James McCudden VC

Flying Fury

James McCudden (28 March 1895 - 9 July 1918) was a British flying ace of the First World War and among the most highly decorated airmen in British military history. His daring exploits earned him a tremendous reputation and, ultimately, an untimely end. 'Flying Fury' is a gripping first hand account of some of aviation history's most dramatic episodes in a memoir completed at the tender age of twenty-three, just days before his tragic death. 'This officer is considered, by the record he has made, by his fearlessness, and by the very great service he has rendered to his country, deserving of the very highest honour.' V.C Citation for Captain James McCudden - The London Gazette dated 29th March,1918. McCudden joined the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in 1913 and at the outbreak of war in 1914 flew as an observer before training as a fighter pilot in 1916. During his time in France with the RFC he rose from mechanic to pilot and flight commander. Following his first kill in September 1916, McCudden shot down a total of fifty-seven enemy planes, including a remarkable three in a single minute in January 1918. A dashing patrol leader, he combined courage, loyalty, and judgment, studying the habits and psychology of enemy pilots and stalking them with patience and tenacity. 'Flying Fury' is both a valuable insight into the world of early aviation and a powerful account of courage and survival above the mud and trenches of Flanders. On 9 July 1918, McCudden was killed in a flying accident when his aircraft crashed on takeoff due to engine failure.