Regardless of the exact date, he was the first RAF ace of the war to be lost in action.

Redeployed over Malta, Mietusch added a further three victories, including a notable RAF ace.

The first RAF ace of the war, a young New Zealander known as "Cobber" Kain, flew a Hurricane with No. 73 Squadron.

He was the top scoring RAF ace flying twin-engined fighters and was fifth among RAF fighter pilots in all theatres of war.

Rall was then based at RAF Tangmere, where he met the RAF ace Robert Stanford Tuck, with whom he reportedly became close friends.

In January 2008 it was announced that one of Bader's prosthetic legs was to be sold at auction, along with several other items belonging to the RAF ace.

There is also a heavy resemblance to Sellers' friend and occasional co-star Terry-Thomas and the prosthetic-limbed RAF ace Douglas Bader.

On 10 May 1940 he claimed four Heinkel He-111s (one unconfirmed) of KG 54 and KG 27 to become only the third RAF ace of the war.

The RAF ace Robert Stanford Tuck was the godfather of his son Andreas.

Its pilot, the New Zealand born RAF "ace" (six enemy aircraft destroyed and many more probably destroyed) Flight Lieutenant Owen Vincent Tracey was killed.