This bird has the markings of Russell Bannock's ‘Hairless Joe’ from the No. 418 squadron.
In June 1944, Bannock was then transferred to No. 418 Squadron RCAF, flying intruder missions over Europe with the de Havilland Mosquito Mk. VI fighter-bombers. He quickly proved adept at this type of operation and achieved his first of 11 victories. In October 1944 he was promoted to Wing Commander and took command of the squadron. Bannock also flew ‘Diver’ operations against the German V-1 “flying bombs” launched against London and southern England. On one mission he shot down four V-1s in one hour. A bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) was added for his missions against the V-1s. Bannock died in 2020 at the age of 100 years old.
