march july english flying ace world war highly decorated airmen british military history born middle class family military traditions joined having interest mechanics transferred time came regular contact aircraft outbreak war flew observer training fighter pilot claimed victory september claimed fifth victory making ace february months served instructor flew defensive patrols london returned summer year dispatched enemy aircraft claiming multiple victories day occasions british medals french received awards gallantry british serving world war longest serving campaign daily_mail newspaper famous airmen british isles death achieved aerial victories placing seventh list war successful aces thirds victims identified possible unlike allied aces substantial proportion claims allied held territory majority successes achieved squadron fell flying july killed flying accident aircraft crashed following engine fault rank time death major significant achievement man begun career air mechanic buried british war cemetery early life family born kent sergeant major father military life joined teenager served company fought battle combat rescued wounded soldier fire recommended award emerged acting orders denied honours father long career engineers eventually instructor non commissioned officer mother family military background grandfather served master arms aboard married children april january march july december june march october december john fighter pilots killed whilst flying john killed action war father took post rank warrant officer great war die railway station july stood offer woman seat compartment door flew open knocking path oncoming train pilot served royal_air_force raf retired illness died following year leaving widow small daughter moved james transferred garrison school learned shoot rifle range box reasonably intelligent student father retirement soon placed heavy strain family finances consequence felt obliged find job enlist filled time age age working messenger boy time interest flying began nearby aviation centres built englishman fly brothers went pioneer gather expressed desire pilot spending hours watching early flying machines unfortunately desire pilot postponed family required income father retired unable wait opportunity arise joined april february set sail gibraltar southern tip spain spent eighteen months gibraltar returning england september gibraltar read flight manual magazine explained theory flight aircraft construction engines excelled service april qualified held grade 2nd class awarded april soon member posted depot mechanic tenure began day granted request travel observer disaster struck ended career instructed aircraft airfield examined type proceeded turn engine aircraft listed saw danger leaving throttle fully open suddenly engine started accelerated hangar watched propeller wing pieces damaged commanding officer car parked nearby able reach cockpit switch extensive damage brought colonel commanding military wing pleased overall progress likely saved sentenced seven days detention days pay incident years later met height fame episode jokingly threatening send bill car june posted squadron managed flight aircraft gradually won reputation rate mechanic christmas frequent requests trips aircraft met success logged nearly hours april promoted class war service observer august travelled france mechanic squadron war declared followed german invasion belgium operated reconnaissance unit began fly observer stopping days unit began enemy positions squadron offered support british_army battle belgium month saw german aircraft august august british began retreat south west paris squadron moved fewer different landing grounds delaying departure enemy mile eventually settled south paris autumn participated locating german artillery positions allied armies drove enemy battle battle flew missions rifle aircraft lacked fixed armament performed took administrative responsibilities promoted corporal november period fought squadron equipped higher performing aircraft months later april promoted sergeant charge engines flight delight gaining promotion cut short news brother william killed air crash flying elderly week later eldest sister mary lost husband explosion destroyed hms princess formal application pilot fly operations rejected grounds valuable risk losing reputation mechanic spread supervision unit led record low number engine failures continued fly observer despite recommendation rejection letter june official observer qualifying sortie passed time introduced fighter equipped gear firing propeller germans machine soon threat unit enemy succeeded establishing period air superiority time flew regularly observer new commanding officer taken command november recorded flight hours minutes november included abortive chase reconnaissance aircraft december acted aerial gunner drove attack flight german ace firing witnessed piece paper fabric fall german machine ground searched trace found january exchanged fire german observer result time squadron experimenting wireless technology captain commanded headquarters flight fitted set help direct artillery fire april commanded squadron commanding officer killed year later shot ground fire unknown participated pioneering ventures january awarded gallantry travelled receive award general commander chief award aroused interest january promoted flight sergeant hours later ordered home england begin pilot training pilot training based began training february started minute flight flown hours passenger different pilots including hours regular observer november experience surroundings instructor impressed grasp mechanics theory practiced landings progressed powerful written student april