Snapper!, 'Red' Tobin

Tobin’s 609 Sqn.fellow Yank Vernon ‘Shorty’ Keough is the one that has always intrigued me. He was surely the smallest fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain, if not the entire war at 4ft 10ins.But what guts,he was a pre-war professional parachutist and stunt pilot.Tom Cruise should play him instead of Billy Fiske in ‘The Few’

Hear! hear! Third cushion for Mr Cruise?!

Phil, just looked up coeliac disease. If you have problems through lack of calcium, do NOT take coral calcium supplements under ANY circumstances.

Most of the pilots were of a similar age – the soldiers and sailors too. A generation.

Anyway, here’s his mates:

81621 Pilot Officer Andrew Beck ‘Andy’ Mamedoff

A Jewish White Russian émigré born on 24th August 1912 in Thompson, Connecticut to Natalie and ? Mamedoff, Andy owned and flew a charter aircraft and has performed in air shows. With fellow American pilots Shorty Keough and Red Tobin he volunteered to fight the Russians in Finland when the Second World War started. With no success they travelled to France from Canada to join l’Armee de l’Air but were again rebuffed and joining with two Czech pilots they attempted to steal a French Potez bomber aircraft. The attempt failed and the French guards shot the two Czechs. Making their way to the UK they were accepted by the RAF and on 5th July 1940 were sent to No.7 OTU on Spitfires at Hawarden. Mamedoff joined 609 Squadron at Middle Wallop on 8th August 1940 under S/Ldr Darley. On 24th August 1940 after combat with Bf.109’s he made a forced landing in Spitfire L1082 which he had named ‘Mitzi’ and it was subsequently written off. The following day his aircraft was damaged in combat with Bf.110’s. On 19th September 1940 the three Americans were posted as the first recruits to the newly formed 71 (Eagle) Squadron at Church Fenton. Over the next few months the squadron began to take shape and received its first Hurricanes on November 7th, being sent to RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey later that month. They were pronounced operational in February 1941 and moved to Martlesham Heath in Suffolk. Andy married Alys Craven, heiress to the Craven Tobacco family on ?. On 1st August / 2nd September 1941 Mamedoff was posted to 133 Squadron at RAF Coltishall as a Flight Commander on Hurricanes. On 8th October 1941 133 Squadron moved to Eglington in Northern Ireland for further training. Taking off from Fowlmere they refuelled at Sealand near Chester before heading to Andreas on the Isle of Man, taking off between 15:30 and 16:40hrs. Mamedoffs flight of fifteen aircraft got split up in poor weather and he tried descending through the cloud with three others, but he crashed and was killed at Ballaskeig, Maughold on the northeast coast of the Isle of Man, the others also crashing to their deaths elsewhere on the island in the appalling visibility caused by thick mist and low cloud. Flight Lieutenant Mamedoff is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking. He was 29 years old.

81620 Pilot Officer Vernon Charles ‘Shorty’ Keough

From Brooklyn, New York, Keough was a pre-war professional parachutist who had made over 500 jumps at shows and fairs in America. With fellow American pilots Andy Mamedoff and Red Tobin he volunteered to fight the Russians in Finland when the Second World War started. With no success they travelled to France from Canada to join l’Armee de l’Air but were again rebuffed and joining with two Czech pilots they attempted to steal a French Potez bomber aircraft. The attempt failed and the French guards shot the two Czechs. Making their way to the UK they were accepted by the RAF and on 5th July 1940 were sent to No.7 OTU on Spitfires at Hawarden. Keough joined 609 Squadron at Middle Wallop on 8th August 1940 under S/Ldr Darley. Being only 4ft 10in tall Keough had to sit on 2 cushions in his Spitfire. On 19th September 1940 the three Americans were posted as the first recruits to the newly formed 71 (Eagle) Squadron at Church Fenton. Over the next few months the squadron began to take shape and received its first Hurricanes on November 7th, being sent to RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey later that month. They were pronounced operational in February 1941 and moved to Martlesham Heath in Suffolk. On 15th February 1941 Pilot Officer Keough was flying Hurricane E7606 ? from Kirton in Lindsey on a convoy patrol when he went into cloud and on emerging was both too fast and too low to avoid crashing into the sea. He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.

Thank’s heap’s Snapper(Mark) 😀 ,

A most action packed report, as alway’s! I must say Mark! :dev2: .

Bummer hey mate, another of those young men, who beat the huge odd’s during the B of B, only to die soon after 🙁 .

