Cobber Kain

[Jon]

What airfield was Cobber Kain killed on during June 1940, also what Fairey Battle Squadrons, if any, were also based at the airfield.

[Peter Clare]

By 6 June 1940 Kain was the RAF's top ace, and he was informed he would be returning to England the next day. As he took off from Bois airfield he commenced a series of slow rolls, and his wing tip touched the ground. Kain was killed in the subsequent crash. He is buried in Choloy Military Cemetery.

[Many Souffan]

[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']The 3rd june 40, the 73 Squadron is now in Echemines, near Troyes. [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']2 days later "Cobber" shot down his last aircraft. It will be confirmed.[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']he is very tired. He is the last pilot of the squadron who came in France in September 39. In the 3rd week of May, the HQ of the BEF asked to him to stay a litlle more to make instruction to the new pilots. He accepted.[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']The same day, the 5th june, "Cobber" receive the confimation that he is posted as instructor in England.[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']The evening, he goes to Paris with Noel Monks the reporter of the Daily Mail.[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']The 6th june He was drinking at the terrasse of the Fouquet’s on Champs Elysees with Noel Monks when he see walking Paul Richey, who was a pilot of 1 Squadron, wounded since 19th may. In his wonderful book “Fighter Pilot” Paul remembered this meeting…[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']“I walked down the ChampsElysées towards the concorde one afternoon and stumbled across Cobber Kain sitting at a pavement table with Noel Monks, air correspondent of the daily mail. Over a drink Cobber told me the rest of the original73 squdron had gone back to England and that the squadron had been re-formed. He had stayed behind to help get things going,but was off in a couple of days. He was on a few hours’ leave. He said they’d had some losses – five killed and several wounded, I think- and told me his personal score of Huns was seventeen. I noticed that he was nervous and preoccupied, and kept savagely matches in one hand while he glowered in the middle distance. Like the rest of us, he’d had enough for a while…”[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']The next day the 7th june at 11.15 AM, Cobber take off with the TP. B / L1826 to convoy it to England. It was the last Hurricane with the old wooden propeller Watts. When was over the base of Echemine, he begin to make Flick-rolls to say goodbye to his brothers in arms…[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']Since he came to the 73 Squadron Cobber Kain was considered as the best aerobatic pilot of the Squadron. It was him with “Fanny” Orton who presented the Gloster Gladiator at the Empire Air day at Hendon in 1938. It was always him who was choosen to show the quality of the Hurricane in the French base. The last one, it was few weeks ago on the base of the French Group II/5 Groupe Lafayette for a race between Curtiss Hawk and Hurricane. If he lost the race ( the pilot of the Curtiss was the Cezch pilot, Sgt Chef Frantisek Chabera), during the virtual dog fight and with the weight et the speed of the Hurricane, Cobber won the dog fight.[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']But it is not the same thing with an old Hurricane not enough powerful. Cobber is at 250 meter when he begins his Flick rolls by the left. A first, a second, but at the third it was the accident. The Hurricane looses the speed and goes in fast spin to the right. In a surge of pride, cobber manages to raise the plane, but the engine stop. The Hurricane crash and burn, but at the contact, the pilot is ejected from the plane at twenty meter near a big tree. Touched at the head, Cobber dies at the time.[/font]

it was the sad end of a great pilot born to be a pilot.

[Many Souffan]

