TOP MOSQUITO NIGHT FIGHTER ACE

Denis: Thanks for that gen. Had he not been shot down, I wonder how many kills Bob Braham would have chalked up.

Its also interesting to note how two of these aces went on to be test pilots for de Havilland, with John Cunningham making the first flight of the Comet and Russ Bannock making the first flight of the Beaver.

Three names spring to mind as ace Mossy night fighter jocks – Cunningham: Braham: Bannock. But who was top?

Cunningham – legendary, but not the top scorer?

Braham – top scorer when shot down (and captured?) in mid-44.

Bannock – harvested V-1 buzz bombs over Southern England.

Anyone know the official scores of these pilots? Was anyone else in their league?

Many thanks.

G/C John Cunningham(RAF) 20 confirmed night kills

W/C Branse Burbridge(RAF) 21 confirmed night kills + 3 V1’s

W/C Russ Bannock (RCAF) 25 kills listed, of which 11 were night fighters +19 V1’s. I cannot find a definative score for this pilot. All reports give a different score:confused:

W/C Bob Braham is credited with 24 kills, I can find 20 actual night kills if you add up his scores. the others seem to be daylights, again not clear from the information I have.

The top scoring Night fighter Squadron however has to be 410 (RCAF) ‘Cougar’ Squadron, with 78.75 enemy aircraft destroyed, two probables and eight damaged.

Wing commander Branse Burbridge, DSO, DFC, of 85 Squadron and his Navigator F/L Skelton springs readily to mind as the best night fighter crew. According to sources, he shot down four aircraft in one night, three JU88-G’s and a Bf110.
Had the pleasure to meet this wonderful gentleman at the Hunsdon airfield memorial in 2005, he was then aged 92 but still took the reading. His score stands at 21 aircraft and three V1’s.

W/C Branse Burbridge DSO DFC addressing the crowd at Hunsdon airfield memorial dedication in 2005.

http://hunsdonmemorial.tripod.com