Warringah Radio Control
Society Incorporated
(Incorporated under the Association Incorporation Act 1984)

 HISTORY -
DOUGLAS "TIN LEGS" BADER
The bravery and good humour in the face of adversity and the cruellest twists of fate exhibited so recently by the Paralympians inevitably reminds us of Douglas Bader who cut up the skies above Britain and Europe some 60 years ago. Douglas was born in London on February 21, 1910.
Bader trained at the RAF Training College at Cranwell and in 1930 he gained his wings and graduated, he was posted to the elite No. 23 Squadron as a pilot officer.
On the morning of December 14, 1931 Bader accepted a dare from mates to show his aerobatic skill in his Bristol Bulldog at the civil aero club at Woodley in Southern England. Although he was aware that the plane was unsuitable for low level aerobatics, Bader took up the dare and to the horror of his companions, the plane lost height until it was only just above the field when Bader put it into the roll for which he was well known. But he had misjudged his height and, with the wings nearly vertical, one brushed the grass and the plane smashed into the ground.
He was unaware of how extensive his injuries were, the doctors amputated his right leg just above the knee and, later, his left leg had to be removed too. It was thought unlikely he would survive but he rallied and, despite incredible pain, he hung on to life. Eventually he mastered his artificial legs and walked unaided. In due course he drove his car, swam, played golf, tennis, squash, even danced ... and finally he also flew. Officialdom stepped in and he was pensioned off from the RAF. He declined a desk job that was offered, he left towards the end of 1932 and joined Shell Oil as a salesman for aviation fuel. He also married and we would probably not have heard any more about him if World War II had not broken out in September, 1939.
The Air Ministry turned a blind eye to King’s Regulations and Bader took a refresher course and within five months was flying a Spitfire in No.19 Squadron. Dunkirk was evacuated and the “Battle of Britain”  followed. Bader was in the thick of it, his first “kill” was in May, 1940, when he downed a German Messerschmitt 109 - altogether he had 22 “kills” within 12 months.
He was given No.242 and he set about teaching aggressive tactics to the Canadians who belonged to it. His tactics involved the faster Spitfires keeping the fighters busy while the Hurricanes concentrated on the bombers. The battle raged into early autumn (it was officially “over” on September 15, 1940) and “Tin Legs”, as his squadron nicknamed him, continued his amazing run of luck.
Above: Bader's Hurricane Mk I from Canadian 242 Sq, LE-D V7467, during BoB, September 1940. 
 Bader was awarded a Distinguished Service Order. Later, a bar (second honour) was added, along with a Distinguished Flying Cross and bar.

Bader's insignia -
'kicked off Hitler'.		   After the Battle of Britain and the nightly “Blitz” that followed, eventually the British went on the attack in the air over Europe. Bader, flying over France, collided with a Messerschmitt and the entire rear of his plane was ripped off. For once his tin legs were a blessing. He was firmly trapped by one of his legs but was able to wrest free of the straps and bale out. He was captured immediately and taken to hospital where he attempted an escape, but he was recaptured and his legs “confiscated” to stop a repeat act. The Germans sent him to the fortress of Colditz Castle.
When released at the war’s end in 1945 he was raised to the rank of group captain and, in a Spitfire, led the victory fly-past over London. He was knighted in 1977 for his work for the disabled. Bader died on September 5,1982.

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