Cobber kain biography of christopher
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He pressed the gun button on his spade-grip control column at a range of less than 250 yards, and the Hurricane shuddered as all eight .303in Brownings spewed forth deadly hail of bullets. He was "Cobber" Kain who, even when the western front was quiet seemed able to find and knock down every German plane in his part of the sky.
When they can't dogfights develop.
‘Cobber’ Kain – first RAF Hurricane Ace, first RAF air ace of the WWII, and first to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross
“‘Cobber’ Kain was 73 Squadron’s most split-arse pilot.
‘Titch’ Pyne (lost on 14 May 1940, one of three No. 73 Squadron pilots killed in combat with Bf 109Es that day) had also chosen targets on this opening pass as more enemy fighters committed to the engagement. He was wounded by shrapnel in his left leg and hand.
Kain, who was a few weeks short of his 23rd birthday, was the first airman to win distinction in France in the present war.
While on leave in England last April, Kain announced his engagement to Joyce Phillips, 23-year-old actress.
Record Will Inspire
Wellington, New Zealand, June 10 — (CP-Reuters) — Prime Minister Peter Fraser said today, the death of Flying Officer E.
J. (Cobber) Kain in action has caused the deepest sorrow throughout New Zealand.
"His record will inspire his fellow countrymen in the air force," he said.
"New Zealanders unite in paying heartfelt tribute to the memory of those brave young men who fought and died that the homeland may survive and resume the ways of peace." _________________________________________________
“COBBER” KAIN IN FATAL FLYING ACCIDENT
First British Air Ace of the War
11 June 1940 - Flying Officer E.
J. "Cobber" Kain, intrepid New Zealand pilot and Britain’s first air ace of the war, has been killed on active service in a flying accident, it was learned in London yesterday. Only last April he had announced his engagement, but then came May and the invasion of Belgium and the bombings and the battles above the clouds — and death.
It is the old story of war.
He was known as “Cobber,” a New Zealand slang word for "pal."
Two Narrow Escapes
He had two narrow escapes. He was told he’d be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this, as it marked his fifth kill, earning him the status of Flying Ace. With this announcement, Kain became a well-known figure throughout the Allied nations.
He managed to side-slip to an airfield behind the Maginot Line. Kain was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross last March for gallantry in attacking, with another plane, seven Nazi bombers, and chasing them into German territory. On the Dutch battle field important railway bridges were attacked and a fire was seen to break out following a direct hit from 4000 feet.
He is up against machines carrying small cannon and a concentration of machine gun fire sufficient to chew a plane to pieces in the space of two or three seconds. In doing so he put aside all the plans of life, plans which youth has a right to make, expecting realization. A favorite trick - one employed to cripple Flying- Officer Kain's machine - is for several German fighters to engage Allied machines, while, at a higher altitude, two or more fast Messerschmitts hang, poised, ready to swoop upon any stray British or French machine that for one or another reason separates from a group.
He had been rested from operations and decided to mark his departure with an aerobatic display over the aerodrome at Echimenes, France, on Jun. 7, 1940. Watching from their cockpits, a further trio of No. 73 Squadron pilots continued their preparations for the next patrol over the Franco-German border.
“Word quickly filtered through to them that the returned section had engaged the enemy, with some success.
They are none the less proud because he is a New Zealander, but why should there be continued anonymity for our home-grown heroes. Following their leader into the fray, Flying Officer J.C. ‘Tub’ Perry (who was killed in a landing accident just three days later) and Sergeant T.B.G. Just one more "beat up," he promised his mates, but he never completed it.
Kain came to minutes later in cloud, and landed in a field near small French border village of Ritzing, just half a mile west of Germany.
“His two colleagues returned to Rouvres unscathed and quickly reported their engagement to No. 73 Squadron’s adjutant, Pilot Officer ‘Henry’ Hall.
Despite the fact that the British Air Ministry says there will be no British Air Aces in this war, the late Cobber Kain, above, came mighty close to being one. The man who rides a bomber or fighter into battle today is getting into something which extends six miles up and several hundred miles in every other direction.
Within a minute, all three fighters had barked into life. Although they were within reach of the enemy, they had very little contact with the Germans during this period, which became known as the Phoney War.
On November 8, 1939, Kain scored the first aerial victory for his squadron and the Dominion pilots.
Kain, who was a few weeks short of his 23rd birthday, was the first airman to win distinction in France in the present war.
While on leave in England last April, Kain announced his engagement to Joyce Phillips, 23-year-old actress.
Wellington, New Zealand, June 10 — (CP-Reuters) — Prime Minister Peter Fraser said today, the death of Flying Officer E.
First British Air Ace of the War
He had two narrow escapes. He was told he’d be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this, as it marked his fifth kill, earning him the status of Flying Ace. With this announcement, Kain became a well-known figure throughout the Allied nations.
Despite the fact that the British Air Ministry says there will be no British Air Aces in this war, the late Cobber Kain, above, came mighty close to being one.
The man who rides a bomber or fighter into battle today is getting into something which extends six miles up and several hundred miles in every other direction.
Within a minute, all three fighters had barked into life. Although they were within reach of the enemy, they had very little contact with the Germans during this period, which became known as the Phoney War.
On November 8, 1939, Kain scored the first aerial victory for his squadron and the Dominion pilots.