Hurricane Aces 1941–45

Aces 57Over the beleaguered island of Malta the Hurricanes of No 261 Sqn were also soon in action, the unit’s first combats coming on 9 January when Macchi C.200s of 6° Gruppo attacked Luqa. They were engaged by five Hurricanes, including V7474/A flown by Flt Lt James Maclachlan, who reported;‘I saw the formation of enemy aircraft about 10,000 ft below us and five miles to port. As I drew closer, however, I realised they were Macchi 200 fighters, so did a normal astern attack on the right-hand man of the second section of three. I opened fire at about 200 yards and saw most of the burst go into the Macchi. He did a steep diving turn to the right, but I managed to follow and give him two more full deflection squirts while in the turn. The first just missed his tail, but I think most of the second squirt got him. Suddenly, to my amazement, the pilot baled out and I nearly hit his half-opened parachute as it disappeared under my nose.’Another Macchi also fell to Maclachlan’s fire. They were to be the first two of his eventual total of 16.5 victories.