Spitfire MkVb
N 91 Squadron - 1941
Pilot : Flt Lt Jean Demozay
21 confirmed victories (+ 9 probable)


In September 1939 when Britain and France declared war on Germany, Jean Demozay was transferred to N 1 Squadron of the Royal Air Force as an interpreter and stayed with them until the unit left France in June 1940. He was not able to leave the country with the squadron but managed to reach England About mid-June with an abandoned Bristol Bombay aircraft in good working order.

There he convinced the authorities and military officials he was a fighter pilot and had been flying with the French Air Force, so he was accepted and signed up with the Free French Air Force using the name of "Morlaix" and on September 16th 1940 he was posted to 1 Squadron Royal Air Force based at Northolt, not as an interpreter but as a fighter pilot. During this time he made no claims for enemy aircraft shot down even though reports stated theat he was an exceptionally fine fighter pilot. 

Jean-Francois Demozay had to wait until November 8th 1940 when he was positioned east of Sutton Bridge went in an attacked a Ju88. Although the claim was only for a damage Ju88, he was to go on and achieve a remarkable record of 18 destroyed, 2 probables and 4 damaged. By March 1941, he had been promoted to flight commander and was awarded the DFC.

In June 1941, he was transferred to 242 Squadron for a short period, and it was while here that he was to claim two Bf109s destroyed on 22nd and 23rd respectively. On July 5th 1941 he was transferred to 91 Squadron changing from Hurricanes to Spitfire Vb's.

In the early months of 1942, he was to end his first tour and was sent to 11 Group HQ, but was returned to 91 Squadron by June as the commanding officer of the squadron at the same time being awarded a bar to his DFC and by the end of the year he was relieved of his command not to see combat action ever again. He was  promoted to Wing Commander and sent back the Headquarters of 11 Group Fighter Command and was awarded a DSO. 

In February 1943 he was posted to North Africa with the task of forming a flying school for Free French pilots. Jean-Francois stayed in North Africa until April 1944 when he was told to report back to London and take up a position at the office of the French Air Ministry. he was awarded the Legion d'Honeur. 
On December 19th 1945, while on one trip to London, his aircraft crashed at Buc (France) and the Colonel Jean-Francois Demozay was killed instantly. One of France's nost notable pilots, he was also awarded the Ordre de Liberation, the French Croix de Guerre, the Belgian Croix de Guerre, the Czech War Cross and the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross.  

 Commandeur de la Lgion d'Honneur
 Compagnon de la Libration
 Croix de Guerre 39/45 (16 palmes)
 Distinguished Flying Cross avec "bar" (GB)
 Distinguished Service Order (GB)
 Distinguished Flying Cross (USA)
 Croix de Guerre Belge
 Croix de Guerre Tchcoslovaque

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Credits :
3dz modifications :
Paulo Morais (cannons), Captain Manduca (oil cooler, aerial mast, pitot tube)
Stew "GhostBoy" (non-mirroring)
Skin : FreddyB
Underside parts of this skin taken from Ghostboy Spit Vb.


Enjoy !

FreddyB


