The diverse faces behind the Royal Air Force fighter pilots
In short: While often associated with British identity, the RAF fighter pilots of World War II were a global coalition. This video examines the diverse origins and demographics of the volunteers who took to the skies.
The pilots were primarily British volunteers with an average age of 20. However, the force was far from monolithic; one in ten pilots hailed from Commonwealth nations, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The ranks also included volunteers from occupied European nations. The largest group of foreign volunteers were the Poles, followed by contingents from New Zealand, Canada, and Czechoslovakia, as well as French and Belgian pilots.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: RAF Fighter Pilot (World War II)
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