P/O Roger Hall of No. 152 Squadron based at Warmwell in 10 Group described a 4 September scramble:
We were traveling at full throttle and climbing at nearly three thousand feet a minute in the general direction of the enemy formation, which was just visible high up above and in front of us. I could see Yellow Section in front and above us also, going at full boost. Black streams of petrol vapour were coming away from their engines. ‘Better use your energy boost, Roger,’ Ferdie called out to me, as he started to increase speed himself. The makers stipulated that the emergency boost must not be used for more than five consecutive minutes, but now the occasion seemed to warrant the risk. I throttled back, pushed the red half-lever forward and then opened up the main throttle again. Immediately the aircraft seemed to leap forward with a jolt, hitting me in the back as it did so, and the engine started to vibrate – black smoke pouring out of each exhaust port. The engine vibration transmitted itself to the entire aircraft and I began to appreciate the maker’s instructions. 65
F/O Robert Oxspring (later Group Captain) of No. 66 Squadron, based at Kenley, wrote of a 6 September 1940 combat:
Still turning toward the bombers, I saw another 109 crossing ahead at my level. I throttled up to max power to reduce the distance and get my sights on. Just getting to firing range, I suddenly thought of Ken's 'watch your tail' warning. I looked back over my left shoulder and sure enough, another 109 was below my tail pulling bead and about to let go. There was no point in sticking around to see if he could shoot straight and my reactions were unbelievably fast. I parked everything in the left hand corner. Cranking on full left aileron and rudder, at the same time I shoved the throttle through the gate for emergency power.
Hauling back on the stick, I reefed into a blacked-out turn... I held the turn for a number of seconds which I judged had completed about 270 degrees... Then with the pressure relaxed my eyesight returned and I peered rearwards to seek my aggressor. He was nowhere in sight, but then nor was the rest of my flight.66
P/O R. D. Elliott of No. 72 Squadron, flying out of Biggin Hill, wrote on his Combat Report for 9 September 1940:
...I turned and was then astern E/A - & with the aid of MAX Boost (12 lbs) I gradually closed with enemy... 67
F/O Brian Macnamara of 603 Squadron recorded on his Combat Report of 27 September 1940:
I was Guard section leader when the squadron was proceeding north near Dungeness. I saw a 109 flying very low going south. I peeled off and chased it, firing continuously. I could see my incindiaries bursting on the machine and black smoke began to come from the engine and the enemy began to slow down and turn as if to land on the water. However two Me109's suddenly appeared 200 yards ahead of me out of the haze and shooting at me. I was forced to turn and run. The enemy chased me till I had crossed the English coast. I flew about 20 feet off the water, taking violent evasive action and the enemy's bursts missed mostly through insufficient deflection. In fine pitch, with full throttle and the red lever pressed, I appeared to be drawing away from the 109's as their fire slackened for the last mile of two and when I turned, they were further behind me than at the start of the action. 68
P/O Bob Doe described his usual routine after being scrambled, whilst flying Spitfires with No. 234 Squadron out of Middle Wallop, 10 Group:
Once we were in the vicinity of the enemy, I would 'pull the plug', which was the release so that we could get extra boost, but I wouldn't use it, and would start my search. 69
He had occasion to use emergency boost during a couple of low altitude tail chases of Me-109s, most notably whilst shooting down Hauptmann Rolf Pingell of I./JG26 on 18 August.
Geoffrey Wellum, flying with No. 92 Squadron out of Biggin Hill from early September to the end of the Battle, wrote of his routine when combat was imminent:
Things are starting to get rough. Automatically I have followed my self-imposed drill that I always do at times like this. Reflector sight on; gun button to fire; airscrew pitch to 2,650 revs; better response. Press the emergency boost override. Lower my seat a notch and strap tight. Ok men, I’m all set. Let battle commence. 70
P/O David Crook, with No. 609 Squadron at Middle Wallop, published an interesting account in his book of his most successful day of the Battle of Britain, 30 September 1940:
It was now obviously a matter of moments only before we were in the thick of it. I turned my trigger on to 'Fire', increased the engine revs. to 3000 r.p.m. by slipping the constant speed control fully forward, and 'pulled the plug', i.e. pushed the small handle on the throttle quadrant that cuts out the automatic boost control thus allowing one to use emergency power.
