Quick Meeting With A Mossie Pilot

[JensenPark]

Saturday, we had a member of 418 "City of Edmonton" Squadron alumni come visit our museum...F/L Stuart May.

He is 89, and suffering from Parkinsons, but he came all the way from Ontario (BG-land) for one last trip to Edmonton before he passes.

Some stuff on Mr. May

The Alberta Aviation Museum and the Northern Wings Committee are pleased to announce that World War 2 pilot F/L Stuart N. May will be in attendance at the Alberta Aviation Museum on Kingsway Avenue. Mr. May flew the de Havilland Mosquito with the famed 418 Squadron. Mr. May and his Edmonton navigator Jack Ritch, are credited with the destruction of four V-1 Flying bombs. On October 17th 1944, May and Ritch were shot down in Czechoslovakia behind enemy lines. Surviving the crash landing of their aircraft, they evaded capture for six months with the aid of Partisans and Russian troops before eventually returning home at war's end.

During the Second World War, 418 Intruder Squadron rose to prominence as "The City of Edmonton Squadron". This unit the highest scoring RCAF squadron in the war and were formally adopted by Edmonton City Council in March, 1944. They flew day and night operations from bases in Great Britain and Northern Europe and were successful in downing significant numbers of German aircraft and V-1 flying bombs.

a neat site of someone 'rebuilding' his plane: http://www.iconicaircraft.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2943&p=145141

Being interviewed...I think I'll be able to post a video of the interview

two medals he received from the Czech government about 10 years ago for his time with the resistance after being shot down.

F/L May in the cockpit simulator flying a Mossie (on MS flight sim). He commented that it compared very favourably to a Link Trainer

[JensenPark]

Me and Mr May in my hotel lobby (the hotel was a kind sponsor of his visit...)

Because of the Parkinsons, it was bit hard to understand Mr. May - but he told me that he had read the book "Terror in the Starboard Seat" (tale of the adventures of a reluctant Cdn navigator during his Mossie tour) and found it an excellent book. When shot down (they crash landed) Mr May told me he went one way with a group of partisans, and his navigator when another way with a different group. Both fled/fought/hid for half a year before reaching Russian lines. Mr May was wounded in the arm at sometime after the crash. Both survived. His navigator passed away in mid-1990's.

We ran into a couple of Air Canada pilots in the lobby. (Airbus pilots). When asked if he missed flying, Mr May replied "every day of my life".

Mr. May before going overseas in 1944, was an instructor with the BCATP. One of his pupils who he taught (in a Tiger Moth) was at the museum that day as well. Very cool.

[T_O_A_D]

Cool, thanks for sharing.

[Snacko]

Nice post JP!

I see he has externals on. Now I don't feel so bad.

[Kimosabi]

Very cool! Wish I could talk to a WW2 pilot sometime. Not many of them left.....

[MadTrooper]

Excellent story JP. Thanks for sharing it with us.

MT

[BadAim]

Good stuff! Not many of these fellows left, it's good to remember them, and their service to God and Country.

[SkyPup]

Thanks for sharing, JP!

[Cold_Gambler]

Thanks for sharing, JP!

Thanks for sharing that JP!

Good to see your using your dark powers in hotel management for good causes

[Jabo]

Thanks JP.

[JensenPark]

One thing I forgot to mention that Mr May was a two-time member of the "Caterpillar Club".

Besides the crash landing in the Mossie, he bailed out twice.

[DD_Arthur]

One thing I forgot to mention that Mr May was a two-time member of the "Caterpillar Club".

Besides the crash landing in the Mossie, he bailed out twice.

He managed to bail out of a Mossie twice! That is no mean achievement. Not the easiest of planes to escape from in a hurry. I seem to recall the navigator has to go first, whether out the door or top of the cockpit. Terrifying.