Archie McKellar Squadron Leader Archibald Ashmore McKellar DSO DFC & Bar ( 10 April 1912 – 1 November 1940 ) was a flying ace of the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) during the Second World War . McKellar grew up and joined the family business in his native Scotland , but in 1936 , aged 24 , he joined the RAF and began pilot training . He completed his training in 1938 and was assigned to No . 602 ( City of Glasgow ) Squadron RAF . In 1939 he converted to the Supermarine Spitfire fighter . He experienced his first combat with No . 602 Squadron , credited with two victories soon after the outbreak of war in 1939 against German bombers attacking Royal Navy ships and installations over northern Britain during the " Phoney War " period . McKellar ' s first victory earned him the distinction of being the first pilot to shoot down a German aircraft over the British Isles during the war . A year later , he gained fame in 1940 during the Battle of Britain as a part of , and later Squadron Leader of , No . 605 Squadron RAF , equipped with the Hawker Hurricane fighter . The unit was moved to southern England and participated in the large air battles . McKellar ' s combat career proved to be very brief , lasting just over a year . He claimed all but two of his victories within the last two and a half months of his life ; 15 August – 1 November 1940 . On 7 October 1940 he shot down five Messerschmitt Bf 109 s , thus becoming an ace in a day ; one of only 24 Allied aces to achieve the feat . At the time of his last mission he had claimed 21 aerial victories and another two shared destroyed against enemy aircraft . Included in this total of 21 air victories are 11 Bf 109s . On 1 November 1940 — one day after the official end of the Battle of Britain — he was killed in action . He took off and engaged a formation of German fighters , one of which he possibly shot down for his 22nd — albeit uncredited — and final victory . McKellar was then shot down himself . Early life . Archibald Ashmore ( " Archie " ) McKellar was born in Paisley , Renfrewshire , Scotland on the 10 April 1912 , the son of John and Margaret McKellar , of Bearsden , Dunbartonshire and was then educated at Shawlands Academy in the Southside of Glasgow . Upon leaving school he joined a local stockbroker ' s firm . This did not suit McKellar , who preferred an open – air life style . Keen to leave , but unsure of what direction to take in life , he joined his father ' s General contractor and construction business as a plasterer . He spent five years as an apprentice plasterer . During this time he was given no special privileges despite being the boss ' son . McKellar was also a keen fitness enthusiast and , regardless of his short stature , built up a great physical strength . Though he enjoyed wine and smoked the occasional pipe or cigar he kept in peak physical shape until his death . Even at the height of the Battle of Britain he was always clean shaven and immaculately dressed . McKellar ' s spare time was used reading about sport and First World War fighter pilots . His interest in the flying personalities of the past spurred him to take up flying . He joined at his own expense the Scottish Flying Club , which had been founded in 1927 and from 1933 until the airfield ' s requisition in the Second World War leased and managed Renfrew Airport ; and he quickly acquired a pilot ' s licence . By the time he began his military career , McKellar was a very experienced pilot , and he soon began earning relatively quick promotions . Joining the AAF and RAF . His flying skills earned him the attention of Lord Hamilton , Commanding Officer of No . 602 Squadron AAF . Hamilton invited McKellar to join the Auxiliary Air Force ( AAF ) and was soon commissioned into the RAF as a Pilot Officer on 8 November 1936 , joining No . 602 ( City of Glasgow ) Squadron RAF . McKellar ' s comrades affectionately nicknamed him " Shrimp " owing to his short , , stature . McKellar stayed with the Squadron and on 8 May 1938 was promoted to Flying Officer . Based at RAF Abbotsinch near Paisley , the squadron operated the Hawker Hind light bomber . The members of squadron — both pilots and ground staff — were reservists and completed their service on a part - time basis , in the evenings , weekends and an annual two – week summer camp . With the approach of war , the squadron converted to a fighter role and re - equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire . It mobilised on the outbreak of war at RAF Grangemouth on 6 October 1939 and then to RAF Drem a month later , charged with defending Edinburgh and the shipping area around the Firth of Forth . Upon completing training McKellar was deemed to have exceptional eyesight which earned him a reputation as a good marksman in air - to - air combat . Yet , paradoxically , when shooting with his rifle he was a well below average shot ; a trait he shared with other successful pilots . MacKellar was a keen sportsman . He believed physical fitness was a critical attribute in aerial combat ; ensuring his mind and body were always at their peak of alertness , able to react swiftly with a fluid battle situation . McKellar