sent assigned squadron solo flight april later day awarded certificate completing figure turns feet landing yards selected mark completed flights longest minute flight feet april posted near advanced training arriving non commissioned officer receive certificate passed second class good selected instructor took pupil having flown hours solo flight pupils included future ace squadron colleague soon teaching student flying aircraft entered dangerous spin narrowly avoided crash pulling feet ground impact certainly killed graded class grade based achievements achieved dead stick landing yard marker minute flight feet mile cross country flight hours solo flying passed final test hour flight salisbury southampton hours flying experience minimum time left france june accumulated flying hours given lessons instructor personally student pilots joined squadron july unit equipped flew near flew operational sortie days later continued battle squadron ordered intercept shoot german reconnaissance aircraft patrolled region spot enemy reconnaissance machines come contact single near flying formation british placed deal lone german fighters use gunners form formidable defence screen particular german climb british diving attack rear aircraft dive away score decisive hit days later ran fuel district heavy mist force landed allied territory crashing coming halt garden french farmhouse little damage machine august took operation bomb sheds brussels flight familiar lone appearance withdrew attacking evening told pack belongings reassigned squadron flying scouts pleased flying scouts finding light flying soon found pilots machine popular handled care patrol september scored victory engaged white shot chased escaped superior speed confirmation victory given days later unit crashed road time place claim nearly added score following day engaged gun jammed switching engine damage pilot took opportunity pursue engine german closed presented close astern shot gun jammed battle ended faster away score year remarkable escape december flying patrol flight engaged enemy formation rushed aid member flight attacked german fighter attacked head gun jammed shots fought clear jam found amid number german fighters soon began firing enemy pilot remained feet began spinning dive german distance abruptly turned away enemy aircraft fired british ground forces lewis machine gun turned pursuit enemy pilot apparently unaware high watched joined flight departed area returned base spite narrow escape machine hit squadron mates surprised witnessed dive assumed spin terminal process posting missing action suggested enemy pilot red baron case narrowly avoided rising star 15th victim credited seat vickers afternoon usually listed captain recent research indicates action fit time frame ended personal high received commission december came effect january granted weeks leave returned england second lieutenant returned france january determined build personal tally despite limitations day forced time attacked damaged engine stopped unfortunately attacked forced break certain kill propeller blades partly shot intervened landed near ordered new propeller flew base member witnessed fate claim fortunes changed new year dispatched january february february attacked returning photo reconnaissance mission diving sun blind gunner shot shelled british artillery days later engaged escorted brief pursuit escaped destroyed crashed near hours later awarded fifth victory award eventually march return england returned england february appointed instructor slightly felt getting stride fighter pilot hopeful squadron receive french designed better match class fighters posting surprising beginning witnessed enormous expansion experienced required train mass new students posted 6th training wing transferred dover april learned fly bristol scout aircraft adorned fellow officers suspected girlfriend blonde dancer private aspect life suspected took flights scout log book recorded april praised qualities scout managed survive accidents aircraft april june concurrent tenure dover brother john enrolled pilot pupil avoid accusations remained brother senior officers intentions late june collected experimented number new pups began reach british units january impressed aircraft agility flew period met famous ace advised attack tactics reconnaissance bomber aircraft ball advised fly underneath target blind spot observer angle guns directly fire intrigued prospect believed offered better chance shooting enemy aircraft clear implemented ball advice battle victories claimed way principal tactics stress surprise minimal risk known proved remarkably good stalking tactics enabled underneath opponent pull wing gun fire german machine recipients know attack bullets coming fuselage aircraft causing death injury petrol tanks engines gun fed drum ammunition pulled position pilot having spare drums located cockpit conversation coincided german heavy bombers attacked london attempted high flying machines june finally got range fired resumed course chased formation miles sea closer feet july succeeded hitting bomber unit damaged second narrowly avoided collision machine flew raid gunner bullet struck raids continued british aerial defences gain handful successes activity worthy note return france meeting chief engineers brothers exchanged information aircraft design operations understood technique flying flight brothers gained greater appreciation pilot perspective watching fly brothers convinced skill consequently invited fly number products machines vickers claimed reached miles hour mph aircraft describing nice bus pilots noted faster french strength evaluation vickers approached use selected production believed engine main factor