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This airman has displayed great courage in his attacks against the enemy and has destroyed ten of their aircraft. On a recent occasion, when returning from an engagement alone, he intercepted a formation of enemy bombers escorted by about thirty fighters, and destroyed two of the fighters. He has
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I could see this aircraft diving down in an arc towards me, with what looked sparks lighting up his wings – I then realised he was shooting at me, all I could was sit there in the cockpit and watch him. I was so fascinated! I was shaken from this stupor when two shells hit my aircraft behind the
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in 1938, and Unwin was one of the first to fly the machine (K9792) on 16 August. Unwin carried out intensive trials in the type, flying 15 different
Spitfires. During these trials, on 9 March 1939, Unwin deliberately crashed a Spitfire (K9797) following an engine failure to avoid a children's
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made repairing one of his leg prostheses late at night in late 1939. It kept Unwin awake and he let everyone know about it. Another story relates that it was due to his reaction at being left out of the squadron's operations during the
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This airman has shown the greatest keenness, courage and determination to engage the enemy. He is an outstanding fighter pilot and has destroyed a total of thirteen enemy aircraft and assisted in the destruction of
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Unwin featured in an "exhibition about the men and women who lived, worked and fought for their country at RAF Duxford in
Cambridgeshire from 1918 to 1961", which opened at RAF Duxford on 28 March 2013.
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Bf 109- Wrk Nr 4846. Unwin had now destroyed eight 109s. On 5 November Unwin shot down his final personal victory, a Bf 110 over the
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In July 1941 Unwin was commissioned and then served with 16 EFTS and 2 CIS until
October 1943. In April 1944 he began flying
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stationed in No. 12 Group he was credited with 14 enemy aircraft shot down by the end of 1940 and was awarded the
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His service-wide nickname was "Grumpy"; supposedly after he complained about the noise squadron comrade
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cockpit and I took evasive action. I survived this moment of stage fright and never hesitated again.
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claimed Unwin as one of two kills he claimed in that engagement, although Unwin was not shot down.
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At the end of 1940 he was rested and sent as an instructor to No. 2 Central Flying School,
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until
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374:) . On 18 September Unwin added a Bf 110 to his score as his 11th victory.
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award in
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In late May 2006 he was presented with a scale model of his
Spitfire by
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488:. George Unwin died of natural causes 28 June 2006 at the age of 93.
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until
October 1944. He then served at the Central Gunnery School at
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Unwin's first combat experience came during the final phase of the
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Flight
Sergeant Grumpy Unwin, right, confers with Squadron Leader
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Unwin remained in the RAF after the war and transitioned to
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6 December 1940 – Flight
Sergeant George C Unwin (46298),
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Unwin with Flash, No. 19 Squadron's mascot, September 1940
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1 October 1940 – Flight
Sergeant George C Unwin (46298),
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On 27 September Unwin destroyed a Bf 109- Wrk Nr 6162 of
728:. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1997. London.
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for his efforts. He retired from the RAF in 1961 as a
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573:, ed. (29 June 2006). "Wing Commander George Unwin".
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1609:List of British and Commonwealth World War II aces
298:No. 19 Squadron was the first unit to receive the
16:Royal Air Force officer and flying ace (1913–2006)
511:displayed skill and courage of the highest order.
340:and a second as a probable. Unwin then claimed a
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452:aircraft in 1948. He flew this type during the
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332:The next day Unwin claimed his first kill, a
1721:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Medal
636:'Aces High' Shores & Williams , page 599
401:. Unwin was in turn attacked by Bf 109s and
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277:, on 18 January 1913. He enlisted in the
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245:(18 January 1913 – 28 June 2006) was a
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758:, Obituary, The Times, 29 June 2006.
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743:. London: Grub Street, 1994.
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724:Price, Dr Alfred.
654:Price 1997, p. 77.
645:Price 1997, p. 76.
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595:Price 1997, p. 68.
492:Honours and awards
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1593:Minden Blake
1521:Allan Wright
1489:John Webster
1481:Edward Wells
1401:Joseph Kayll
1345:Donald McKay
1321:Ronald Berry
1302:George Unwin
1301:
1286:Ernest Mason
1262:John Baldwin
1190:Nigel Cullen
1134:James Rankin
1126:Newell Orton
1046:Albert Lewis
880:Adolph Malan
872:Neville Duke
813:William Vale
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719:Bibliography
704:. Retrieved
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168:Battles/wars
87:(2006-06-29)
85:29 June 2006
43:RAF Fowlmere
39:"Sandy" Lane
25:George Unwin
18:
1686:2006 deaths
1681:1913 births
1577:Trevor Wade
1561:Archie Boyd
1553:Paul Richey
1465:John Gibson
1457:John Dundas
1337:Robert Boyd
1238:Adrian Boyd
1158:Tony Lovell
1118:Stanley Orr
979:Billy Drake
864:James Lacey
856:Frank Carey
848:John Braham
774:flying aces
434:RAF Catfoss
352:During the
315:during the
51:Nickname(s)
1675:Categories
1393:Ronald Hay
1369:John Ellis
1361:John Villa
1254:Max Aitken
1214:Edgar Kain
1078:Mark Brown
1014:Roy Dutton
915:Lance Wade
888:Colin Gray
789:Pat Pattle
557:References
548:Exhibition
486:Corgi Toys
468:Later life
289:RAF career
261:Early life
251:flying ace
99:Allegiance
65:1913-01-18
1653:Biography
1537:Ian Allan
1377:Ian Gleed
1294:Alan Owen
896:Eric Lock
741:Aces High
583:0140-0460
575:The Times
404:Hauptmann
366:Luftwaffe
275:Yorkshire
163:(1949–51)
122:1929–1961
94:, England
77:, England
75:Yorkshire
1641:Aviation
1094:Al Deere
706:31 March
700:BBC News
419:Cranwell
271:Barnsley
157:Commands
107:Service/
72:Barnsley
1731:The Few
1627:Portals
1198:Bob Doe
824:(28–32)
534:others.
524:to the
269:, near
253:of the
732:
581:
543:(DSO).
240:&
216:&
206:Awards
109:branch
92:Dorset
54:Grumpy
1314:10–14
999:15–19
908:20–24
833:25–29
792:(40+)
412:JG 26
394:JG 51
388:JG 52
371:JG 77
236:
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142:46298
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730:ISBN
708:2013
579:ISSN
147:Unit
127:Rank
82:Died
59:Born
782:30+
522:Bar
410:of
362:Bar
242:Bar
238:DFM
231:DSO
218:Bar
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600:^
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273:,
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63:(
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