Sorry for the problem of computer

Originally Posted by Many Souffan

[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']The 3rd june 40, the 73 Squadron is now in Echemines, near Troyes. [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']2 days later "Cobber" shot down his last aircraft. It will be confirmed.[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']he is very tired. He is the last pilot of the squadron who came in France in September 39. In the 3rd week of May, the HQ of the BEF asked to him to stay a litlle more to make instruction to the new pilots. He accepted.[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']The same day, the 5th june, "Cobber" receive the confimation that he is posted as instructor in England.[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']The evening, he goes to Paris with Noel Monks the reporter of the Daily Mail.[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']The 6th june He was drinking at the terrasse of the Fouquet’s on Champs Elysees with Noel Monks when he see walking Paul Richey, who was a pilot of 1 Squadron, wounded since 19th may. In his wonderful book “Fighter Pilot” Paul remembered this meeting…[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']“I walked down the ChampsElysées towards the concorde one afternoon and stumbled across Cobber Kain sitting at a pavement table with Noel Monks, air correspondent of the daily mail. Over a drink Cobber told me the rest of the original73 squdron had gone back to England and that the squadron had been re-formed. He had stayed behind to help get things going,but was off in a couple of days. He was on a few hours’ leave. He said they’d had some losses – five killed and several wounded, I think- and told me his personal score of Huns was seventeen. I noticed that he was nervous and preoccupied, and kept savagely matches in one hand while he glowered in the middle distance. Like the rest of us, he’d had enough for a while…”[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']The next day the 7th june at 11.15 AM, Cobber take off with the TP. B / L1826 to convoy it to England. It was the last Hurricane with the old wooden propeller Watts. When was over the base of Echemine, he begin to make Flick-rolls to say goodbye to his brothers in arms…[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']Since he came to the 73 Squadron Cobber Kain was considered as the best aerobatic pilot of the Squadron. It was him with “Fanny” Orton who presented the Gloster Gladiator at the Empire Air day at Hendon in 1938. It was always him who was choosen to show the quality of the Hurricane in the French base. The last one, it was few weeks ago on the base of the French Group II/5 Groupe Lafayette for a race between Curtiss Hawk and Hurricane. If he lost the race ( the pilot of the Curtiss was the Cezch pilot, Sgt Chef Frantisek Chabera), during the virtual dog fight and with the weight et the speed of the Hurricane, Cobber won the dog fight.[/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif'] [/font]
[FONT='Times New Roman','serif']But it is not the same thing with an old Hurricane not enough powerful. Cobber is at 250 meter when he begins his Flick rolls by the left. A first, a second, but at the third it was the accident. The Hurricane looses the speed and goes in fast spin to the right. In a surge of pride, cobber manages to raise the plane, but the engine stop. The Hurricane crash and burn, but at the contact, the pilot is ejected from the plane at twenty meter near a big tree. Touched at the head, Cobber dies at the time.[/font]

it was the sad end of a great pilot born to be a pilot.

yes ..the best i wonder what he would have made in BOB....
GARY

[Smithy]

Gary, it is actually doubtful whether Cobber would have necessarily seen combat during the BoB, if he had not have had his accident. He was due to return home initially for R & R (he had been on service with 73 the longest of any of the pilots to originally go to France with them) during which time he was due to be married. After this rest period he was to be posted as an instructor. Few of the Battle of France originals from 73 saw service during the BoB, from memory and without consulting my sources, I can only off the top of my head think of Lucky Lovett seeing operational action during the Battle.

If history had turned out differently, Cobber would eventually have returned to ops, although I imagine this would've been after the BoB. All of this though so sadly did not happen.

[Amrit1]

Coincidently, I just picked up the latest copy of Flypast magazine today, and there's an article about Kain and his Gladiator. Interesting read.

Originally Posted by Smithy

Gary, it is actually doubtful whether Cobber would have necessarily seen combat during the BoB, if he had not have had his accident. He was due to return home initially for R & R (he had been on service with 73 the longest of any of the pilots to originally go to France with them) during which time he was due to be married. After this rest period he was to be posted as an instructor. Few of the Battle of France originals from 73 saw service during the BoB, from memory and without consulting my sources, I can only off the top of my head think of Lucky Lovett seeing operational action during the Battle.

If history had turned out differently, Cobber would eventually have returned to ops, although I imagine this would've been after the BoB. All of this though so sadly did not happen.

HI.yes lucky lovett was one but was unlucky ,as he was killed in BOB.thanks for info.
gary