Does anyone have any onfo on Air Commodore Kit North-Lewis DSO DFC*all I know is that he was wing leader of No.124 Wing flying Hawker Typhoons 1944 – 45? His Typhoon days are delt with in Norman Franks book “Typhoon Attack” but what of his pre and post Typhoon days indeed his he still with us?
In “Typhoon Attack” on page 235 there is a picture of Kit standing with his personal Typhoon RB208 coded K . N-L, has anyone any info or images of this Tiffie. Kit North-Lewis is one of those fighter leaders who’s name dosn’t jump out at you but he probably has a fantastic tale to tell.
By: spade grip - 4th February 2007 at 19:58
Cranswick your’e a star!
By: Cranswick - 4th February 2007 at 17:26
KNL
Kit North-Lewis was a regular Army officer who transferred to the RAF and flew Blenheims with 13 Sqn and Mustangs with 26 Sqn, in which he became a Flight commander. In January 1944 he was due to take over 231 sqn but it was disbanded so he converted to Typhoons, flying with 175 Sqn as a supernummary Flt Lt, 182 Sqn as a Flt Cdr, CO 181 sqn, before becoming Wg Cdr Ops 124 Wing in August 1944. One of the squadrons of this wing was 247 Sqn which was commanded by Basil Stapleton from August to December 1944. His Typhoons when with with 124 Wing were MN922, MP189, RB208 and SW530 (not flown on ops). After being shot down, captured and receiving the surrender of his captors (when he was shot down during the Rhine crossings, 24 March 1945) he was taken off ops (he had flown an extremely long tour)and posted to 83 GSU where his Tempest was SN214. He stayed in the RAF, later commanding Tempest and Vampire units, 7 Sqn with Valiants and RAF stations Akrotiri and Wyton. He retired from the RAF in 1971 as an Air Commodore. He is alive and well and lives in West sussex.
There is a photo of RB208 after its crash landing on 24 March 1945 in ‘2nd TAF Vol.3’ page461.
By: Miggers - 4th February 2007 at 13:21
Try here cuz.
http://www.chesterfieldarmament.com/trudgian/typhoonrhine/typhoonrhine.htm
It gives you a bit of a start with info about before and after his Tiffie days,but no dates of his death or funeral details so it’s possible he’s still with us.
It looks like he flew with Basil Stapleton.
Mark;)
Sign In
February 3, 2007 at 11:25 pm