Jack Hunt (RAF officer)

Lieutenant Frederick John Hunt was an English World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories.

Frederick John Hunt
Nickname(s)"Jack"
Born1899
Whitchurch, Hampshire, England
Died17 March 1954
Basingstoke, Hampshire, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchAviation
RankLieutenant
UnitNo. 74 Squadron RAF
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross

Early life

Hunt was born in Whitchurch, Hampshire, England in 1899 the son of Frederick and Emily Hunt, his father was a coal and corn merchant. He would not be old enough for military duty until late in World War I; his earliest known record of service is 1918.[1]

World War I

Hunt was stationed with 74 Squadron in July 1918. He became a balloon buster for his first aerial victory on 1 September 1918, and would win over another balloon and seven of Germany's finest fighter of the war, the Fokker D.VII, by war's end. He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross after his seventh victory, though it would not be gazetted until 1 February 1919.[2]

List of aerial victories

See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

No. Date/time Aircraft Foe Result Location Notes
1 1 September 1918 @ 1350 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a serial number E5967 Observation balloon Destroyed Northeast of Armentières
2 4 September 1918 @ 1930 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a Fokker D.VII Driven down out of control Half a mile south of Lille
3 17 September 1918 @ 1845 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D6967 Fokker D.VII Set afire; destroyed North of Courtrai
4 21 September 1918 @ 1840 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a Fokker D.VII Destroyed Lille
5 26 October 1918 @ 1455 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a Fokker D.VII Destroyed Cordes
6 26 October 1918 @ 1455 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a Fokker D.VII Driven down out of control Cordes
7 27 October 1918 @ 0940 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n C1137 Observation balloon Destroyed Molenbaix
8 30 October 1918 @ 0820 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a Fokker D.VII Destroyed De Klype
9 30 October 1918 @ 0825 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a Fokker D.VII Set afire; destroyed Quaremont [3][4]

Post World War I

On 31 March 1923, Hunt and Roland John Neale dissolved their partnership in "The Whitchurch Engineering Works". The firm's business was motor, agricultural, and general engineering.[5]

Hunt was living in Ellisfield when his marriage to Frances Ann Selmer of Valparaiso, Chile was set for 29 September 1927.[6]

References
  • Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman L. R.; Guest, Russell. Above The Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. Grub Street, 1990. ISBN 0-948817-19-4, ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.

Endnotes
  1. http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/hunt1.php Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  2. Shores, et al, p. 204.
  3. http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/hunt1.php Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  4. Shores, et al, p. 204.
  5. (The London Gazette, 24 April 1923, p. 2998.) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/32817/pages/2998 Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  6. (Flight, 15 September 1927, p. 658.) http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1948/1948%20-%200612.html?search=Frederick%20Hunt Retrieved 8 August 2011.


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