Donald MacFadyen

Donald MacFadyen (18 December 1920 – 3 December 2009) was a Canadian flying ace of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during the Second World War. He was credited with the destruction of at least seven aircraft and five V-1 flying bombs.

From Montreal, MacFadyen joined the RCAF in May 1940. Once his training was completed, he became a flying instructor. In December 1943, having been sent to the United Kingdom a few months prior, he was posted to No. 418 Squadron. Flying a de Havilland Mosquito heavy fighter on intruder sorties to German-occupied Europe he claimed several aerial victories and his successes were recognised with an award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). Rested from operations from mid- to late-1944, he then resumed operations with a posting to No. 406 Squadron, again flying Mosquitos. He achieved more successes over France and Germany, receiving a Bar to his DFC and the Distinguished Service Order. Released from the RCAF in late 1945, he later worked in geophysical surveying. He died in Ontario, at the age of 88.

Early life Donald Aikins MacFadyen was born on 18 December 1920 in Montreal, in Canada. Once his schooling was completed, he went on to study at the University of Toronto. On the night of 6 June, MacFadyen shot down a Junkers Ju 52 transport to the north of Coulommiers airfield. A week later, No. 418 Squadron was one of those tasked with intercepting V-1 flying bombs as part of Operation Diver, the RAF's campaign against these weapons. MacFadyen was the first pilot of the squadron to achieve a success against a V-1, destroying two near Dungeness on the night of 16 June. He destroyed three more V-1s over the English Channel on the night of 6 July.

Service with No. 406 Squadron Later in July, MacFadyen was rested from operations and was posted back to No. 60 OTU on instructing duties but was transferred to No. 54 OTU the following month. In November he joined No. 406 Squadron. Based at Manston, it was equipped with Mosquitos and tasked with intruding duties. On the night of 21 February 1945, MacFadyen, who was now paired with Flight Lieutenant V. Shail as his navigator, destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 110 night fighter as it prepared to land at Störmede airfield . A week later he caught and probably destroyed a Junkers Ju 88 parked up at Hailfingen airfield. Flying at low level during the attack, his own Mosquito was damaged by debris thrown up by the Ju 88.

On the night of 3 March, MacFadyen and Shail sortied to Czechoslovakia and attacked an airfield at České Budějovice. There they destroyed one Focke Wulf 190 fighter on the ground and damaged three others. Two nights later they flew to southern Germany and at Gerolzhofen, shot down a Ju 88, which crashed into the River Main. A return to Czechoslovakia on the night of 24 March saw MacFadyen destroy one He 111 and damaged four others on the ground at Bystrice landing ground near Prague. On the night of 9 April, he shot down a pair of Ju 88s within minutes of each other near Lübeck. The second of these was believed to be No. 406 Squadron's 50th aerial victory. Towards the end of April, he was awarded a Bar to his DFC; this was in "recognition of gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations". He was also promoted to acting squadron leader.

On a sortie to attack the airfield at Eferding, carried out on the night of 24 April, MacFadyen damaged a Ju 88 on the ground. This was his final claim of the war and once hostilities in Europe ended, the squadron relocated to Predannack. MacFayden was repatriated to Canada in September. The following month he was appointed to the Distinguished Service Order. The citation for his DSO specifically mentioned his exploits at Bystrice landing ground on 24 March. He was discharged from the RCAF on 25 October.

Later life On his return to civilian life, MacFadyen found employment with Kenting Aviation and carried out aerial mapping. He was an early proponent of the use of this technique for identifying deposits of magnetic minerals. He later worked for geophysical surveying companies and studied gemology, becoming a fellow of the Canadian and British Gemological Associations. Having retired to Ontario, MacFadyen died at his home on 3 December 2009. He was survived by his wife and two children.

MacFadyen is credited with having destroyed seven aircraft and five V-1 flying bombs, and one aircraft deemed to have been probably destroyed. He destroyed five more aircraft on the ground, as well as one probably destroyed and seventeen damaged.