Squadron Leader David Charles 'Foob' Fairbanks.

US citizen, joined RCAF in '41, did not transfer to USAAF. Served as instructor at 13SFTS until February '43. Sent to UK to complete advanced training, joined 501 Sqn on 12/1/44. In June '44, serving with 501 sqn as flight commander, he 'opened his account' over the Normandy beaches : -
In Spitfire Vb
8/6/44 Bf109 damaged
8/6/44 Bf109

In Tempest V
29/8/44 V1
17/12/44 Bf109
17/12/44 Bf109
17/12/44 Bf109 damaged
4/1/45 Fw190
14/1/45 Bf109
14/1/45 Fw190
23/1/45 Ju52 ( half claim )
23/1/45 Ju88 ( ground strafe )
23/1/45 Ju88 (ground strafe - damaged )
24/1/45 Ju52 ( ground strafe )
11/2/45 Ar234B
14/2/45 Me262 damaged
16/2/45 Bf109
16/2/45 Bf109
22/2/45 Fw190
22/2/45 Fw190
24/2/45 Fw190
28/2/45 Fw190 ( queried - not included in total )

Total : 12 + 1 shared destroyed, 3 damaged, 1 V1, 2 destroyed on ground, 1 damaged on ground, possibly 1 more queried.

Clostermann claimed in his book that Fairbanks was killed in his last action - this obviously was not so. When shot down, he broke his nose on the gunsight during his crashlanding and then had to be rescued from a crowd of angry civilians by a German Flak Officer. Returning from POW camp after the war, he claimed to have shot down one of his attackers on 28/2/45, but this was never officially confirmed - hence the 'queried' total.

Awarded the DFC with 2 Bars, he worked with Avro Canada as a test-pilot post-war.

[ 01 August 2002, 03:34 AM: Message edited by: Martin Bull ]

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