was also considered a capable leader in combat . Aggressive and instinctive , fighting spirit was an inspiration to his Squadron but according to one biographer , he was highly strung , vociferous and blunt with members of his unit . Nevertheless , his direct honesty and socially confident nature singled him out for command . His dedication to his job as a fighter pilot and leader led him to refuse any leave from his Squadron while the battle lasted . Invariably McKellar led from the front of his unit . He spent most hours with his Squadron practising battle techniques and tactics . While intensely loyal to anyone he considered a friend , McKellar ' s attitude to others outside of the Squadron was either of utmost friendliness or utter dislike ; having a tendency to see everything and everyone in " black and white " — with no grey areas between the extremes . Second World War . 602 Squadron . On 16 October 1939 , the Luftwaffe made its first attack on target in Great Britain . I . / " Kampfgeschwader 30 " ( KG 30 — Bomber Wing 30 ) targeted Royal Navy ships in the Firth of Forth . The target was " HMS Hood " . However , she was in dry dock and the cruiser " HMS Southampton " and destroyer " HMS Mohawk " were attacked . Though none of the bombs that struck exploded " Mohawk ' s " commander was killed . Spitfires from No . 603 ( City of Edinburgh ) Squadron joined 602 Squadron in intercepting the raid . During one attack , the cockpit canopy of " Hauptmann " Helmut Pohl ' s Junkers Ju 88 released itself . Pohl was an experienced test pilot and " Gruppenkommandeur " ( Group Commander ) of KG 30 . He had helped develop the Ju 88 and had taken part in the Polish Campaign . Pohl tried to fly northwards to take an observation position , but the aircraft was hit by the fire of Spitfires piloted by George Pinkerton and McKellar . The Ju 88 crashed into the sea , Pohl being the only survivor of his crew . The victory was credited to McKellar . Thus , McKellar is officially credited with the downing the first enemy aircraft to fall in British waters during the war . Following the 16 October success , Commander - in - Chief of Fighter Command , Air Marshall Hugh Dowding sent word to 602 Squadron ; " Well done , first blood to the auxiliaries . " This area around Firth of Forth was thus nicknamed " suicide alley " by " Luftwaffe " pilots . On 28 October 1939 McKellar intercepted a Heinkel He 111 H - 2 of Stab . / " Kampfgeschwader 26 " ( KG 26 — Bomber Wing 26 ) , code 1H + JA piloted by " Unteroffizier " Lehmkuhl . Acting on the advice of his navigator " Leutnant " Niehoff , dropped down towards cloud layers . The cover , however , quickly dispersed . Their gunners were killed , Lehmkul was hit in the back by machine gun fire and was wounded while Niehoff suffered a fractured spine during the crash – landing . Debate continues to this day as to which squadron or pilot was the victor . Post – war sources credit the victory to McKellar . It was also the War ' s first German aircraft shot down onto British soil by the RAF . 605 Squadron . In early 1940 , No . 605 ( County of Warwick ) Squadron moved to RAF Drem , as they converted to Hurricanes . McKellar was transferred to No . 605 and promoted to Flight Lieutenant , assuming the responsibilities of a flight leader on 21 June 1940 . McKellar imposed a strict routine of discipline ; both dress code on the ground and tactical discipline in the air . Regardless of his strict methods McKellar was held in high regard . His popularity was created by his desire to help mould his unit into a well - disciplined fighting team . On 15 August 1940 No . 605 intercepted a German raid against Tyneside mounted by He 111s based in Norway with " Luftflotte 5 " ( Air Fleet 5 ) . McKellar was credited with three He 111s destroyed during the encounter . For this action he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross ( DFC ) and was gazetted on 13 September 1940 and made reference to the " outstanding leadership and courage " displayed by Mckellar . On 7 September 1940 , No . 605 moved on rotation to Croydon Aerodrome under the command of Squadron Leader Walter Churchill . McKellar scored a further four victories in a single mission on 9 September . McKellar attacked with the sun at his back with his Squadron , save for one Section which was left to provide top cover against Bf 109s . The attack was made head - on to break up the German bomber formation which consisted of a large mass of He 111s . He destroyed three He 111s with a single , 12 – second burst . The first He 111 exploded . It damaged a second which rolled over and dived down into the ground . McKellar then moved his fire to a third . Its port wing snapped off . He then destroyed a Bf 109 in the afternoon giving him a fourth success . McKellar took over from Squadron Leader Churchill on the 11 September . He achieved a further three victories 15 September . The raids were made in large formation leading the fighting that day to christened the Battle of Britain Day . McKellar led 605 into combat twice on that date claiming two Bf 109s and a Do 17 . That night , at an hour past midnight , 16 September , he claimed another He 111 