Edgar Kain, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetEdgar Kain
New Zealand fighter pilot
Date of Birth: 27-Jun-1918
Place of Birth: Hastings, Hawke's Bay Region, New Zealand
Date of Death: 07-Jun-1940
Profession: fighter pilot
Nationality: New Zealand
Zodiac Sign: Cancer 
About Edgar Kain
- Edgar James Kain, DFC (27 June 1918 – 7 June 1940) was a New Zealand fighter pilot and flying ace who flew in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.
- He developed an early interest in aviation, and was accepted into the RAF in 1936.
- He completed his flight training in 1937, joined No.
- 73 Squadron RAF and flew the Gloster Gladiator and then Hawker Hurricane.
- On the outbreak of the Second World War he was sent with his squadron to France, part of the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF). Kain began flying operational sorties during the Phoney War and gained his first victory in November 1939.
- A second followed days later.
- In March he had claimed his fifth victory and became the first fighter ace—a pilot credited with five or more enemy aircraft destroyed in aerial combat—and the first recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross in the Second World War.
- During these encounters, his fighter was damaged on more than one occasion and he was wounded in action.
- The Phoney War ended on 10 May 1940 when the Battle of France and the Low Countries began.
- Within 17 days, Kain had claimed a further 12 aerial victories.
- His success so early in the war meant he was to become a household name in Britain.Deemed to be physically exhausted Kain was ordered to return home on 7 June 1940.
- Having bid farewell to his squadron, and in a gesture to his comrades, he took off in a Hurricane to perform a series of low-level aerobatics over Échemines airfield.
- Kain crashed at high speed and was killed instantly.
- At the time of his death he held the rank of flying officer and was credited with 17 aerial victories against the Luftwaffe.
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