The pilot who in 1947 delivered the legendary Spitfire MJ755 to Greece has died (videos)

At the property of 103, George Dunn, a British bomber aviator during the Second World War, passed away. In 1947, helium delivered the Spitfire MJ755 to his Greek counterparts—one of 77 craft provided by the British authorities aft the warfare to assistance reorganize the Hellenic Air Force (HAF). The aircraft, aboriginal afloat restored to flying condition, is present displayed astatine the Hellenic Air Force Museum successful Tatoi.

In 2020, Dunn told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency successful a telephone interview: “It was aft the war. I flew connected January 28, 1947. I carried retired the last trial formation earlier the craft was sent to Greece, wherever it had been sold (or transferred) to the Hellenic Air Force. We stopped successful Cyprus for refuelling. The craft fixed to Greece were successful Egypt, successful a attraction portion astatine the extremity of the war.”

According to author, editor, and humanities documentary advisor Steve Darlow, who spoke to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, Dunn served arsenic a aviator successful RAF Bomber Command during the war, flying Halifax and Mosquito craft connected 44 operations. “His dedication and bravery were recognized with the Distinguished Flying Cross, and helium was besides awarded the Légion d’Honneur,” Darlow said.

Darlow besides noted Dunn’s lifelong committedness to honouring his chap Bomber Command airmen who were mislaid successful the war. “His beardown character, humility, emotion of life, and infectious laughter endeared him to many. Those who met him volition consciousness a heavy consciousness of loss, but besides gratitude for having known him. For me, it marks the extremity of an era,” helium added.

Dunn himself recalled successful 2020 that helium volunteered for the RAF successful 1941 to go a pilot. He was sent to Canada for formation grooming successful June of that year. Prior to that, successful 1937, astatine the property of 13, helium had near schoolhouse to enactment for a transport company. His constricted ceremonial acquisition led immoderate successful the RAF to question whether helium could bid arsenic a bomber pilot, suggesting alternatively that helium service successful transport gliders.

He went connected to explain: “In July 1942, aft returning to England, I began my archetypal duty connected Halifax bombers, and aboriginal I was posted to the Mosquito, the airy woody bomber. I flew 30 operations successful Halifaxes and 14 successful Mosquitos, a full of 44 missions.”

One of his astir important wartime missions took spot successful August 1943, erstwhile helium participated successful the RAF bombing of Peenemünde successful the Baltic Sea, targeting V-1 and V-2 rocket facilities. Because the ngo was beyond the scope of vigor navigation systems astatine the time, it had to beryllium carried retired astatine nighttime nether a afloat moon, connected the nighttime of 17–18 August 1943.

“I was successful the archetypal question of bombers retired of three,” Dunn told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency. “Each question had 2 squadrons. In our wave, we were not attacked by German nighttime fighters—we were lucky.”

He besides recalled that RAF Bomber Command had made wide that if the raid failed, it would beryllium repeated the pursuing night, and again if necessary, contempt the expected dense losses among aircrews.

After completing his Halifax missions and serving concisely arsenic an instructor, Dunn flew the de Havilland Mosquito connected operations against Berlin and different German cities. “The Mosquito was a fantastic craft to fly. It had everything—speed, ascent rate, maneuverability. It was a existent multi-role aircraft,” helium said.

In 1947, helium was posted to Egypt to ferry refurbished craft and flew the Spitfire MJ755 to Greece. More than 70 years later, helium sat again successful the aforesaid craft astatine Biggin Hill airfield successful Kent, wherever it was undergoing restoration. After the war, helium near the RAF with the fertile of skipper and returned to enactment astatine the transport institution Pickfords, wherever helium aboriginal retired.

In 2019, astatine the property of 98, helium co-authored the publication Resolute – To War with Bomber Command with Steve Darlow, reflecting connected his wartime service. In May 2025, helium appeared arsenic a impermanent of honour astatine commemorations marking the 80th day of the extremity of World War II successful Europe.

Royal Air Force Charity Fund main enforcement Air Vice-Marshal Chris Elliott said: “We were profoundly saddened to larn of the decease of George Dunn. George meant a large woody to everyone astatine the RAF Charity Fund and the wider Royal Air Force family. While helium volition ever beryllium remembered for his bonzer work during the Second World War, helium was arsenic admired for his generosity, warmth, and unwavering enactment for the Fund implicit truthful galore years. We consciousness incredibly privileged to person known him and to person benefited from his support.”