- Russell Bannock
Infobox Person
name =Russell "Russ" Bannock
birth_date =birth date|1919|11|1|df=y
birth_place =Edmonton, Alberta ,Canada
occupation =Aviator and test pilot
spouse =
parents =
children =Russell "Russ" Bannock DSO, DFC*, (
November 1 1919 ) was a Second World War ace and chief test pilot forde Havilland Canada ,Toronto, Ontario , Canada.Early years
Russell Bannock was born in
Edmonton in 1919, and worked as a commercial pilot before the Second World War, obtaining his private pilot's license in 1938 and his commercial pilot's license in 1939.econd World War
After entering the Royal Canadian Air Force, he received his pilot's wings in 1940 and was appointed as an instructor at Trenton, Ontario. Later he was posted to
Royal Air Force Ferry Command from June to August 1942.In September 1942 Bannock became chief instructor with the Flying Instructor School at
Arnprior in Ontario. Bannock's request for overseas service was granted in 1944 and he joined 60 OTU based inHigh Ercall , England.In June 1944 Bannock was then transferred to No. 418 Squadron RCAF, flying intruder missions over Europe with the
de Havilland Mosquito Mk VI fighter-bomber. He quickly proved adept at this type of operation and achieved his first victories. In October 1944 he was promoted to Wing Commander, and took command of the squadron.Bannock also flew 'Diver' operations against the German V-1 "flying bombs" launched against London and southern England. On one mission he shot down four V-1s in one hour. A barto his DFC was added for his missions against the V-1s.
Bannock was transferred to No. 406 Squadron RCAF in November 1944 as commanding officer, and was awarded the
Distinguished Service Order .By April 1945, Bannock had destroyed 11 enemy aircraft (including 2 on the ground), 4 damaged in the air and 19.5 V-1's destroyed.
Bannock became Director of Operations, RCAF Overseas Headquarters, in London in May 1945 until September 1945 when he attended the
Royal Air Force Staff College .Post-Second World War
Retiring from the RCAF in 1946, he joined the de Havilland Aircraft Company as chief test pilot, flying prototypes like the Beaver and various short take-off and landing aircraft. In 1950 Bannock became Director of Military Sales and later Vice President. In 1968 he formed his own consulting business, Bannock Aerospace Ltd.
In 1956, Bannock was appointed an associate fellow of the
Canadian Aeronautical Institute . He was also chairman of the Canadian Aerospace Industries Association’s Export Committee 1964-- -1968, and was a director from 1976-1977.Bannock was also President of the Canadian Fighter Pilots Association, Director of the Canadian Industrial Preparedness Association, and the Canadian Exporters Association.
References
* Oswald, Mary, They Led the Way, Wetaskiwin: Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, 1999. ISBN 0-9684843-0-1
External links
* [http://www.cahf.ca Hall of Fame site]
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