rejection squadron june joined squadron equipped undertook course tenure ordered fly group fly solo patrols flew hours squadron patrols encountered enemy times score finally july shot fighter 7th aerial victories flew different pups unit meant returned english channel collect new aircraft frequently collecting august raid occurred minutes flying feet attempt intercept returned success high flying elusive landing sortie informed transferred recently formed squadron winning reputation successful unit western unit equipped fighters effective combat aircraft war arguably best designed british fighter conflict heavily armed fast time new fighter eager fly company flying victories rising star pupil fighter aces flew unit ball killed fly fight alongside competitive group spur increase score commanding officer major noticed leadership qualities hoped help turn unit effective fighting team present pilots talented performed individuals flying time promised allocated position flight commander formally took command flight august brought substantial technical knowledge squadron frequently inspected flight aircraft expecting high standard mechanical believed finer aircraft tuned likelihood losing pilots structural mechanical failures time cause fatalities force landings rarely fatal owing low landing speeds prospect coming enemy lines especially adopting offensive stance undesirable prospect squadron came certainly kept toes begin weeks tried flight finally corporal detailed corporal day formed great friendship victories july battle began unit heavily involved tasked air superiority operations allow bomber reconnaissance units operate relative freedom germans adopted defensive aircraft increasingly outnumbered critical points units collection highly successful aces engaged battle german fighters summer august scored victory official member squadron following day august raised tally victories pleased success frequent gun weeks machine suffered engine difficulties gun jams claim damaged enemy aircraft suffered experience reconnaissance attacking engine guns jammed sent major repairs received new fighter regular mount determined machine remain class fighting order spent days working stripping vickers gun gear firing making test flights shooting ground targets joked guns work air wore ground continued experience jams victim september able escape crash land wounded german territory thanks crash witnessed claim went uncredited september attacked drove feet saw camera photographic plates fall machine took violent action abandoned chase spotted time attacked sun lewis gun stopped round vickers fired rounds crashed enemy lines pilots gunners line confirmed kill followed september 13th victory victory flight engaged flown victory ace piloted aided frequent jams opponents guns avoided hit drove fight fatally hit account fight famous low engaged pilot noticed movements erratic saw steep dive saw hit ground disappear thousand fragments long live shall forget admiration german pilot single handed fought seven minutes bullets machines flying wonderful courage magnificent opinion german privilege fight course september october added victories including september raising tally october awarded bar military cross november brought tally method diving enemy machines firing working particularly december downed enemies victory numbers including successes included december 28th 29th december received bar received messages hugh december splendid work finest hardened realities aerial combat time success appeared limited opponents survive attacks january claiming 43rd air victory remarked crew deserved die notion defend showed training lazy probably liked going berlin instead sticking training learning opportunity sympathy mental estimate formed flying report destruction 43rd aerial victory closing tally credited enemy aircraft january elevated tally february aircraft brought tally fell 16th achieving 57th probably downed went enemy lines control guns seized having fired rounds victim stage suffering combat fatigue manifested decisions late seek victory price alien normal calculated approach combat knowing soon sent home obsessed catching score contribution squadron time impressive unit claimed enemy aircraft reporting pilots killed missing seven captured flight commander flight pilots shot losing pilots celebrate success brigadier general following evening invited headquarters commanding officer personally congratulated soon rotated home march officers gathered formal farewell dinner presented silver model march action remaining months war british pilots surpass total serving later royal_air_force raf foreign pilots beat total modified long term interest mechanics prompted modify aircraft increase combat performance series modifications aircraft caused performance comparison german fighter available time performance generic term required improvements round capability changes main objective mind high altitude performance achieved success personal experiments december example intercepted enemy aircraft feet drove feet shooting 30th victory incidentally nearly killed action wings broke away victim nearly struck aircraft found difficult intercept high flying german reconnaissance aircraft latest entered service proved particularly elusive horse power engine reach feet reach prospective adversary average point reach feet pilots prepared accept tactical technological situation unspecified channel obtained high compression latest engine fitted power plant delivered revolutions faster rate test bench removed excess weight shortening exhaust pipes feet added spinner captured enemy aircraft believed added extra mph speed reducing wing increase agility final alteration fit simpler vent