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Post by chinapilot on Nov 12, 2013 16:52:59 GMT 12
Interesting write up in the Nov 'Britain at War'...
Flying off HMS Victorious in a Corsair II on his first mission - strike on Sabang (N. Sumatra) on the 25th of July '44 he shot down a Zero.
Followed it into some clouds and as he broke out it was right in front of him - "held the trigger down and he explodes in a ball of flame"...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 12, 2013 17:33:32 GMT 12
Ben is a really neat chap. I've met him several times and interviewed him. He also attended our 2011 Forum Meet here in Cambridge with his lovely wife Val, as some may recall. I might have to get this magazine if I can find a copy. I probably won't find it around here though.
Ben was very nearly shot down by a Zero too, it came from nowhere and had him in the sights when Ray Richards, who I also was lucky to get to know, spotted it and shot the Zero out of the sky. One of Ray's two and a half Zero kills. Ray was planning to attend that same forum meet which would have been great but sadly last minute he had something come up. Sadly he passed away in July this year.
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Post by chinapilot on Nov 12, 2013 19:42:17 GMT 12
Neat to know he is still around...
I'll give the mag to Dave P and he can bring it down to NZ for you.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 12, 2013 21:02:01 GMT 12
Thanks Ian! Yes Ben lives over in Tauranga. I popped into Classic Flyers when they had the genuine Zero fighter there a few years back, and there were a number of people in the hangar looking it over too. One was Ben, and it was interesting chatting with him as he finally got up face to face with his old enemy.  Taken 8th of April 2010 |
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Post by chinapilot on Nov 12, 2013 21:08:28 GMT 12
No problem. Nice pic... ( hope the guys in those so necessary hi- viz jackets realized who he was  ) He landed back on the carrier at dusk...always amazed that they found their carriers again... |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 12, 2013 23:59:44 GMT 12
Note his cap has a Corsair on it. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 17, 2013 10:38:00 GMT 12
I have pinched this Ralph Starck photo from our 2011 Cambridge Forum Meet thread. It shows Ben Heffer on the right, his wife Val in the middle of the couch, and fellow Fleet Air Arm Corsair pilot Bob Glading on the left of the shot.  Bryan Cox informed me this week that Ben is not well having suffered a stroke, which is very sad.  |
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Post by chinapilot on Nov 17, 2013 15:34:35 GMT 12
Nice pics...Dave - have passed the mag on to DP and he will post it this week.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 17, 2013 15:50:36 GMT 12
Many thanks mate.
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