Hector MacLean (RAF officer)

Charles Hector MacLean
Born 9 December 1913
Glasgow
Died 19 July 2007 (aged 93)
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  Royal Air Force
Years of service 1938–1950
Rank Wing Commander
Service number 90166
Unit No. 602 Squadron RAF
Commands held
  • Commanding Officer - No 3602 Fighter Control Unit
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards AE & Clasp
Other work Lawyer, Author

Wing Commander Hector MacLean AE* (9 December 1913 – 19 July 2007) was a Battle of Britain fighter pilot.[1]

Biography

MacLean was educated at St Ninian's Preparatory School, Moffat; Canford School, Dorset and the University of Glasgow, from where he graduated Bachelor of Laws in 1935.

RAF career

He joined the Royal Air Force in November 1935, after his graduation from university. He was commissioned in March 1936, and joined No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron flying Hawker Hinds, and later Hawker Harts.

By 1939, 602 Squadron were flying Spitfires and MacLean flew with the squadron throughout the Battle of Britain. He claimed two shared kills – a Heinkel He 111 on 22 December 1939 and a Junkers Ju 88 in July 1940.

On 26 August 1940, MacLean was severely wounded over the English Channel, but managed to return and belly-land his badly damaged aircraft at RAF Tangmere. His injuries resulted in the loss of his right leg below the knee and a lengthy hospitalisation.[2] He was then unable to continue flying, and became a fighter controller and scrambled the intercept when Rudolph Hess made his lone flight to Scotland on 10 May 1941.

He retired on transfer to the reserve on 1 April 1950 and relinquished his RAF commission on 2 December 1957.[3]

Post war career

He joined his family's law firm after the war and in 1999 wrote Fighters in Defence, Memories of the Glasgow Squadron. One of the longest lived Battle of Britain veterans, he died in 2007 aged 93.[4]

MacLean is survived by his three sons Donald, Marcus, Charles and daughter Jane and his nine grandchildren.

References

  1. ↑ Wing Commander Hector MacLean Telegraph Obituary
  2. ↑ BBC Press Office - Flying Scots War & Conflict
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 38946. p. 3176. 20 June 1950. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
  4. ↑ Scotsman Obituary
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