About the same age as P.J.Nankivell I see Mark 😮 , Both went in on big first’s I think?” :confused: .

R.I.P. All WW2 flying Dude’s

Lest Ve Forget Ya’s All

Psst :rolleyes: , Away’s Wondered if any long lost Relly’s on me Mum’s side, fought in the Luftwaffe or WW1 flyer’s :p , One here in Oz was a Fitter in the RAAF WW2, Jim Pfeffer, Me Grandad 🙂 .

Short dude that one! 😮 , I am 5,11, BUT all my 3 older sister’s, go from about 5,2 the younger to only 4,7 the oldest :p

I can look down on the lot of em 😀 , strange little folk’s :p

CYA 😉

That’s what I reckon. Used to run to his aircraft when scrambled with 2 cushions to sit on. He was identified by his size 4 flying boots.

Tobin’s 609 Sqn.fellow Yank Vernon ‘Shorty’ Keough is the one that has always intrigued me. He was surely the smallest fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain, if not the entire war at 4ft 10ins.But what guts,he was a pre-war professional parachutist and stunt pilot.Tom Cruise should play him instead of Billy Fiske in ‘The Few’

‘Fighting – Church Fenton’ by Peter Mason (originally published 1989) contains a small chapter on 71 Squadron, including extracts from their Ops book, a couple of photo’s (formal Squadron picture and one showing Tobin, Keough and Mamedoff), and details of the notorious Brewster Buffalo incidents… RAF Church Fenton is not quite so exciting these days!

Hi Phil, sorry to here that mate.

I tried to find the cemetery in which Tobin is buried a few weeks back – no chance, 3 hours driving around Boulogne to no avail. Here’s what I have in his biog – but I have something here with a LOT of info on him that I can’t share and haven’t had time to sift through for this.

81622 Pilot Officer Eugene Quimby ‘Red’ Tobin

The son of I. Quimby and Mary Tobin of Los Angeles, California, Red Tobin held a Private Pilots Licence, having learned to fly in the late thirties, paying for his lessons by working as a guide and messenger at the MGM Studies. With fellow American pilots Andy Mamedoff and Shorty Keough he volunteered to fight the Russians in Finland when the Second World War started. With no success they travelled to France from Canada to join l’Armee de l’Air but were again rebuffed and joining with two Czech pilots they attempted to steal a French Potez bomber aircraft. The attempt failed and the French guards shot the two Czechs. Making their way to the UK they were accepted by the RAF and on 5th July 1940 were sent to No.7 OTU on Spitfires at Hawarden. Tobin joined 609 Squadron at Middle Wallop on 8th August 1940 under S/Ldr Darley, flying in A Flight. He Shared in the Destruction of a Bf.110 on 25th August and Shared a Do.17z of 8./KG76 Destroyed on 15th September. This Dornier was flown by Feldwebel Heitsch in a formation of about 100 German aircraft approaching London shortly before midday. The formation was attacked by nine RAF Squadrons and Heitschs aircraft was attacked by Tobin and Flying Officer Dundas. Heitsch force landed in a field at Castle Farm, Shoreham. One of the Spitfires circled and the pilot waved a handkerchief and the local Home Guard captured the crew. Feldwebel Heitsch and his observer, Feldwebel Pfeiffer were driven to a pub in Shoreham and given a brandy before being taken to Sevenoaks Police Station. Feldwebel Sauter was wounded in the ankle and treated at Maidstone Hospital and Feldwebel Schmidt, the wireless operator, died from a chest wound on arrival at Sevenoaks Hospital. A hop-picker had also been shot in the leg by one of the Spitfires during the combat. On 19th September 1940 the three Americans were posted as the first recruits to the newly formed 71 (Eagle) Squadron at Church Fenton. Over the next few months the squadron began to take shape and received its first Hurricanes on November 7th, being sent to RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey later that month. They were pronounced operational in February 1941 and moved to Martlesham Heath in Suffolk. On 7th September 1941 Tobin took off from North Weald on the squadrons first sweep near St. Omer in France. Not long after crossing the coast German Bf.109 fighters from JG26 were spotted but did not attack until after 71 Squadron reached St Omer. F/O Tobin, Nichols and Fenlaw became separated and were engaged in combat, Tobin reportedly crashing into a hill near Boulogne at approx 17:15hrs approximately 7 miles inland. Fenlaw was also killed and Nichols captured. There are unconfirmed reports of Gestapo interrogation of either Tobin or Nichols in a chateau near the crash. Flying Officer Tobin was killed in action aged 24 yrs and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.