Philip Hunter, DSO (11 April 1913 – 24 August 1940) was a Royal Air Force pilot, squadron commander and a Second World War flying ace, awarded the Distinguished Service Order for leading the destruction of thirty-eight enemy aircraft in only two missions[1][2] over the Dunkirk evacuation beaches in May 1940.

[8] He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 11 April 1936,[9] and returned to England and joined the staff of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell on 9 November 1936.

254 Squadron RAF when it formed in October 1939, flying Bristol Blenheim twin engine fighters.

264 Squadron RAF was re-formed at RAF Sutton Bridge in October 1939 and in March 1940 Hunter joined the squadron as commanding officer to fly the Boulton Paul Defiant[13][14] An unusual fighter design, the single engine Defiant was armed with four 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns in a rear turret operated by an air gunner.

[15] In early operations the Defiant was often mistaken for the similar shaped Hawker Hurricane by German pilots, who dived to attack from above and behind; the blind spot for a Hurricane pilot, but directly into the fire from the gunner's turret on a Defiant.

[36] The months after Dunkirk were spent rebuilding the squadron, which had suffered heavy losses.

[37][38][39] On 24 August, while in action against a formation of Ju 88s which had just bombed RAF Manston, Defiant serial number N1535 (fuselage codes PS-A)[40] was last seen chasing an enemy bomber out to sea.