RAF Biggin Hill cover signed Battle of Britain aces Start Price GBP 10.00 Current Price GBP 10.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Thursday, November 06, 2008 End Time Saturday, December 06, 2008 Location Croydon See more about 'RAF Biggin Hill cover signed Battle of Britain aces' Description Welcome to an Aviation Collectables item .... About 2001 Biggin Hill Air Show Special signed cover signed two Battle of Britain aces 2001 Biggin Hill International Air Fair official airshow cover for 2-3 June 2001 commemorating the gathering of eagles and celebrating US Aviation heritage with artwork showing the famous US symbol and a US aircraft (memory fails me) and bearing the Biggin Hill Air Fair BFPS postmark showing a Boeing B-17 aircraft. The cover has been flown in Piper Cherokee G-AVNR from Biggin Hill over various Battle of Britain airfields including West Malling - Detling - Gravesend - North Weald - Duxford - Hornchurch - Northolt and Kenley by Peter, Lord of Abbotts-Hay. The cover has been signed by two Battle of Britain pilots who attended the airshow as our guests, but who had also been awarded US Gallantry medals for their valiant service. Personally hand signed on the day by Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC*, a WWII ace with 24+ victories awarded the US DFC in 1943. Also signed by Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC* AFC AE at the airshow, who was awarded the US Bronze Star in 1949, but during WWII was the flying liaison officer with the 100th Fighter Wing, part of the 9th Air Force pre D-Day. Official special numbered and certified on the reverse. Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC*Drake was born in London on December 20 1917. He joined the RAF on a short service commission in July 1936 and was posted to 6 FTS, Netheravon on September 19.  With training completed, he joined No 1 Squadron at Tangmere on May 22 1937.Drake went to France with the squadron in September 1939. On April 20 1940 he destroyed a Bf 109 and possibly another, on May 10 a He 111 and on May 13 he shot down a Do 17 and probably another but was jumped by Bf 110s and shot down. He baled out, wounded, was taken to a French hospital and later flown back to an RAF hospital in England.He arrived at 6 OTU, Sutton Bridge on June 20 1940 for flying instructor duties. Drake returned to operations when he was posted to 213 Squadron at Tangmere on October 2 1940. Three weeks later he joined 421 Flight at Hawkinge, as a Flight Commander. On December 7 and 27 Drake shared in the probable destmction of two Do 17s and on January 7 1941 he damaged two Ju 88s. He was awarded the DFC (7.1.41).He was posted to 53 OTU, Heston in February, as an instructor. He went overseas in early October to form and command 128 Squadron at Hastings in West Africa. On December 13 Drake shot down a Vichy French M-167F near Freetown. Drake went to Air HQ Middle East in April 1942 and was given command of 112 Squadron at Garnbut on May 24. Between June  and December 1942 Drake amassed a further 14 victories, 4 probables, 3 damaged and a further 2 destroyed on the ground. Drake was awarded a Bar to the DFC (28.7.42) and the DSO (4.12.42). In January 1943 he was promoted to Wing Commander and posted to HQ RAF Cairo. He took command of the Spitfire Wing in Malta in June 1943 and before returning to the UK he was credited with another six enemy aircraft destroyed. He received the DFC (US)(22.10.43).Drake was appointed Wing Leader 20 Wing, Typhoons, in late November 1943 and in May 1944 he was sent to America on special duties. Back in the UK, he was made Deputy Station Commander at Biggin Hill and later went to HQ SHAEF to serve in the Operations Room. He took part in the first Battle of Britain flypast in September 1945. Drake retired from the RAF on July 1 1963, as a Wing Commander, retaining the rank of Group Captain. Wing Commander Thomas Francis Neil DFC* AFCNeil was born in Bootle on July 14 1920. He joined the RAFVR on October 17 1938 and began his flying training at 17 E&RFTS, Barton, Manchester. Called up on September 2 1939, Neil went to 4 ITW; Bexhill in early November.On December 1 he was posted to 8 FFS, Montrose and on completion of the course, he was commissioned and joined 249 Squadron on May 15 1940 at its reformation at Church Fenton. Flying from North Weald on September 7, Neil claimed a Bf 109 destroyed, on the 11th a He 111, on the 15th two Bf 109s and a Do 17 destroyed and another Do 17 shared, on the 18th a He 111 damaged and on the 27th a Bf 110 and a Ju 88 destroyed, a Bf 110 probably destroyed and a Ju 88 shared.On October 6 Neil shared a Do 17, on the 25th claimed a Bf 109 destroyed, on the 27th a Do 17 probably destroyed, on the 28th a Ju 88 shared and on November 7 a Ju 87 and two Bf 109s destroyed. On this day Neil collided with Wing Commander F.V. Beamish during a patrol and lost his tail. He baled out of Hurricane V 7676, unhurt. Neil was awarded the DFC (8.10.40) and a Bar (26.11.40) and made a Flight Commander in December. In May 1941 249 went to Malta. The squadron flew off Ark Royal on the 21st, Neil leading the second group of Hurricanes. After a series of mishaps and misadventures, they all reached Malta safely. On June 12 1941 Neil destroyed a Mc 200. He left Malta on December 26 1941 and returned to the UK, via the Middle East, South Africa, West Africa and Canada, finally arriving at Liverpool in early March 1942.Neil was posted to 81 Group as Tactics Officer. He went to 56 OTU in mid-June and on September 1 1942 he took command of 41 Squadron at Llanbedr. In July 1943 he was posted to 53 OTU, Kirton-on-Lindsey, as an instructor. He later went to the 9th US Air Force, as Flying Liaison Officer with the 100th Fighter Wing. After D-Day Neil did some operational flying in France, as a supernumerary.In January 1945 he was posted to the School of Land/Air Warfare at Old Sarum, instructing and lecturing. Neil went to Burma in March 1945, investigating. Whilst there, he flew some operational sorties with No 1 Indian Wing. He returned to Old Sarum in April, leaving there in January 1946 to go on an Empire Test Pilots’ course at Cranfield.  Neil was awarded the Bronze Star (US)(2.8.49) and the AFC (2.1.56). He retired from the RAF in 1964, as a Wing Commander. Click here to see more covers in our shop We usually have lots of other items up for sale so why not have a look at our other auctions Aviation Collectables is a Registered Dealer of the UACC #219 PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS*All* signatures on all our signed items are 100% genuineWhere ever possible each item comes with an insert or information cardAll Official Editions are numbered and certified VISA/DELTA, MASTERCARD/EUROCARD and SOLO/MAESTRO Cards AcceptedWe also accept cheques in UK Sterling and British Postal OrdersPaypal payments accepted - GBP transactions only(Click to see to view our payment methods) Pay us with PayPal — it's free. Item is as per image below .... Place a Bid!