of III./JG53 west of Merzig. Wounded in a shoulder and with his Hurricane badly damaged by the BF109 of Fw Gawlick, Sgt Pyne made a force-landing near Sierck-les-Bains at 10.30 a.m.

Son of Flt Lt George Pyne and Mary Delia Pyne of Hitchin, Herts. St. Michael's School Hitchin and Cranwell.

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