shot down . A Medal bar to the DFC followed which cited his " excellent fighting spirit . . . particularly brilliant tactician , and his led his Squadron with skill and resource " . On 3 October McKellar became one of the select few pilots of Fighter Command to sit for one of Cuthbert Orde ' s charcoal portraits . On 7 October his score rose by five victories , all Bf 109s — becoming an Ace in a day . McKellar explained three of the five victories in the combat that day in his combat report ; I attacked the Number One and saw a bomb being dropped from this machine . I fired and pieces fell off his wing and dense white smoke and vapour came from him and he went into a violent outside spin . In my mirror I could see another ' 109 coming to attack me and therefore turned sharply right and found myself behind another ' 109 . I opened fire and saw my De Wilde ( explosive ammuntion ) hitting his machine . It burst into flames and went down inverted east of Biggin Hill . As I again had a ' 109 on my tail I spiralled down to 15 , 000 feet and by this time there appeared to be ' 109s straggling all over the sky . I followed one , pulled my boost control and made up on him . I gave him a burst from dead astern and at once his radiator appeared to be hit as dense white vapour came back at me and my windscreen fogged up . This speedily cleared and I gave him another burst and this machine burst into flames and fell into a wood with a quarry near it , west of Maidstone . Thirteen days later , on 20 October 1940 , McKellar brought down another Bf 109 . Its pilot , " Feldwebel " Adolf Iburg from 9 " Staffel " " Jagdgeschwader 54 " ( JG 54 — Fighter Wing 54 ) , was slightly wounded in action . Iburg managed to force – land near New Romney and was captured . The victory was credited to him in a post - war account , but there is no official accreditation of the Iburg victory to McKellar by the RAF , though he was credited with another Bf 109 victory on that date . Death . By 1 November 1940 McKellar had claimed 21 victories . Taking a section of No . 605 that included Flight Lieutenant Bob Foster , up to meet a flight of Bf 109 " Jabos " ( Bf 109s equipped with bombs ) . The section climbed to high altitude to meet the enemy aircraft . In the ensuing battle it is believed McKellar was shot down by II . / " Jagdgeschwader 27 " ( JG 27 — Fighter Wing 27 ) " Hauptmann " ( Captain ) Wolfgang Lippert . McKellar ' s Hurricane MkI ( V6879 ) crashed at the side of Woodlands Manor near Adisham , Kent at 18 : 20hrs . On 8 November 1940 his actions brought a final award — the Distinguished Service Order ( DSO ) . His DSO was gazetted posthumously on 26 November 1940 and again cited both ' outstanding courage and determination ' in leading his squadron . Further recognition came in a Mention in Despatches gazetted on 31 December 1940 . On 16 January 1941 Sir Archibald Sinclair , Secretary of State for Air , visited Glasgow to deliver the eulogy ; Not long ago I visited a fighter squadron which was taking part during the dark days in the battle of this island . That squadron lost its leader in an air fight — and they felt the loss . He had been wounded in combat and had been withdrawn from service . I found in his place , taking to the air with daring resolve , proving himself a leader amongst leaders , a young Scot . His name was Archie McKellar . He had come from the City of Glasgow Squadron to lift up this squadron in its dark hour and to carry it on to fresh victories and achievement by his spirit . It was quite apparent to me that he had the whole squadron with him . He was regarded with the greatest admiration and affection by his officers . I will never forget the impression he made upon me when I saw him . As McKellar died outside the Air Ministry " nominal " dates for the Battle of Britain ( 10 July — 31 October 1940 ) , he is not listed on the Battle of Britain roll of honour at The RAF Chapel , Westminster Abbey . McKellar is buried at the new Eastwood Cemetery , Thornliebank , Glasgow . List of victories . Historian Alfred Price credited McKellar with 17 air victories , three shared destroyed , five probably destroyed and three damaged . Historians Christopher Shores and Clive Williams credit him with 21 air victories , three probably destroyed and three damaged as does E . C . R Baker . In his last combat they credit him with a possible 22nd victory , since a Bf 109 crashed in the area of his last combat and no RAF pilot made a claim . John Foreman credits him with at least 17 victories and acknowledges the unclaimed Bf 109 that crashed on 1 November 1940 near to McKellar might have been his last victory . Chaz Bowyer , another prolific historian and writer on RAF personnel credits McKellar with at least 20 victories . During the period he flew Hurricane " P3308 " , McKellar scored 13 victories and shared one more destroyed , four probable and one damaged , between 15 August and 7 October 1940 . Thus earned the distinction of being the Hurricane with the highest number of kills during the Battle of Britain . It was later handed over to a Czech unit , No . 312 Squadron RAF on 4 January 1941 and written off in an accident on 30 April 1941 .