This Tempest was one of the first to become operational serving with No.3 Sqn in 1944. No's 3 and 486 sqns, the Wing commanded by Roland P. Beamont (one of the youngest Wing Commanders at age 23), was tempoarily pulled out of Normandy and detached to Newchurch to chase V-1 flying bombs. The Wing destroyed 638 of the RAF total of 1771. Bee himself shot down 32 V-1's.
The Tempest was most probably the fastest aircraft at sea level, hence it's successes against the V-1.
