Air Marshal Frank Walter Mussell CLM (born 31 May 1932) is a retired commander of the now defunct Rhodesian Air Force and of the Air Force of Zimbabwe. Frank Walter Mussell was born on 31 May 1932 in Salisbury (now Harare) in

Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia was a landlocked self-governing British Crown colony in southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The region was informally k ...

. After schooling in Rhodesia and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, Mussell briefly worked as a clerk before joining the Southern Rhodesia Air Force in 1952. After two years of pilot training, Mussell was granted a permanent commission and appointed to be aide-de-camp to Sir Robert Tredgold, the Chief Justice and acting governor of Southern Rhodesia. After this tour Mussell trained on the de Havilland Vampire jet fighter and was involved in ferrying Vampires from the UK to Rhodesia. In 1961 he was promoted to

squadron leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is als ...

and appointed to command No. 5 Squadron. In 1963 Mussell returned to the UK to attend the RAF Staff College, Bracknell. On completion of his staff training he served at the Rhodesia Air Force headquarters in the operations branch before gaining a promotion to wing commander and taking up appointment as the director of plans (air) on the Rhodesian Joint Planning Staff. In 1966 Mussell was sent to Lisbon, Portugal, where he joined the Rhodesian Diplomatic Mission as the first secretary (political). He returned to Rhodesia at the end of 1967 to take up post as the officer commanding

RRAF Thornhill Gweru-Thornhill Air Base is one of the two main air bases of the Air Force of Zimbabwe located near the central city of Gweru, Thornhill Air Base is home to air force fighter squadrons and the Pilot Training School. According to ''Janes Defen ...

with a promotion to

group captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...

. On completion of his time at Thornhill, Mussell returned to Air Force headquarters as the senior air staff officer. Thereafter he was appointed director of administration. On promotion to air commodore, Mussell was appointed director-general operations. In 1973 he was promoted again to

air vice-marshal Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes ...

and appointed Air Force Chief of Staff. Four years later Mussell was appointed to commander of the Rhodesian Air Force in the rank of air marshal, succeeding Air Marshal 'Mick' McLaren. Mussell held the senior Rhodesian Air Force appointment until 1981, during which time Zimbabwe gained its independence and the air force was renamed the Air Force of Zimbabwe. Mussell was replaced by Air Marshal Norman Walsh, Robert Mugabe's appointee.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mussell, Frank Walter 1932 births Rhodesian people of British descent People from Harare Rhodesian Air Force air marshals White Rhodesian people Air Force of Zimbabwe air marshals Living people