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Auction: 24111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 766

A rare Post-War 1962 'Soviet Spy Flights' A.F.C., A.F.M. group of seven awarded to Master Pilot V. W. Brown, Royal Air Force

Air Force Cross, E.II.R., the reverse officially dated '1962'; Air Force Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd Type (544868. Plt. II. V. W. Brown. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, period copy; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., with Second Award Bar (M. Plt. V. W. Brown (544868) R.A.F.), mounted as worn, good very fine (7)

Provenance:
Spink, July 2000.

Approximately 41 combinations of A.F.C. and A.F.M., of which just 7 had the 2nd Type G.VI.R. A.F.M..

A.F.C. London Gazette 1 January 1962.

A.F.M. London Gazette 9 June 1949.

Vernon Wilkinson Brown joined the Royal Air Force in October 1937 and commenced Pilot Training in Tiger Moths in March 1942. Having taken the A.F.M. in 1949, he earned his L.S. & G.C. Medal in October 1955 and ended his career on Meteors and Canberras in June 1962, having notched up a remarkable 7,180 hours flying time. Regularly assessed as an 'Exceptional' Pilot and Navigator, his second decoration stemmed from his long work with No. 192 Squadron, which together with No. 51 Squadron, undertook flights of real note. They - although the Ministry of Defence to this day deny the intent - were engaged on behalf of the United States in electronic radar and communications surveillance of the Soviet Union and her other territories. Penetrating Soviet defences, their recordings were then fed back to GCHQ. This work was far from a 'milk run', as some forty NATO spy aircraft were shot down in the Cold War.

It is worthwhile noting that his Log Books covering January 1950-August 1961 are 'missing', with them being certified up to date. It seems perhaps the authorities felt it best to dispose of the evidence rather than have the Flight Logs penned in ink across the Flying Log Books of men like Brown.

Sold with the recipient's original Flying Log Books for the periods March 1943, January 1950, and August 1961-June 1962. The second begins with the - perhaps diversionary - note stating 'I always like to give my Pilots a few Log Book when they reach 7000 hours - I usually find their old ones are so scruffy.'

Either scruffy, or with Ops of a secret nature throughout.

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Sold for
£5,500

Starting price
£2100