Maxwell Findlay facts for kids

Captain Maxwell Hutcheon Findlay DSC, DFC was a brave Scottish pilot. He was born on 17 February 1898 and passed away on 1 October 1936. During World War I, he became a famous "flying ace." This means he shot down or helped shoot down 14 enemy aircraft. After the war, he worked in aviation. Sadly, his life ended during an air race in 1936.

Early Life and Joining the War

Maxwell Hutcheon Findlay was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. This happened on 17 February 1898. When World War I started, he was living in Canada. He quickly returned to the United Kingdom. There, he joined the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment).

Soon after, he moved to the Royal Naval Air Service. This was a part of the navy that used airplanes. He quickly moved up in rank.

A Flying Ace in World War I

Maxwell Findlay became a skilled pilot. He flew with No. 6 Naval Squadron. In July and August 1917, he won his first two aerial battles. He forced enemy planes to go "out of control." This meant they crashed or had to land.

Later, he joined No. 1 Naval Squadron. He flew a Sopwith Camel, a famous fighter plane. He scored three more "out of control" wins. This made him a "flying ace." A flying ace is a pilot who has at least five victories.

On 10 March 1918, he destroyed another enemy plane. By 30 May, he had achieved 14 victories. Some of these wins were shared with other brave pilots. On 25 April 1918, he was made a temporary captain.

Life After the War

After World War I, Findlay stayed in the Royal Air Force (RAF). He served in other conflicts, like the Third Anglo-Afghan War. He also took part in the Waziristan campaign. In 1920, he left the RAF. He was allowed to keep his rank of flight lieutenant.

He then tried farming in Scotland. He even earned a special diploma in agriculture. But he still loved flying. He rejoined the RAF Reserves a few times. This meant he could be called back to fly if needed.

In 1930, Findlay became a chief instructor. He taught others how to fly planes. Later, he worked as an instructor and sales manager at Brooklands.

Final Flight

Maxwell Findlay was a very adventurous person. He decided to take part in a big air race. It was called The Schlesinger African Air Race. On 1 October 1936, he was taking off in his plane. It was an Airspeed Envoy. Sadly, his plane crashed into trees. This happened in Abercorn, which is now Mbala, Zambia. He passed away in the accident.

Honours and Awards

Maxwell Hutcheon Findlay received two important awards for his bravery:

Distinguished Service Cross

This award was given to him for his courage. He showed great daring as a pilot. On 8 March 1918, he fought an enemy plane very closely. The enemy aircraft crashed and was completely out of control. He also destroyed or forced down many other enemy planes.

Distinguished Flying Cross

This award recognized him as a skilled and brave leader. Over a few months, he destroyed seven enemy planes. He also forced seven more to go out of control. One time, he fought an enemy plane from very high up. He chased it down until he could destroy it.