Number of Victories: 27
Adolph Gysbert Malan (24 March 1910 – 17 September 1963), better known as Sailor Malan, was a South African fighter pilot and flying ace in the Royal Air Force. He led No. 74 Squadron RAF during the Battle of Britain. At the time he was the RAF’s leading ace, and one of the highest-scoring pilots to have served wholly with Fighter Command during World War II.
Malan joined the South African Training Ship General Botha in 1924 or 1925 as a naval cadet at the age of 14, and on 5 January 1928 engaged as an officer cadet aboard the Landsdown Castle which later earned him the nickname of “Sailor” amongst his pilot colleagues. On 19 February 1932, he joined the Royal Naval Reserve as an acting sub-lieutenant, and was commissioned a sub-lieutenant on 18 June 1935.
Malan volunteered to the RAF and learned to fly in the de Havilland Tiger Moth at an elementary flying school near Bristol, flying for the first time on 6 January 1936. He was commissioned as an acting pilot officer on 2 March and completed training by the end of the year, when he was sent to join 74 Squadron. He was promoted to acting flight lieutenant on 2 March 1939.
No. 74 Squadron saw its first action only 15 hours after war was declared. Malan was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, having achieved five ‘kills’ during the evacuation of the British Army from Dunkirk on 28 May 1940. On 6 July, he was promoted to the substantive rank of flight lieutenant.
On 8 August, Malan was given command of 74 Squadron and promoted to acting squadron leader. On 11 August and intercepting a raid near Dover, 74 had claimed to have shot down 38 aircraft, and was known from then on as “Sailor’s August the Eleventh”. He finished his fighter career in 1941 with 27 destroyed, 7 shared destroyed and 2 unconfirmed, 3 probables and 16 damaged.
After tours to the USA and the Central Gunnery School, Malan was promoted to temporary wing commander on 1 September 1942 and became station commander at Biggin Hill. In October 1943 he became officer commanding No. 19 Fighter Wing, RAF Second Tactical Air Force, then commander of the No. 145 (Free French) Wing in time for D-day, leading a section of the wing over the beaches during the late afternoon.
Malan is considered an exceptional shot and a highly aggressive fighter-pilot, as well as a superb tactician who would cast an influence on successive generations of RAF fighter pilots who followed after him.