Willy Wonka and the Fighter Pilot

Born in Wales to immigrant parents he would grow to a height of 6’ 6” and climbing into the cockpit of a World War II fighter was going to be a problem… but he managed it and before long had earned the moniker Lofty.  He would pen books that charmed children for generations and generations for Lofty, who was an army officer, fighter pilot and spy was better known as the renown author who sold over 100 million copies of his books, Roald Dahl.

Roald Dahl.

The Gloster Gladiator.

Roald Dahl’s WWII flying helmet.

Roald Dahl in later life signing books in Amsterdam in front of an adoring audience.

Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Paramount pictures, the US Library of Congress, the British Government, DeFacto and Rob Bogaerts.