Despite being virtually blind in his left eye, Edward ‘Mick’ Mannock was accepted by the Royal Flying Corps in 1917, and assigned to 40 Squadron at St Omer in France. As a staunch socialist, his political views were not respected. It was not until he scored his first victory – an enemy balloon, that he began to to be admired. In February of 1918, he became flight commander of 74 Sqdn, then became commanding officer of 85 Squadron. Mannock was killed when his aircraft was shot down by machine gun fire from the ground – he had 61 victories to his name. On July 18, 1919, it was announced that Mannock had won the Victoria Cross. MODEL COMING SOON.
