No. 457 Squadron RAAF
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No. 457 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron of World War II. Equipped with Supermarine Spitfire fighters, it was formed in England during June 1941 under Article XV of the Empir
457 Squadron badge
Group photo of No. 457 Squadron's pilots at RAF Station Redhill in 1942
No. 457 Squadron ground crew push a Spitfire into its dispersal bay at Livingstone Airfield during February 1943
Flying Officer John Smithson demonstrating how he shot down two Japanese bombers on 12 November 1943
Clive Caldwell
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Clive Robertson Caldwell, was the leading Australian air ace of World War II. He is officially credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft in over 300 operational sorties, including a German ace i
No. 457 Squadron RAAF
…its aircraft shot down three of the four Dinahs sent over Darwin that day; the fourth was destroyed by No. 1 Wing's acting commander, Wing Commander Clive Caldwell. The squadron shot down another two Dinahs on 20 August. On 7 September No. 1 Wing intercepted a Japanese reconnaissance aircraft escorted by 20 fighters…
Clive Caldwell c. 1942
Caldwell posing beside his Supermarine Spitfire.
Test Pilot Herbert O. Fisher shakes hands with Curtiss-Wright fire chief; note Caldwell in background, August 1942.
Caldwell with his Spitfire on Morotai, in December 1944