John A. Kent
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John Alexander Kent DFC* AFC |
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|---|---|
"Johnny" Kent posing in front of a Hurricane, October 1940
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| Nickname(s) | "Johnny" "Kentski" "Kentowski" |
| Born |
23 June 1914 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Died | 7 October 1985 (aged 71) Woking, Surrey, England. |
| Allegiance | British Empire |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1935–1956 |
| Rank | Group Captain |
| Unit |
303 Squadron 92 Squadron |
| Commands held |
Kenley Wing Station Commander RAF Church Stanton Chief Test Pilot Royal Aircraft Establishment RAE Farnborough Royal Aircraft Establishment Station Commander Odiham Station Commander RAF Tangmere |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | |
| Relations | Eliza and Robert Kent (parents) Stuart (son), Joanna (daughter) & Alexandra (daughter) |
| Other work | Sales manager |
Group Captain John Alexander "Johnny" Kent DFC* AFC Virtuti Militari (23 June 1914 – 7 October 1985), nicknamed "Kentski" (sometimes given as "Kentowski") by his Polish comrades, was a Canadian fighter ace flying in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Considered one of the best young squadron leaders of the war, he went on to a distinguished postwar career before entering the aviation industry.
John Alexander Kent was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada where he learned to fly and obtained his licence in 1931. He obtained a commercial licence in 1933 after working for the Northwest Aero Marine Company and became the youngest to achieve this in Canada.
In 1935, Kent joined the RAF and was posted to 5 FTS (Flying Training School) on 15 March before joining 19 Squadron at RAF Duxford in February 1936 where he remained until October 1937 when he moved to the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) at Farnborough. For his research work, during which he deliberately made over 300 airborne collisions with various types of barrage balloon, Kent was awarded a well-deserved Air Force Cross (AFC) on 1 February 1939.
Kent was posted to the Photographic Development Unit (PDU) in May 1940 flying unarmed Supermarine Spitfires in France. During the late stages of the Fall of France, while on a low-level sortie with an armed Spitfire, he was attacked by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 that subsequently crashed during the encounter. By early July, he was posted to RAF Hawarden flying Hawker Hurricane fighters. On 2 August 1940, as a Flight Commander, Kent joined 303 Squadron, a newly formed squadron consisting of Polish pilots based at RAF Northolt throughout the Battle of Britain.
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