One of Virgin Atlantic's fleet of 19 Airbus A340-600s
In early 1943 the 86th and 27th Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying A-36s out of Northern Africa
26th February 1991 by David Pentland Two days into Operation Desert Storm (G+2)
following a vital sortie against Italian shipping at the start of the Battle of Cape Matapan in march 1941
By the end of the day
Tribute to Sgt Ray Shaw, RAAF by Ivan Berryman. (AP) SPE6 One of Virgin Atlantic's fleetB0483AP. Tribute to Sgt Ray Shaw, RAAF by Ivan Berryman. Whilst flying Curtiss Kittyhawk AK726 (O) on 22nd February 1942, Sgt Ray Shaw, assisted by Sgts Beste, Shillabeer and Kierath in similar aircraft, became the first pilot to score a victory for 450 Sqn RAAF, sending down a Ju. 88A4 south east of Gazala, Libya. The German aircraft, coded 7A+NH from 1.(F)121, suffered terminal damage to an engine and crash landed in the desert, where the crew were