Writer:- Chris Fitzsimons. Artist:- Harry Farrugia.

Main cast:- Sergeant Harry Barker; Squadron Leader Partridge.

Time period:- Second World War (1939 - 1945).

Squadron Leader Partridge, Barker’s C.O. remembers his unorthodox pilot.

”Barking Mad Barker, (which I called him privately), of course I remember him. A brilliant flyer, but in the beginning he was undisciplined, he no idea how to fly as part of a squadron. When Harry joined us at the beginning of the Battle of Britain, he would spot the enemy and then charge off on his own to engage the hun. It’s probably only his superior flying skills that saved his life. Eventually, I had to ground him and send him to the local Ops Room so he could see how the system and teamwork produced effective results. After that I never had another problem with his flying temperament again.

The other unique thing about Harry was that old Tiger Moth plane of his. And I doubt anyone will ever forget his first appearance over the airfield, where he treated us to all of his circus flying tricks in that damn plane of his. I should have put him on a charge there and then. As hard as I tried, I never could get Harry to leave the Tiger Moth behind. Wherever he and the Squadron went, so did the Tiger Moth. I could never see the point of us burdening ourselves with the plane, but it did turn out to be very useful on numerous occasions, much to my surprise.”

Harry and his Tiger Moth flew during the Battle of Britain (briefly) and then in Africa and finally ended his war in Italy.

Unlike The Ace of Space series which I regard as a no nonsense strip, The Flying Tiger does have some humour in it. (Please click on the link at the bottom of this page to be taken to the The Ace of Space series.

The artwork is by the ever dependable Harry Farrugia.

The following adventures of Sergeant Harry Barker are from issues 148, 149, 150, 153 and 157 respectively.

For other Battle of Britain strips please see:-

The Blazing Ace of Space -

(WW2 RAF).

© Adrian Banfield, 2010.