squadron leader april november flying ace royal_air_force raf second world war grew joined family business native scotland aged joined raf began pilot training completed training assigned city glasgow squadron raf auxiliary unit converted fighter experienced combat squadron monday october luftwaffe raid shipping combat sortie notable flown later day second sortie claimed second raf air air victory british skies saturday october involved raf air air victory mainland soil gained fame later squadron leader squadron raf equipped fighter auxiliary unit moved southern england participated large air battles combat career proved brief lasting year claimed victories half months life august november october shot ace day allied aces achieve feat time mission claimed aerial victories shared destroyed enemy aircraft included total air victories british pilot achieve feat ace day november day official end killed action took engaged formation german fighters possibly shot 22nd albeit uncredited final victory shot early life born scotland april son john educated leaving school joined local firm suit preferred open air life style keen leave unsure direction life joined father general contractor construction business spent years apprentice time given special privileges despite boss son keen fitness despite short stature built great physical strength enjoyed wine smoked occasional pipe cigar kept peak physical shape death height clean dressed spare time reading sport world war fighter pilots interest flying personalities past spurred flying joined expense founded leased managed airport second world war quickly acquired pilot licence time began military career experienced pilot soon began earning relatively quick promotions joining raf flying skills earned attention lord commanding officer squadron invited join soon commissioned raf pilot officer november joining city glasgow squadron raf comrades nicknamed shrimp owing short feet inches stature stayed squadron promoted based raf near squadron operated light bomber members squadron pilots ground staff completed service time basis evenings weekends annual week summer camp approach war squadron converted fighter role equipped outbreak war raf october month later charged defending edinburgh shipping area forth completing training deemed exceptional earned reputation good air air combat shooting rifle average shot trait shared successful pilots keen believed physical fitness critical attribute aerial combat fitness believed ensure mind body peak enable pilot react swiftly fluid battle situation considered capable leader combat aggressive fighting spirit inspiration squadron according biographer highly blunt members unit socially confident nature singled command dedication job fighter pilot leader led refuse leave squadron lasted led unit spent large proportion time squadron practising combat tactics intensely loyal considered friend attitude outside squadron utter dislike said tended black white second world war squadron hours monday october squadron section leader flight lieutenant intercepted reconnaissance lions isle fired rounds calibre machine guns enemy aircraft managed escape pilot officer flying unable effective firing position shots fired combat raf aircraft british isles action combat mission flown later day action time intercept bombers eagle attacked royal_navy warships forth near naval dockyard luftwaffe target day battlecruiser believed area fact german reconnaissance identified docked safely stage german bomber crews strict orders avoid bombing targets british civilian casualties spared available targets opportunity forth town class light cruisers plus warships including tribal class flight led began dive bombing attack ships hours british defences slow respond german attack managed engage aircraft attacked inflicted damage observing bombing runs aircraft whilst north forth bridge caught shared attack fired final burst knocking port engine eastwards forced ditch aircraft forth coming miles east coast survived action claimed lives crew members seventeen year old august nineteen bodies recovered accorded military honours raf played sea lament originally interred cemetery remains moved chase body observer recovered credited victory logged hours missing minutes downing enemy aircraft britain honour fallen flight lieutenant patrick brothers arms friendly rivals city edinburgh squadron shot hours action following october success commander chief blood area forth soon referred suicide alley luftwaffe pilots operating limit range far fighter cover saturday october flying officer patrol leading anti aircraft fire alerted presence forth section squadron led gave chase soon caught hit directed lined attack attempted flee south piloted code stab desperately tried evade faster fighters acting advice navigator commander sparse cloud cover available pursuit separated aircraft section cover quickly dispersed section closed kill enemy aircraft fire engines damaged air gunners killed wounded machine gun fire managed pilot stricken aircraft successfully crash land near village survived prisoners war debate continues day squadron pilot claim victory officially awarded share pilots enemy aircraft downed british soil raf squadron early county squadron moved converted hurricanes transferred promoted flight lieutenant assuming responsibilities flight leader june imposed strict discipline standard dress ground tactical discipline air despite strict methods held high regard popularity arose desire help mould unit disciplined fighting team august intercepted german raid mounted based norway credited destroyed encounter action awarded september reference outstanding leadership courage displayed september moved rotation command squadron leader scored victories single mission september attacked sun squadron save section left provide cover attack head break german bomber formation consisted large mass destroyed single second burst exploded damaged second rolled ground moved fire port wing snapped destroyed afternoon giving fourth success took squadron leader churchill september achieved victories september raids large formation leading fighting day christened led combat twice date claiming night hour past midnight september claimed shot medal bar followed cited excellent fighting spirit particularly brilliant led squadron skill resource october select pilots sit portraits october score rose victories ace day explained victories combat day combat report attacked number saw bomb dropped machine fired pieces fell wing dense white smoke came went violent outside spin mirror coming attack turned sharply right found opened fire saw explosive ammunition hitting machine burst flames went inverted east tail feet time appeared sky followed pulled boost control gave burst dead astern appeared hit dense white came cleared gave burst machine burst flames fell wood quarry near west thirteen days later october brought pilot fighter wing slightly wounded action managed force land near captured victory credited post war account official victory raf credited victory date death november claimed victories taking section included flight lieutenant meet flight equipped bombs section climbed high altitude meet enemy aircraft ensuing battle believed shot fighter wing captain hurricane crashed near kent claimed canterbury area november actions brought final award posthumously november cited outstanding courage determination leading squadron recognition came mention despatches december january sir secretary state air visited glasgow deliver eulogy long ago visited fighter squadron taking dark days battle island squadron lost leader air fight felt loss wounded combat withdrawn service found place taking air daring resolve proving leader leaders young come lift squadron dark hour carry fresh victories achievement spirit apparent squadron regarded greatest admiration affection officers forget impression saw died outside nominal dates july october listed roll honour raf chapel buried new cemetery glasgow list victories credited air victories shared destroyed probably destroyed damaged historians credit air victories probably destroyed damaged baker combat credit possible 22nd victory crashed area combat raf pilot claim credits victories acknowledges crashed november near victory prolific historian writer raf personnel credits victories period flew hurricane scored victories shared destroyed probable damaged august october earned distinction hurricane highest number kills later handed czech unit squadron raf january written accident april
Archie McKellar