Off topic... Cobber Kane

Sorry to digress yet again from the topic, but at least this is a little more on topic than the second amendment

I have heard of an RAF pilot called Cobber Kane who flew early in WWII, but have never come across any information about him, or heard about him, which considering how much i have read on the subject is strange.

A search of the Internet returned nothing... Does this guy exist or not? Anyone know where I might be able to find out more?

Simon

Simon,

"Cobber" Kain did indeed exist - he was from New Zealand. For information, go to www.nzpfm.co.nz/nzpfm.htm. Guess who's pictured on the title page?

Rich

Thanks Rich, that explains why the net search failed to turn up anything I guess. Kinda helps if you spell the guy's name right.

It's not entirely my fault though, that was the spelling in the source I read, I just checked

Are you sure that's the correct URL though? I just tried it, and it didn't work.

Regards,

Simon

[Vin]

Simon,

Try

http://www.tne.net.au/njh/Airpower/aces.html

Rich

Check your URL.



Vin

Hehe OK i got it... nzfpm not nzpfm...

Actually I've even been to that museum, on a trip to NZ a few years ago. It's really good, a must see for anyone contemplating a trip. They actually had ex-RNZAF pilots as guides, so they really knew what they were talking about

Anyway the reason I was looking for him was that my father recently brought me back some books of his father, (living coincidentally in New Zealand) and one of them was a book published in 1941 called 'Fighter Pilot' describing an RAF pilot's experiences in the Battle of France. All the pilots names were used either as nicknames or as Sgt C--- and so on - so I don't even know the author. But he described a pilot he knew nicknamed 'Cobber' with 73 squadron, to whom he used to talk and who was killed doing low level aerobatics on the last day in France.

I had a little suspicion it might be him and lo and behold it was.

It's a really good book, on a subject there is comparatively little about compared to the Battle of Britain. Only problem is, the author claims over 100 Germans shot down for about 2 dead and a few wounded British. But that can be put down to propaganda I guess, and doesnt detract from it too much.

Regards,

Simon

The author of Fighter Pilot was Wing Commander Paul Richey, who died aged 72 in 1989. I have in my hand a 1941 edition of the book with various cuttings relating to Richey appended. The book's former owner was apparently a friend of Richey's. There exists an 1969 edition (paperback) of which I no longer have a copy. If memory serves, as well as crediting Richey as author, other pilots mentioned are more fully identified than in the original.

[Frank_Olynyk]

There is also "Fighter Pilot's Summer", published by Grub Street. It was started by Richey, and completed by Norman Franks after Richey's death. It mostly covers Richey's time during the Battle of Britain.

There was also a biography of Cobber Kain published about five years ago. It disappeared very fast, and is probably long out of print.

Frank.

...it was too early this morning.

Rich