A few seconds later, about six Me. 109s flew across right in front of us. I don't think they saw us till too late as we were coming out of the sun. Michael was leading Blue Section and I was leading Green, and immediately we swung our sections round and turned on to the tails of the enemy. They saw us - too late - and tried to escape by diving.
We all went down after them in one glorious rush and I saw Michael, who was about a hundred yards ahead of me, open fire at the last Messerschmidt in the enemy line. A few seconds later, this machine more or less fell to pieces in mid-air - some very nice shooting on Michael's part. I distinctly remember him saying on the R.T., 'That's got you, you bastard,' though he never recollects it!
The victim that I had selected for myself was about 500 yards ahead of me, and still diving hard at very high speed. God, what a dive that was! I came down on full throttle from 27,000 feet to 1,000 feet in a matter of seconds, and the speed rose with incredible swiftness - 400 m.p.h., 500, 550, 600 m.p.h. I never reached this speed before and probably never shall again. I have a dim recollection of the sea coming up towards me at an incredible rate and also feeling an awful pain in my ears, though I was not really conscious of this in the heat of the moment. I pulled out of the dive as gently as I could, but the strain was terrific and there was a sort of black mist in front of my eyes, though I did not quite 'black out'.
The Messerschmidt was now just ahead of me. I came up behind him and gave him a terrific burst of fire at very close range. The effect of a Spitfire's eight guns has to be seen to be believed. Hundreds of bullets poured into him and he rocked violently, then turned over on his back, burst into flames and dived straight down into the sea a few miles off Swanage. The pilot made no attempt to get out and was obviously dead. I watched him hit the water in a great cloud of white foam, and then turned round to see what else was going on.
A few of our Spitfires were chasing Messerschmidts all over the place and obviously a very nice little massacre was in progress, as a few seconds later I saw another Hun go into the sea. I then saw another Me. 109 going back to France as hard as he could and I chased him, caught him fairly easily, and put a good burst into him. He swerved slightly, his cockpit covering broke off the machine and flew just past my head and he then dived steeply.
I waited to see him hit the water, but he was only shamming, as he flattened out again just above the sea, and continued full speed for home, though his machine was now smoking and obviously badly hit.
For the first time in this war, I felt a certain pity for this German pilot and reluctant to finish him off. From the moment I saw him, he had no chance of escape as my Spitfire was so much faster than his Messerschmidt, and the last few moments must have been absolute hell for him. I could almost feel his desperation as he made this last attempt to get away.
But if I let him go, he would come back to England another day and possibly shoot down some of our pilots. In the few seconds during which all this was happening, I did not consciously make these reflections; my blood was up anyway and I was very excited, but distinctly remember feeling rather reluctant.
However, I caught him up again and made no mistake this time. I fired all my remaining ammunition at very close range, and he crashed into the sea, going at a terrific speed, and disappeared immediately. I circled round the spot, but there was no trace of anything. 71
F/O D. McMullen with 222 Squadron at Hornchurch wrote on his Combat Report for 15 October:
I was leading the squadron, flying at 20,000 feet, when I saw two smoke trails approaching above me. I climbed and chased them same way. E/A then turned and came back through us. I engaged one E/A firing approximately one half my ammunition. Another Spitfire overshot me so I then engaged the second one. Both the E/A dived steeply towards cloud. I chased the second E/A at about 100 ft. out to sea over Hythe. Owing to the windscreen freezing up and extremely bumpy air I was handicapped. I overtook E/A easily without 12 boost. One piece of fuselage appeared to fall off. 72
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