The part played by British, Australian and South African Kittyhawks in the Battle of El Alamein is described BY ANDREW THOMAS
AIR ACTION AT EL ALAMEIN | WORLD WAR TWO
From the start of the War in the desert in June 1940 the front line had swayed to and-fro, but late May 1942 saw the 8th Army behind the defences of the Gazala-Bir Hacheim Line. Supporting them was the Western Desert Air Force (WDAF) that included eight squadrons that flew or were reequipping with the American-built P-40 Kittyhawk. These formed two Wings. Wg Cdr Barney Beresford led 233 Wing that comprised the Kittyhawk-equipped 260 Sqn RAF and 2, 4 and 5 Sqns of the South African Air Force. No 2 and 4 were in the throes of re-equipment from the earlier Tomahawk that 5 Sqn, under the redoubtable Maj Johnnie Frost, would fly through the rest of the year. At Gambut was Wg Cdr Clive Mayers’ Kittyhawk-equipped 239 Wing that controlled 112 and 250 Sqns alongside 3 and 450 Sqns RAAF. These Squadrons were all desert veterans and commanded by experienced officers. Typical was 260 Sqn, led by Sqn Ldr ‘Pedro’ Hanbury, a pilot with eight victories described by one of his pilots as: “… probably one of the best all round fighter leaders in the deser…
