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Peter Malen Brazers
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" Fight for Britain " was, so to say, battle for an exhaustion, and the people who has put in fights more forces have won in it. It was almost impossible. The pilot whom we are going to tell about, is poorly known among the wideaudience.
Peter Malen Brazers began his service in the 23 squadrons of "Harricans" in October, 1936, and in 1938 he became the commander of a link. He has gained the first victories in May, 1940: it was the 18th of May when he has brought down two planes BF109, and 23 - BF110 above Ipr. During the time " Fights for Britain " he has destroyed eight planes, including five Messerschmidts BF109E:
" Everybody in our team frequently had to collide with the overwhelming superiority of the opponent in air. We thought: " My God, how we are going to fight with such belief? ". Enemy bombers have not been badly protected from a tail and met us with a wall of fire. But if it was possible to get above or to attack them in a forehead at equal height there was an opportunity to destroy their fighting order.
As a pilot of "Harican", I was rather afraid and even respected "109" . First, it could “dive” very qiickly. If the pilot of Bf109 noticed you, he let out turn, then could dive sharply downwards and after this he started to climb promptly. You simply had not time to follow him. The only thing that it was necessary to do was to turn over headfirst and at once to carry out a loop. In this case "109" did “a hill” and appeared flush near "Harican" and got in a sight.
Once I have looked in a mirror of a back sight and have seen the biggest "109" of all which I’ve ever met. Anyway, so it seemed to me. He has fired at me and wanted to fly away but at this time my second number has appeared! He shot and shot at me. When we have landed, I made him to study how to shoot and told him: " Do not shoot at friends... And if you shoot, be sure, that you will get! "
Though "Harrican" basically operated against bombers, they always were endangering to get under impact of fighters of support. As a protective measure Peter Brazers always aspired to fly with a small deviation of a rudder therefore his plane slightly slided on a wing. It created serious problems for attacking at definition of a corner of anticipation and complicating aim shooting on "Harican". Certainly it would be the best waynot to meet the enemy at all, but in real fighting conditions it was not always possible. Peter Brazers marked: "The review from a cabin of" Harican" was not bad, except for a back hemisphere. The mirror, naturally, helped, but it was not so good as it could seem. It gave only sense of high speed, and not a representation about what was happening behind ".
On September, 9 he had been transferred to the 257 squadron which by that time had great losses. Together with the new commander of a squadron, Bob Tock they have removed it from heavy position and have led in fight in the afternoon on September, 15. In that operation Peter Brazers has gained two more victories. But at the final stage of "Fights for Britain " when "109" took part in the battles, at "Harrican" hadn’t any special chances of success. That’s why in 1940 Peter Brazers had no victories any more. He made comments on it so:
"The constant problem at height was the cold. The lantern misted over, and then frontal mirror covered by ice outside and then inside. To tell the truth, lateral glasses have been made of plexiglas and provided quite good visibility. Terrible inconvenience was connected with spectacles, but they helped us much, when it was required to jump with a parachute and protected eyes from burns if your plane burned ". Having had a rest in January, 1941, Peter Brazers headed the 457 Australian squadron in June of the same year, and then the 602, flying by planes of the same type. He served inTangmer in October, 1942 then served in a staff of 10 air groups. In 1944 he has received under his command aircovered in Exter , and during landing allies in Normandy he has headed airwing in Kulmhead. There he has won the 16th plane, it was his last victory, he made it on August, 7, 1944.
After the war Peter Brazers has served as the commander of aircraft and has retired in 1973.
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