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Squadron Leader Archibald Ashmore McKellar〔 DSO DFC & Bar (10 April 1912 – 1 November 1940) was a flying ace of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. McKellar grew up and joined the family business in his native Scotland, but in 1936, aged 24, he joined the RAF and began pilot training. He completed his training in 1938 and was assigned to No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron RAF, an Auxiliary Unit. In 1939 he converted to the Supermarine Spitfire fighter. He experienced his first combat with No. 602 Squadron, credited with two victories soon after the outbreak of war in 1939 against German bombers attacking Royal Navy ships and installations over northern Britain during the "Phoney War" period. McKellar's first victory earned him the distinction of being the first pilot to shoot down a German aircraft over the British Isles during the war. A year later, he gained fame in 1940 during the Battle of Britain as a part of, and later Squadron Leader of, No. 605 Squadron RAF, equipped with the Hawker Hurricane fighter. The Auxiliary Unit was moved to southern England and participated in the large air battles. McKellar's combat career proved to be very brief, lasting just over a year. He claimed all but two of his victories within the last two and a half months of his life; 15 August–1 November 1940. On 7 October 1940 he shot down five Messerschmitt Bf 109s, thus becoming an ace in a day; one of only 24 Allied aces to achieve the feat. At the time of his last mission he had claimed 21 aerial victories and another two shared destroyed against enemy aircraft. Included in this total of 21 air victories are 11 Bf 109s.〔Holmes 1998, p. 106.〕〔Shores and Williams 1966, p. 226.〕 McKellar, along with Brian Carbury, were the only British pilots to achieve the feat of "Ace in a Day" during the Battle of Britain.〔Holmes 2007, p. 43.〕〔Price 1997, p. 94.〕〔Shores 1985, p. 49.〕〔Shores,Foreman, Ehrengardt 1992, p. 364.〕 On 1 November 1940—one day after the official end of the Battle of Britain—he was killed in action. He took off and engaged a formation of German fighters, one of which he possibly shot down for his 22nd—albeit uncredited—and final victory. McKellar was then shot down himself.〔 ==Early life== Archibald Ashmore ("Archie") McKellar was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland on the 10 April 1912, the son of John and Margaret McKellar, of Bearsden, Dunbartonshire and was then educated at Shawlands Academy in the Southside of Glasgow. Upon leaving school he joined a local stockbroker's firm. This did not suit McKellar, who preferred an open–air life style. Keen to leave, but unsure of what direction to take in life, he joined his father's general contractor and construction business as a plasterer.〔Baker 1962, p. 133.〕 He spent five years as an apprentice plasterer. During this time he was given no special privileges despite being the boss' son.〔Bowyer 1984, p. 90.〕 McKellar was also a keen fitness enthusiast and, despite his short stature, built up a great physical strength. Though he enjoyed wine and smoked the occasional pipe or cigar he kept in peak physical shape until his death. Even at the height of the Battle of Britain he was always clean shaven and immaculately dressed.〔 McKellar's spare time was used reading about sport and First World War fighter pilots. His interest in the flying personalities of the past spurred him to take up flying. He joined at his own expense the Scottish Flying Club,〔 which had been founded in 1927; it leased and managed Renfrew Airport from 1933 until it was requisitioned during the Second World War.〔McCloskey 2009, pp. 14-15〕 McKellar quickly acquired a pilot's licence. By the time he began his military career, McKellar was a very experienced pilot, and he soon began earning relatively quick promotions.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Archie McKellar」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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