Air Vice Marshal James Edgar (Johnnie) Johnson; CB, CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & 2 Bars
(9th March 1915 – 30th Jan 2001)
700 sorties, 34 confirmed victories..including 14 Bf 109’s & 20 Focke Wulf Fw190’s.
Johnnie Johnson finished the war as the highest scoring allied fighter against the Luftwaffe.
The pictures show Johnson in Normandy in 1944, (note the invasion stripes worn by every allied aircraft from 6th June 1944) and the second image is the fighter ace in peaceful retirement, sitting on an old friend. The last is a rare colour photo of Johnson discussing a maintenance issue with the ‘senior NCO’ of his ground crew, ‘Sally.’
Pictures 1 & 2 © Daily Mail
Picture 3 © Imperial War Museum.