We had the honour of meeting Dimity Torbett, the niece of Paterson (Pat) Clarence Hughes, Australia’s highest scoring Battle of Britain fighter ace. Dimity shared many fond memories of her uncle, bringing Pat’s story to life for all of us at Hunter Fighter Collection. She also generously donated a wooden tray that Pat received when he left the RAAF in 1936, thought to be crafted from wood from various aircraft of the time. Dimity recounted how Pat was passionate about understanding aircraft failures, often taking photographs of crash sites to learn more about what led to these incidents.
Dimity, along with other family members, contributed to Dennis Newton’s book, “A Spitfire Pilot’s Story: Pat Hughes: Battle of Britain Top Gun”. In a heartfelt gesture, she also donated her original copy of the book along with the original letter from Dennis Newton. She shared anecdotes about Pat’s father, his roots in Belford in the Hunter Valley, and his love for writing poetry, adding another layer to our understanding of the Hughes family legacy.
During her visit, we had the chance to show Dimity the control unit from the wreckage of Spitfire X4009 and discussed the progress HFC has made on the restoration project. We are extremely thankful to Dimity for her time, her stories, and her generous donations. Her support, along with that of other Hughes family members, continues to galvanize us as we work to bring Spitfire X4009 back to life.
We are deeply grateful for the incredible support of the Hughes family in our mission to restore and rebuild Spitfire X4009, the legendary aircraft flown by Flight Lieutenant Pat Hughes during the Battle of Britain.
Thank you, Dimity, for helping us honour Pat and his extraordinary contributions to history. Together, we are preserving a vital piece of our heritage for future generations.