No worries ,I apologise for hogging this thread but it is important news.

Some more facts on Horst Rippert : It is interesting that there were a number of Luftwaffe pilots whose Jewish ancestry made them anathema to the powers that be, however the ancestry seemed to have been remote enough to keep them out of the concentration camps. One in particular who comes to mind is Horst Rippert who was long relegated as a lowly Obergefreiter flight instructor with JGr. Süd. He came to note in the spring & summer of 1944 with the Einsatzstaffel of JGr. Süd (later JGr. 200) claiming 19 Allied aircraft over Southern France. Presumably this sufficiently proved his loyalty to “Volk und Führer” as he subsequently was posted to IV./JG 27. He remained an Obergefreiter until at least March of 1945. In April 1945 he as a Feldwebel serving in II./JG 27 against the Soviets, surviving the war with a total of 28 victories.

I am a great fan of St.Ex collecting alot of his books and it is always good to see his name on the forum.

Found this : PILOT WHO SHOT DOWN FRENCH LITERARY HERO IDENTIFIED
Received Saturday, 15 March 2008 15:58:00 GMT
BERLIN, March 15, 2008 (AFP) – A former German fighter ace identified as the man who shot down French literary hero Antoine de Saint-Exupery in 1944 said Saturday he would have held his fire had he known who his victim was.
“If I had known it was Saint-Exupery I would never have shot him down,” Horst Rippert, 88, told AFP, adding that the Frenchman had been one of his favourite authors.
Rippert said he had been flying a Messerschmitt Me-109 over the Mediterranean near Toulon on July 31, 1944, when he spotted Saint-Exupery’s twin-tailed Lightning.
“He was below me,” Rippert said. “I saw his markings and manoeuvred myself behing him and shot him down.”
Rippert, who scored 28 victories during the war, became a radio sports journalist after the war, said he only found out for sure recently who it was he had killed.
The former fighter pilot was tracked down by a French diver, Luc Vanrell, and the founder of an organisation researching aircraft shot down during the war, Lino van Gartzen.
The results of their findings are recounted in a book, “Saint-Exupery, the last secret,” to be published in French on March 20.
For many years mystery surrounded the disappearance of Saint-Exupery, 44, a pioneer aviator known for his books about flying and his children’s fantasy “The Little Prince.”
He was serving at the ripe age of 44 with a Free French air force reconnaissance squadron based in Corsica when he failed to return from a mission to prepare for the landing of the allies in southern France.
Two years after a bracelet belonging to him was found in a fisherman’s net off Marseille in 1998, diver Vanrell found remains of the Lightning, which were brought to the surface and identified from its serial numbers.

Lord Martonmere (John Robinson) served as an intelligence officer with No 71 Eagle squadron. His wife Maysie Gasque was the Woolworth heiress. The only Dragon Rapide i can find is G-ACZU registered in 1935 to The Rt Hon The Viscount Furness.

Found this : Aries M.75 75/1002 G-AMDJ Untraced VH-FAV G-35-1 # Prototype Aries; *

Aries 1 M.75 75/1007 G-AOGA Stored Dublin Eire 1993 EI-ANB Known History: On 8 August 1969 the aircraft was reported damaged. Circa 1980 noted with Russell Winn, Kilbrittain Castle, Cork. Donated by Mrs Winn to IAM, Dublin in 1984 after the death of Russell Winn. Noted arrived at IAM, Dublin in January 1984. July 1993, noted still with Irish Aviation Museum, Dublin. (stored off site). YES

The structure was strenghthened to meet the improved engine performance,and had re-designed tail surfaces to increase directional stability during single engine flying( Fins/rudders were taller). The climb rate was much improved 1.300 ft/min(1A series 650 ft/min). There is a picture of G-AOGA in “British Civil Aircraft since 1919” A.J.Jackson.

Thanks for your help, the best history of RAF Snailwell is ” The Royal Air Force at Newmarket” by John Hamlin 1985,MSB Publications. The history is hidden within the book.