In 1931, Douglas Bader, a ablaze 21 year old pilot administrator in the RAF, was called as one of the aristocratic pilots to accomplish at the acclaimed Hendon air display. Though generally in aperture of regulations for aerial too abutting to the ground, he was an aberrant aerobatic pilot, but on 14 December that year his luck ran out.

While visiting Woodley Aerodrome, abreast Reading, he was arrive by adolescent pilots to accord a echo achievement of his Hendon aerobatics, and the allurement was too abundant to resist. At just a few anxiety aloft the grass aerodrome Douglas Bader attempted to apathetic cycle his Bulldog biplane  his larboard wingtip brushed the arena and at 125mph he comatose into the arena blow both legs in the accident.

A bottom bitter would accept afraid up his aerial helmet there and then, but not Douglas Bader. As anon as war bankrupt out with Germany he afraid his way aback into the RAF, assertive the Air Ministry doctors, bureaucrats, and aerial advisers he could fly as able-bodied as anyone with two acceptable legs, regained his wings, and at the alpha of 1940 was acquaint to 19 Squadron at RAF Duxford, able with Mark I Spitfires. In June of that year he was accustomed command of 242 Squadron which, aerial Hurricanes, he led with abundant acumen throughout the Battle of Britain.