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The Life & Times of a WWII Royal Air Force Spitfire Pilot
WWII RAF fighter pilot John Wilkinson, now an American citizen living in Spearfish, flew the historic Spitfire and Hurricane fighters. He will share some of his experiences and discuss his flying technique.
Excerpt from Nov. 11, 2014, article in the Black Hills Pioneer (by Jaci Conrad Pearson)
While a teenager, Wilkinson found no redeeming qualities in the spoils of World War II, volunteering to fight in England’s Royal Air Force nurtured this fighter pilot’s passion for flying and dog fighting that still shines through to this day.
“Much can be said about the futility of war, but when one’s homeland is attacked and freedom is in jeopardy, those who can must spring to arms,” Wilkinson said. “In my case, I became a Royal Air Force fighter pilot and served with 41 Squadron.”
Wilkinson, just 18 years old in 1941 when he enlisted to join English forces and volunteered for flight training, further explained his reason for signing up to join the war effort. READ entire article.
NOTE: This presentation was originally scheduled in Nov. 2015.
What is the Bellman?
The Bellman Brown Bag series is a humanities program designed to explore ideas, history, literature, art and culture. Programs are presented on the second Wednesday of each month, noon to 1:00 p.m. Designed to begin and end within each lunch hour, patrons are invited to bring their lunch, if desired, or simply enjoy an hour of learning and entertainment.