Air Marshal Sir Geoffrey Salmond, a WWI veteran and aviation pioneer, helped shape the RAF in the 1920s–30s. A visionary in high-speed flight and long-range endurance, he supported the Supermarine S6—Spitfire’s precursor—and the Schneider Trophy races. Though he died in 1933, his foresight ensured the RAF had the Spitfire for the Battle of Britain.