 Unbeknown to the rest of the pilots, two Pilot Officers took up a pair of reserve aircraft and followed at a distance.Hurricanes from 151 Squadron (also from North Weald), and Supermarine Spitfires from 54, 65 and 74 Squadrons based at Hornchurch Airfield scrambled.None of the Royal Air Force pilots had been in action and few had seen a German aircraft.