The fight is on to keep in Britain the only Victoria Cross awarded to a member of the RAF for its Far East campaign during the Second World War.
The medal was awarded posthumously to Squadron Leader Arthur Scarf, who was killed after leading a daring raid on enemy Japanese forces in Burma in 1941.
One of just 22 VCs awarded to RAF heroes for the War overall, it was recently sold to an unnamed overseas buyer.
But the Royal Air Force Museum has been told it can keep the medal in the UK if it matches the £660,000 sale price by the end of April.
Launching a GoFundMe campaign to raise £250,000 of the total, the museum said: “This medal, and Arthur’s Story, are too significant to our nation’s heritage to be lost from our shores. Arthur’s story can inspire future generations for years to come.”
Arthur was born in Wimbledon, South West London, in 1913 and joined the RAF in 1936.
In 1939, he was sent to Singapore with No 62 Squadron to join forces in the Far East.
On December 9, 1941, he led a formation of Bristol Blenheim aircraft in a daylight attack on Japanese forces occupying airfields in Burma.
As Scarf became airborne, a formation of Japanese bombers swept over the airfield, destroying every British aircraft that had been on the ground.
Realising that none of his Squadron’s aircraft had survived, Scarf resolved to complete his mission. Flying low into enemy occupied territory, Scarf skilfully evaded several attacks by Japanese fighters. He released the bombs while his crew manned the machine guns.
However, flying home he was greatly outnumbered by Japanese fighters attacking at close range. Scarf flew at tree top height for cover, but machine gun fire riddled the Blenheim.
Scarf was mortally wounded but continued to fly the aircraft while being held upright by his crew mates.
He managed to make a controlled crash landing at a nearby British-controlled airfield without injury to his crew. However, Scarf died from his wounds shortly afterwards, leaving his pregnant wife widowed.
The Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously in 1946 and was presented to his widow, Elizabeth Scarf, by King George VI at Buckingham Palace.
The RAF Museum, based in Cosford, Shrops, said: “Help us to raise the funds to keep the Victoria Cross and enable the nation to have it on display at the Royal Air Force Museum.”
