Captain Maxwell Hutcheon Findlay (17 February 1898 – 1 October 1936) was a Scottish World War I

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

credited with 14 aerial victories. He remained in the RAF postwar for several years before going on to a civilian aviation career that ended with his death in the Johannesburg Air Race of 1936.Shores, et al, p. 155.

Early life

Maxwell Hutcheon Findlay was born on

Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...

, Scotland on 17 February 1898.

World War I

Findlay was a Scotsman living in Canada when World War I began. He returned to the British Isles to enlist in the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment). He later transferred to the

Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty (United Kingdom), Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British ...

, being promoted from probationary temporary flight officer to temporary flight sub-lieutenant on 16 April 1917. His first duty assignment, to No. 6 Naval Squadron, brought him two "out of control" victories over Albatros D.Vs in July and August 1917. He transferred to No. 1 Naval Squadron, and used a

Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel is a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith Pup and became one of the b ...

to score three more "out of control" wins on 15 November and 4 December 1917, as well as on 8 March 1918, to become an ace. On 10 March, he destroyed an Albatros D.V. On the 16th, his second win was shared with Hazel LeRoy Wallace. By 30 May, his score was 14, including a shared win with Wallace,

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James Henry Forman Captain James Henry Forman DFC (1 February 1896 - 4 October 1972) was a World War I Canadian flying ace credited with nine aerial victories. He was personally decorated by his king for his valor. After leaving military service in the 1920s, he ...

, Robert McLaughlin,

Reginald Brading Captain Reginald Carey Brenton Brading (14 May 1899 – 26 July 1926) was a British World War I flying ace credited with thirteen confirmed aerial victories. Early life Reginald Carey Brenton Brading was born in Croydon on 4 May 1899. Career ...

, R. Hemmens, and R. S. S. Orr. On 25 April 1918 he was appointed a temporary captain in the Royal Air Force.

Postwar career

On 1 August 1919 Findley was granted a permanent commission as a lieutenant in the RAF, and served in the

Third Anglo-Afghan War The Third Anglo-Afghan War was a short war which began on 3 May and ended on 8 August 1919. The new Amir of the Emirate of Afghanistan Amanullah Khan declared a Jihad against the British in the hope to proclaim full independence, as well as ...

and the Waziristan campaign. On 1 October 1920, Flying Officer Findlay resigned his commission and was permitted to retain the rank of flight lieutenant. He then turned to farming in Scotland, gaining a first-class diploma in agriculture from

Aberdeen University The University of Aberdeen (abbreviated ''Aberd.'' in post-nominals; ) is a public research university in Aberdeen, Scotland. It was founded in 1495 when William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland, petitioned Pope Al ...

. He also kept in touch with aviation; on 13 January 1925 Findlay was granted a commission in the RAF's Class "A" Reserves as a probationary flying officer, being confirmed in his rank on 13 July 1925. He relinquished his commission on completion of service on 13 January 1928, but was recommissioned as a flying officer in the Reserves on 11 May 1929. In 1930 Findlay joined

National Flying Services National Flying Services Ltd was a company aiming to create and manage a large number of airfields and flying clubs around Britain. It relied on government subsidy, and it collapsed when the subsidy was withdrawn in 1934, because the aims had not ...

Ltd., serving as chief instructor until 1933. From there he went to

Brooklands Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...

as an instructor and sales manager. Findlay was killed on 1 October 1936, while taking part in

The Schlesinger African Air Race The Schlesinger Race, also known as the ''"Rand Race"'', the ''"Portsmouth – Johannesburg Race"'' or more commonly the 'African Air Race', took place in September 1936. The Royal Aero Club announced the race on behalf of I.W. Schlesinger, Is ...

, when his

Airspeed Envoy The Airspeed AS.6 Envoy was a twin-engined light transport aircraft designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Airspeed Ltd. The Envoy originated as a heavier twin-engine derivative of Airspeed's Courier light transport aircraf ...

crashed into trees on takeoff in Abercorn,

Northern Rhodesia Northern Rhodesia was a British protectorate in Southern Africa, now the independent country of Zambia. It was formed in 1911 by Amalgamation (politics), amalgamating the two earlier protectorates of Barotziland-North-Western Rhodesia and North ...

(now

Mbala, Zambia Mbala is Zambia's most northerly large town and seat of Mbala District in Northern Province, Zambia, Northern Province, occupying a strategic location close to the border with Tanzania and controlling the southern approaches to Lake Tanganyika, 40& ...

Honours and awards

;Distinguished Service Cross :Flight Sub-Lieutenant Maxwell Hutcheon Findlay, RNAS. :For the courage and daring displayed by him as a pilot. On 8 March 1918, whilst on patrol, he engaged an Albatross scout, firing effectively from very close range. The enemy aircraft went down completely out of control. He has also destroyed or driven down out of control many other enemy machines. ;Distinguished Flying Cross :Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Maxwell Hutcheon Findlay, DSC. :A skilful and courageous patrol leader. During the past few months this officer has destroyed seven enemy machines and brought down seven more out of control. On one occasion he fought an enemy machine from 18,000 feet down to an altitude of 10,000 feet, at which point he gained an advantage and destroyed his antagonist.

Endnotes

References

* ''Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920'' (1990). Christopher F. Shores, Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest. Grub Street. , . {{DEFAULTSORT:Findlay, Maxwell 1898 births 1936 deaths Military personnel from Aberdeen Black Watch soldiers Royal Naval Air Service aviators Royal Air Force personnel of World War I British World War I flying aces Scottish flying aces British military personnel of the Third Anglo-Afghan War British military personnel of the Waziristan Campaign Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1936 Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Zambia