Anyone know much about, Colin Hodgkinson Naval pilot/RAF

Thank You All

Very interesting stuff Gent’s, Thank you all very much 🙂 , So many books to read, so little money, And peace to read :rolleyes: , When the stepdaughter, Visits she does not know the meaning of I want to sit for a while and just stop and read book’s, Angie at almost 21 (27th Dec) its go go go :p , Cheers lads 😉 , Tally Ho! Phil. :diablo:

” There’s nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” (Shakes,Baby)

Colin ‘Hoppy’ Hodgkinson at Coltishall

FO Colin Hodgkinson joined No 611 Sqn at RAF Coltishall in June 1943 whilst the squadron was under the command of W/C ‘Laddie’ Lucas. It wasn’t long before his flying skills were highlight when he was part of an escort mission for 36 USAAF B26’s that were tasked to attack Bernay airfield near Evneux to the N of Paris in Aug 43. The Spitfires had completed their escort mission successfully without any enemy interference, however, when turning for home, more than 50 Fw190’s appeared out of the sun. W/C Lucas turned all of his Spitfires into the attack, in a battle that was to last until they reached the English coast.

Prior to joining the Royal Navy, ‘Hoppy’ Hodgkinson had been taught by his father to shoot on their family estate in Somerset. Remembering his fathers words ‘swing with it’, he made a well judged beam-into-quarter attack and hit a Fw190 that was on the tail of ‘Laddie’ Lucas, resulting in the Fw190 reeling uncontrollable to destruction.

A grateful Lucas commented that Hodgkinson’s action was an uncommonly quick and accurate piece of shooting and that he had contributed handsomely to a total of five Fw190’s destroyed against a loss of two Spitfires. In twelve rough and eventful minutes Colin Hodgkinson had demonstrated that despite his disability he could match the skills against the best that JG26 could offer.

This is just one example of Colin Hodgkinson’s prowess whilst at Coltishall. He was a respected and well liked individual who was often referred to as the second Douglas Bader by those who knew him at the Norfolk base.

Post war, Colin Hodgkinson returned to RAF Coltishall to assist with, and co-present, a documentary by Anglia TV on life at the base during the Javelin and Lightning days in the early ’60’s. As with his flying, he was at ease with his new found role as a presenter.

This photo, via J Popelka, shows pilots of 131 (County of Kent) Sqn. Colin is 2nd from left in the front row.

He joined 131 Sqn at Westhampnet in December 1942, and when they went to Scotland in January 1943, swopping with No 610 Sqn, he was granted permission to stay behind & join No 610 Sqn.

Geoff.

Thank’s Gents, Good site that one, Cheers, Tally Ho! Phil. (” Gut Nacht ” nackered off to bed).

Never met Bader in the Prison Camps, But after the War played Golf, Squash, and danced on his artifical legs just like Bader 😮 , That’s all I know, Anyone else have anymore bits on him :confused: , Cheer’s Chaps, Tally Ho! 😉 Phil. :diablo:

Could he have been the cunning DB impersonator on holiday during 1942? I think we’ve solved it chaps! 😀

His obituary is on this site together with other well known pilots.
http://members.lycos.co.uk/jadastra/index.html
mmitch.

Hi Stormbird,

I have his book somwhere at home. Its called ‘Best Foot Forward’ Search on Amazon, you might find a secondhand copy.

Steve

Thank’s Dan, D.B. tried the same thing with the ping pong ball aswell, With same results, Anything on his Sqd he flew with or service records, Cheers, Tally Ho! Phil

Here’s a photo of him near a Spit. Seems like I remember reading somewhere that he had ping pong balls in his tin legs to keep him afloat if he went in the channel. When he got to high alt, they started to explode and he thought he was being shot at.

Dan