603 City of Edinburgh Squadron Supermarine Spitfire  in aviation art print by M A Kinnear. Royal Auxiliary Air Force 603 Squadron spitfire of Flight Lieutenant Richard Hillary took part in the Battle of Britain as well as fighter sweeps and escort duties. Aviation print available from Cranston Fine Arts.

Aircraft side view by M A Kinnear.  Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia X4277 XT-M.  

Aircraft History:

First flight 27th August 1940. X4277 was delivered to No.6 Maintenance Unit 28th August, and then delivered to 603 Squadron, 30th August. The aircraft was shot down in flames off the North Foreland (between Margate and Broadstairs), and crashed in to the sea 3rd September, 1940.

Flight Lieutenant Richard Hope Hillary:

Born on the 20th April, 1919 in Australia. Richard Hillary came to England aged three, when his father took up a post as a government official at Australia House in London. He later attended Oxford, was a member of the University Air Squadron and was called up in October 1939. He completed his training and was initially posted to No.1 School Army Co-operation, followed by a posting to No.5 OTU - to convert to Spitfires- and then on to 603 Squadron at Montrose. He shot down his first enemy aircraft on 29th August 1940, but his aircraft was badly damaged forcing him to crash land, Hillary surviving unhurt. He obtained his fifth victory on 3rd September 1940, but was then shot down by Hptmn. Bode of II/JG26. He had to abandon his blazing Spitfire (X4277) by parachute, landing in the sea with severe burns to his face and hands. After some time in the water he was rescued by the Margate lifeboat. He spent the next three months in the Royal Masonic Hospital, and was then transferred to the Queen Victoria Cottage Hospital at East Grinstead, where he began a long period in hospital as one of the first 'guinea pig' patients under the care of plastic surgeon Archibald McIndoe (later Sir Archibald McIndoe). It was during his recovery that he wrote his famous book "The Last Enemy" which has since become a wartime classic. Following great personal effort, he was posted on a nightfighter training course to No.54 OTU, flying the Bristol Blenheim. During the early hours of 8th January 1943 whilst on a night flying exercise, his Blenheim crashed in poor weather, both he and his navigator were killed.

603 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force was formed at Turnhouse 14th October 1925, and was among the first Auxiliary Air Force squadrons to be formed. Initially a light bomber squadron, 603 was equipped with DH 9s, Westland Wapatis, Hawker Harts and Hinds. On 27th October 1938, the squadron was redesignated as a fighter squadron, and was re-equipped with the Gloster Gladiator Mk II, which in September 1939 were replaced by the Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mk I.. Following the declaration of war against Nazi Germany, the squadron was soon in action when it was scrambled on 16th October 1939 to intercept a force of Ju88 bombers of I/KG 30 attacking naval vessels in the Firth of Forth - 603 shooting down one of the enemy aircraft which crashed off Port Seton. On 28th October, 603 and 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadrons shared in the destruction of an He111 - which was the first enemy aircraft to fall on British soil. Between January and August 1940, 603 claimed a further 13 enemy aircraft. At the end of August, the squadron was sent south for what was to become known as the Battle of Britain, during which 603 was involved in many fierce air battles. The squadron returned to Scotland in December, completing many coastal and convoy patrols before returning to Hornchurch in May 1941, as part of the Hornchurch Wing, carrying out offensive fighter sweeps and bomber escorts over France. Now flying the Spitfire MkVa and b, 603 continued in this role until it was posted back to Scotland in December 1941. Little happened until April 1942, when the squadron was sent to Malta on defensive duties and re-equipped with Spitfire Mk Vc. In August, 603 was renumbered becoming the nucleus of of 229 Squadron. By February 1943, the unit was a coastal strike squadron equipped with the Bristol Beaufighter, attacking enemy shipping in the Aegean. It returned to the UK at the end of 1944. On 26th December 1944, the squadron was disbanded. It was reformed on 10th January 1945, renumbered 603 and re-equipped with the Spitfire LF 16e aircraft. Its task was now to escort Beaufighters on anti-shipping strikes, and to attack V2 sites on the continent. The squadron was disbanded on 15th August 1945 and reformed on 10th May 1946. On the 16th December 1947, King George VI gave permission for the use of the Royal prefix for all Auxiliary Air Force Squadrons. No.603 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force, chosen as the Queen's squadron, was disbanded on 10th March 1957, whilst equipped with D.H. Vampires FB.5 at RAF Turnhouse.