5335 Spitfire No. 19 Sq. Fowlmere, near Duxford in Cambridgeshire, Battle of Britain Sept. ’40 Flt. Sgt. George “Grumpy” Unwin. He was the first non-commissioned pilot to ever fly a Spitfire, scoring 18 air victories. He received his nick-name at 3 am one morning in early ’41 when he complained to Douglas Bader about the racket he was making fitting his metal legs. Bader replied, “Shut up, Grumpy!” During the Battle of Britain, stationed in 12 Group, he was credited with 14 enemy aircraft shot down by the end of 1940. On 9 March 1939, Unwin deliberately crashed a Spitfire (K9797) following an engine failure to avoid a children's playground at Acton, Suffolk. During a nine-day period of patrols between 26 May and 4 June Unwin claimed three kills and a probable during Operation Dynamo.
On 16th Aug 1940 Unwin claimed a Bf110 shot down in this Spitfire. A member of George's groundcrew painted the "Popeye" figure on K9853 just before No 19 Sqn went into combat over France in late May 1940. Later flown by 92, 306 and 316 Squadrons, R6776 was written off in May 1942 after sustaining battle damage after a channel sweep. Unwin died in 2006 aged 93.
“Aerial gunnery is 90 percent instinct and 10 percent aim.”
— Captain Frederick C. Libby, RFC.