Victory
27
Biography
Born in Wellington, South Africa, Adolf Malan became involved in the RAF in 1936. At the end of his period of instruction, he was designated to join Sqn 74, where he piloted at the beginning of the Hawker Demon, then of the Gloster Gauntlets. At the beginning of 1939, the unit was equipped with the new Spitfires, and Malan reached the rank of Flt Lt. In May 1940, his Sqn played an active role in the air battle of Dunkirk, where Malan managed to shoot down 3 planes enemies, 2 more in collaboration and in to damage 3 more. For this feat, he was awarded the DFC. In the interval between the evacuation of Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain, Malan carried out a few night sorties. During one of them, the night of 18 June 19, he succeeded in shooting down two He 111s (data confirmed by the German archives). For this new achievement, a bar was added to the first medal.
In August 1940, he benefited from a promotion and became Sqn Ldr, taking charge of command of 74 Sqn. His list of victories was growing, and on March 1, 1941, he had 15 planes shot down, 6 shot down in collaboration, 2 probable destructions and 7 aircraft damaged. At the end of the Battle of Britain Malan had a solid reputation as an aerial strategist, and the tactical formation he had developed was adopted by most of the Fighter Aircraft Department's day fighter units by 1941, and his famous Ten Air Fight Commands were distributed throughout the Department. Alluding to Malan, ACM Sir Hugli Dowding said:"I admired him and held him to be one of the most brilliant elements of Fighter Command. He was a pilot concerned not only with his own results, but also and above all with the effectiveness of his squadron and the safety of the pilots who fought under his command". In March 1941, he was appointed Chief of the Fighter of Biggin Ilill, then equipped with SpifireV. His final record was 27 aircraft shot down, 7 shot down in collaboration, 3 probables destroyed and 16 aircraft damaged. Malan left the RAF in the aftermath of the war and returned to his native South Africa , where he actively participated in the struggle against apartheid. He died in 1963.