Cpt. James Thomas Byford McCudden VC, DSO & Bar, MC & Bar, MM (28 March 1895 – 9 July 1918) was a British First World War flying ace. With his six British medals and one French, McCudden received more awards for gallantry than any other airman of British nationality serving in the First World War. He was also one of the longest serving. On 9 July 1918, McCudden was killed in a flying accident when his aircraft crashed following an engine fault.  He was 23.

James McCudden WW1 British Flying Ace VC. The girl on the motorbike with him is his sister. He died in Auxi-le-Château, France, 1918 aged 23.

On 30 January 1918 - a bright winter's morning - No 56 Sqn ace Capt James McCudden took off alone at 0945 hrs. The previous day the engine of his SE 5a had been fitted with high compression pistons, and McCudden hoped that they would sufficiently increase the power of his Hispano-Suiza 8B motor to enable him to catch and engage the enemy's high-flying. Maybach-powered, Rumpler Cs. After two unsuccessful engagements involving a Hannover C over Bullecourt and five Albatros scouts south of Vendhuille. McCudden saw five more German fighters climbing for height above Anneux. Determined as ever to follow his own dictum 'to destroy as many as possible of the enemy at the least risk and casualties to one's own side', the veteran ace waited until the aircraft had reached 14,000 ft before using a 5000-ft height advantage to dive on them; 'Down I went, and very quickly got behind the leader, into whom I fired a burst at very close range. He at once went down vertically, with pieces of three-ply wood falling off his fuselage. and he was seen to strike the ground by our "Archie" gunners. I hadn't time to watch him, as I was fighting four more scouts now and had my attention fully occupied. However, I got into position behind a Plalz, and after a short burst from the good old Vickers he went down in a spiral dive and crashed also.' The remaining three enemy scouts, in McCudden's own words 'now evinced signs of alarm'. He fired at another Albatros. which spun away, but was then attacked by a second machine from behind. McCudden quickly reversed the positions. got onto the tail of the Albatros and opened fire. but after only a short burst both guns stopped - his Lewis gun was out of ammunition, and the the belt of his Vickers had broken. McCudden now felt 'awfully brave'·, and realising the remaining Albatros and Plalz were 'awfully dud', stayed to fight them, chasing the scouts south of Cambrai before heading home. The leader of the formation. Vfw Adam Barth of Jasta 10. flying Albatros D V 4565/17 was killed, whilst the pilot of the Plalz- McCudden's second victory of the day, and his 46th overall - survived the crash

Photo and caption featured in Osprey Aviation Elite Units • 33 No 56 Sqn RAF/RFC by Alex Revell

Captain J B T McCudden sitting in the cockpit of Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a, B4863 'G', while serving as a flight commander with No. 56 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, at Estree-Blanche, France. Note the four-bladed propeller which McCudden fitted to this aircraft, and in which he scored nine victories over the Western Front between 19 September and 21 October 1917.

Captain James McCudden VC . 

The shattered windscreen and uniform of James McCudden’s SE5a. Formally a royal flying mechanic, McCudden’s success lay not in reckless bravery, but in professionalism and thorough knowledge of his machine. He crashed to his death when his engine stalled shortly after takeoff.

James McCudden b. March 28 1895 d. 9 July 1918 (aged 23) Auxi-le-Château, France.