Peter Cunningham
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| Peter Cunningham
Battle of Britain Spitfire Pilot. Passed away 2007. Like so many pilots, Peter began his flying career in the USA on Stearmans, staying as an instructor after qualifying. The death of a close friend in action prompted him to request posting to an active fighter squadron and after a short conversion spell on Hurricanes in England, Peter found himself flying Spitfire Mk.IXs over Italy in 1943. One incident he recalled was the occasion when he was obliged to put his Spitfire, which had been damaged by ground fire, into the sea off the coast of Anzio and the resulting difficulty he had in extricating himself from the rapidly sinking fighter! Following his tour of operations Peter was sent to the Middle?East as a test pilot and it was here that he met Vera, the WAAF who would become his wife. With flying now truly engrained in his blood, Peter went on after the war to become one of the worlds most respected civil airline pilots, flying the classic aircraft of the day and witnessing amazing sights as his adventure?filled career took him across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle?East. |