object warming cockpit directing heat engine aspect important high altitude spend long periods time extremely environment operating suffered terrible adequate blood circulation returned muscles reached reported general effects high flight feature cold form high altitude oxygen thin humans induced aviation medicine infancy meaning pilots left solve operational problems high altitude bombers equipped oxygen equipment assist breathing despite circulation difficulties proved remarkably resistant effects high altitude flying oxygen results personal modifications went believed achieved height feet minutes standard time minutes record remains note maximum ground level speed mph log book achieved feats limited resources line squadron official assistance eager test modifications began operations january february submitted repair claimed 50th aerial victories date victory day scored machine war hero unlike german french governments reluctant identify individual soldiers aces propaganda public consumption notable exception december proprietor daily_mail newspaper appointed solid background aviation campaigned air aircraft began technological nation facing existence efficiency north_sea english channel increasingly concerned aerial bombardment supported creation british_empire pressure group designed impress government promising threatening nature aerial vehicles head felt opportunity missed ran campaign publications outstanding individual combatants january ran story daily_mail headline unknown air heroes focused primarily page segment read want know englishman hobby bringing sky tea claim bag enemy aircraft wait killed grateful nation waiting acclaim learn wonder people england realize popular branch kaiser war machine german authorities imagination exploit personal people islands british airmen fingers hand campaign instant success daily chronicle echoed sentiments young air january daily mail ran story wonderful airmen names article accompanied large photograph pilots exploits british airmen routinely published attention letter father following day believed hero worship unpopular figure comrades posted scotland flew excellent performing scotland learned death brother apparently shot german ace march wrote brother commanding officer asking news understanding major attention fixed german spring offensive death depressed greatly month returned home awarded victoria_cross highest award gallantry letter confirming king bestowed honour dated march award march details published april away publicity tell family attendance buckingham palace april receive victoria cross king george promotion major leave london great deal friend met owner weeks later offered help finish manuscript biography publication year accepted famous portrait painted known artist death remained england july given command squadron raf flew vickers collect new returning france lead new squadron july flew fighter home kingston thames taking aircraft feet london hour landed entry log book total flying time reached hours minutes morning july travelled home fiancé miss recalled conversation revolved new posting book delivered manuscript grey days earlier expecting publication promised surpass killed action april view happened promised won like brother went door breakfast sister mary leaving pocket handed envelope containing victoria_cross decorations took leave drove climbed took shortly certainly stopped route clock afternoon called wing announce imminent arrival squadron stationed set english channel unsure ground german advance checked airfield suspected found flying heavy mist decided head france directions raf personnel stationed approached corporal squadron served squadron recognise flying gear marked map returned machine seconds takeoff ground corporal scene minutes fought fire free lying wings worn safety belt followed recognised pilot soon removed taken casualty clearing station diagnosed fractured skull regain consciousness died corporal later stated took machine nearly vertical climb half roll wood usual scout pilots perform little stunt think witness lieutenant different view aircraft took wind feet vertical turn flew wood engine appeared running badly pilot rolled machine failed approximately feet crashed nose wood lieutenant stated thought crash result failed manoeuvre watching flying feet complete roll right ground trees lieutenant believed similar thing flew low going east wood south east apparently rolling saw nose engine entering trees immediately heard crash lieutenant supports notion engine saw flying west east feet engine firing irregularly crossing end pilot sharp turn nose dropped trees dive noise engine ceased usually reports issued incident aircraft date died returns exist report pertaining accident leaving official cause crash unexplained possible engine failed installed doubt mechanical defect culprit witnesses reported pilot attempting low level stunts turns rolls years later witnesses disputed aircraft performed roll agreed trouble began machine entered attitude resembling near vertical turn remains subsequently buried nearby war cemetery death occurred months death german ace commented honoured longer elaborate funeral british wartime score victories included captured shared destroyed shared control official classification counted claim victory morning july handed sister envelope breakfast subsequently found contain medals today medals including victoria_cross displayed kent alongside brothers father original brass engraved grave plaque wooden propeller displayed shattered crashed preserved collection museum collections include uniform jacket half length portrait march contemporary subjects episode list victories complete list claims credited
James McCudden