- About Us
- Plan Your Visit
- What's On
- News
- Collections
- Exhibitions & Displays
- Podcasts
- Educational Visits
- Shop Online
- Media Enquiries
- Corporate Events
- Research Services
- Support Us
- Subscribe to Newsletter
- Contact Us
Parke F. Smith was the last American to join the Royal Air Force in 1941, before the creation of the Eagle Squadron. In spite of having the chance to switch to the (considerably better paid) USAAF, he chose to stay with his British colleagues and went on to serve as a pilot of Hurricanes, Spitfires and Mustangs on three operational RAF squadrons in the UK, North Africa and Italy.
He moved back to his native Richmond, Virginia on being demobbed in 1946 where he lives to this day.
Parke says, "My ties to the Royal Air Force are pretty unique but my support of the Museum and its work transcends my own experience. I lost many friends in the war and I applaud the work of the Museum in educating future generations about the sacrifices we made."
You can read the story of Parke's amazing experiences in the wartime RAF in his memoir:
www.woodfieldpublishing.com/index.html?lang=en-uk&target=d53.html
Bob Tullius, legendary racing driver, set up motorsport company Group 44 Inc in 1965 and had a string of successes driving Triumphs. He later brokered a deal with Jaguar North America and brought that marque to Le Mans for the first time in thirty years.
Bob fell in love with aviation trying to get from race to race. He now owns a number of aircraft and, in 2003, he donated his P-51 Mustang Donald Duck to the Milestones of Flight exhibition at RAF Museum London.
The aircraft is painted to represent the P-51 flown out of Debden in 1944 by Captain Donald R. Emerson, USAAF who was killed in action on Christmas Day in Belgium by ground fire. He is buried in Margratten, Holland and is survived by his niece who has flown in the aircraft with Bob Tullius at the controls.
Bob says "It seems only appropriate that Donald should be remembered in the country from which he flew in those difficult days. He and many others like him should never be forgotten, particularly in these times when other young people are being asked to sacrifice again for freedom. With my long association with the U.K. it is a great pleasure to see 'Donald Duck' on display in the Royal Air Force Museum with which I have been long impressed because of its high standards and integrity."