Most recce aircraft, built for speed and a high ceiling, were unarmed to reduce weight. But the American-built Maryland, built primarily as a light bomber, had forward and rear facing guns. Hence Warby and his crew’s success in air combat. He achieved his 50th operational mission in February. His reputation of always returning with the goods was now well established and he was often selected for special tasks, constantly varying his tactics to achieve the best results. Sometimes he flew at height, and on others extremely low. He took photographs of the Tragino viaduct near Calitri in Southern Italy, the target for an experimental raid by paratroopers. Some of Warby’s photographs before and after the raid were taken from the near-suicidal height of 25-feet. He located numerous enemy convoys supplying Axis forces in North Africa. Much was made of ‘Warby’s luck’, but it was also used to protect the existence of another intelligence source - Ultra. Warby was not always taken at his word, so heavy was the layer of secrecy, as illustrated when he reported an Italian ship by name and the harbour in which it was berthed. The RN did not accept the report. A few days later, Warby presented the senior service with a photograph of the ship, taken so low and at such close range its name could clearly be read.