Jul 22 2018
Squadron Leader Geoffrey Harris Augustus Wellum DFC passed away on 18 July 2018, aged 96. A former RAF fighter pilot, he took part in the Battle of Britain in 1940. He remained in frontline service until 1943, when he became a test pilot on the Hawker Typhoon and ended the war as a gunnery instructor. …
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Feb 22 2018
Squadron Leader Miroslav “Tony” Liškutín DFC died on 19 February 2018. Born on 23 August 1919 in Czechoslovakia, he fled to France at the time of the German invasion. After serving with the French Foreign Legion, he joined the RAF, becoming operational as a fighter pilot in September 1941. Serving with several RAF units, he …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2018/02/22/miroslav-tony-liskutin-dfc-%e2%80%a0/
Feb 06 2018
Margot Duhalde, the only woman to join the Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres (FAFL, Free French Air Force), passed away on 5 February 2018 in Santiago de Chili. Born in 1920, she was of French origin and became a pilot in 1938. Following de Gaulle’s call, she joined the FAFL in March 1941 but was not …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2018/02/06/margot-duhalde-free-french-pilot-has-died/
Dec 28 2017
Jerome “Jerry” Yellin, who flew the last American combat mission of World War II, passed away on December 21. On 15 August 1945, Yellin and his wingman Philip Schlamberg of the 78th Fighter Squadron took off from Iwo Jima to strafe Japanese airfields near Nagoya. Japan was imminently expected to surrender and the pair was to …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/12/28/jerome-jerry-yellin-%e2%80%a0/
Nov 14 2017
Thomas J. Hudner Jr., the only US Naval aviator to be awarded the Medal of Honor during the Korean War, died age 93 at his home in Concord, Massachusetts, on 13 November 2017. Born on 31 August 1924, Thomas Hudner was flying F4U Corsairs with VF-32 when the Korean War broke out. On 4 December 1950, …
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Aug 25 2017
Stephen C. Ananian, who flew P-51 Mustangs with the 339th Fighter Group during World War II passed away on June 28, 2017. Stephen was born on Christmas Day 1922 and joined the Army Air Corps after Pearl Harbor. He was deployed to the UK with the 339th FG and was shot down on his first …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/08/25/stephen-c-ananian-%e2%80%a0/
Feb 13 2017
Gaël Taburet, the last surviving Normandie-Niémen pilot, passed away on February 10 in Southern France, aged 97. Born in 1919, Taburet enlisted in the French air force in 1938 and received his pilot’s wings in 1939. In January 1944, he volunteered to join the Normandie fighter regiment (later renamed Normandie-Niémen by Stalin in recognition of …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/02/13/gael-taburet-last-surviving-normandie-niemen-pilot-has-passed-away/
Dec 15 2016
John “Jock” Moffat, the Swordfish pilot who crippled the German battleship Bismarck on 26 May 1941, has died at the age of 97. On the day of the attack, it is believed that Moffat and his crew were able to launch a torpedo that struck and jammed Bismarck’s rudder, preventing it from escaping from the …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/12/15/jock-moffat-%e2%80%a0/
Dec 08 2016
John Herschel Glenn Jr. passed away today, aged 95. While he is especially famous for being the first American to orbit the Earth, he led a very rich aeronautical career as a fighter and test pilot, and was three times a US senator. Born in 1921, Glenn joined the US Navy after Pearl Harbor and …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/12/08/john-glenn-first-american-in-orbit-has-passed-away/
Oct 25 2016
Legendary pilot Bob Hoover passed away today aged 94. He is often considered as one of the greatest pilots of all times. Born in 1922, Hoover became a fighter pilot and flew 59 combat missions before being shot down in 1944. He was captured and spent 16 months in German prisons before escaping by stealing …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/10/25/bob-hoover-passes-away/
Jun 23 2016
David J. Thatcher, one of the two remaining survivors of the famous Doolittle Raid, passed away on June 22, 2016 in Missoula, Montana. “Dick” Cole, a close friend of Thatcher, is now the sole surviving member of the group of 80 men who attacked Japan on 18 April 1942. Although such honours are rarely accorded …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/06/23/two-aviation-legends-pass-away-david-thatcher-and-punchy-powell/
Jun 11 2016
The American ace of Greek origin Spiros Pisanos, known as “Steve” or the “Flying Greek”, passed away on June 6, aged 96. He was credited with 10 confirmed aerial victories during World War II and received 33 decorations and distinctions during his career as a fighter pilot, which lasted until 1974. Born in Greece in …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/06/11/spiros-steve-pisanos-%e2%80%a0/
Feb 21 2016
The famous Eric “Winkle” Brown, one of World War Two’s best-known veteran and test pilot passed away today aged 97. Born in 1919, Captain Eric Brown CBE, DSC, AFC, Hon FRAeS, RN discovered aviation in 1936 in Germany with Ernst Udet and joined the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm during the war. His superb pilot …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/02/21/eric-winkle-brown-%e2%80%a0/
Feb 13 2016
Air Commodore John Mitchell, who has died aged 97, was the navigator of Winston Churchill’s personal aircraft during the Second World War. A veteran of a bomber tour and a specialist navigator, Mitchell was selected for the crew flying Churchill’s VVIP aircraft in late 1942. Earlier, the prime minister had flown in RAF and civil …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/02/13/air-commodore-john-mitchell-%e2%80%a0/
Jan 31 2016
Flight Lieutenant Eric Garland, who has died aged 95, served throughout the Second World War, initially in the Army and then with the RAF; he was decorated three times, including two MCs for gallantry. Read his obituary on The Telegraph.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/01/31/flight-lieutenant-eric-garland-%e2%80%a0/
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