Francis Noel Brinsden
Wing Commander, Spitfire R6958
Francis Brinsden won his first combat victories providing air cover to the evacuations at Dunkirk. During the Battle of Britain he flew from Duxford with 19 Squadron and on the morning of August 31st was scrambled to intercept a force of Dornier bombers attacking the airfield at Debden.
Flying Spitfire R6958, Brinsden was delayed taking off and whilst flying alone over the Thames Estuary at 22,000 feet he had a head-on engagement with a Messerschmitt 110. Raked by machinegun and cannon fire, his Spitfire was badly damaged and went into a steep dive, falling to just 5,000 feet before he was able to release himself from the cockpit and bail out.
Brinsden was unhurt and was able to immediately return to combat duties with 19 Squadron, later transferring to the 485 Squadron as Flight Commander.
In 1943 Brinsden converted to night-fighters and joined 25 Squadron flying Mosquitos. On August 17th he made a successful low level attack on Sylt airfield on the north German coast, but blinded by the searchlights of the defenders, struck the water with his propellers and was forced to ditch.
Brinsden was captured and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner, being released from Stalag Luft III on May 9th 1945. Awarded a permanent commission after the war, he retired from the RAF in 1966 with the rank of Wing Commander.
Brinsden’s Spitfire - R6958
Brinsden’s Spitfire - R6958 - was a Mk I aircraft built by Supermarine at Southampton. It was fitted with a Rolls-Royce Merlin, V12, 1,030 HP engine.
The aircraft first flew on July 5th 1940; entering RAF service on July 16th with 6 Maintenance Unit where it was fitted with experimental wing mounted cannon before being allocated to 19 Squadron.
Following Brinsden’s engagement with the Me110, R6958 crashed near North Weald in Essex. It is from fragments of the Spitfire’s Merlin engine later recovered from the crash site by aviation archaeologists that the centrepieces of these cufflinks are made.
Brinsden (top right) with Rangy his spaniel. Summer 1940.
Flying Spitfire R6958, Brinsden was delayed taking off and whilst flying alone over the Thames Estuary at 22,000 feet he had a head-on engagement with a Messerschmitt 110. Raked by machinegun and cannon fire, his Spitfire was badly damaged and went into a steep dive, falling to just 5,000 feet before he was able to release himself from the cockpit and bail out.
Brinsden was unhurt and was able to immediately return to combat duties with 19 Squadron, later transferring to the 485 Squadron as Flight Commander.
In 1943 Brinsden converted to night-fighters and joined 25 Squadron flying Mosquitos. On August 17th he made a successful low level attack on Sylt airfield on the north German coast, but blinded by the searchlights of the defenders, struck the water with his propellers and was forced to ditch.
Brinsden was captured and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner, being released from Stalag Luft III on May 9th 1945. Awarded a permanent commission after the war, he retired from the RAF in 1966 with the rank of Wing Commander.
Brinsden’s Spitfire - R6958
Brinsden’s Spitfire - R6958 - was a Mk I aircraft built by Supermarine at Southampton. It was fitted with a Rolls-Royce Merlin, V12, 1,030 HP engine.
The aircraft first flew on July 5th 1940; entering RAF service on July 16th with 6 Maintenance Unit where it was fitted with experimental wing mounted cannon before being allocated to 19 Squadron.
Following Brinsden’s engagement with the Me110, R6958 crashed near North Weald in Essex. It is from fragments of the Spitfire’s Merlin engine later recovered from the crash site by aviation archaeologists that the centrepieces of these cufflinks are made.
Brinsden (top right) with Rangy his spaniel. Summer 1940.
